Eve Mutso #50Years50Careers

2019 is our 50th anniversary and we are championing some of the people who help make Scottish Ballet a great place to work. Each week we will introduce you to a different career at Scottish Ballet and the person behind it.

Having trained at Tallinn Ballet School, Estonia, former Principal dancer Eve Mutso joined Scottish Ballet in 2003. In 2012 the role of Blanche in Meckler/Lopez Ochoa’s A Streetcar Named Desire was created on Eve. As Principal with Scottish Ballet, Eve danced many lead roles including The Sugar Plum Fairy in Peter Darrell’s The Nutcracker, Therpsichore in Balanchine's  Apollo, and many more before leaving the company in 2016.

Since leaving Scottish Ballet, Eve has continued to perform on the international stage as a freelance dancer and create multidisciplinary works as a choreographer. Eve created her first choreographic work, elEven, which was performed as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme in 2014. She has since gone on to create works for Estonian National Ballet and Lothian Youth Dance Company.

We caught up with Eve to discover what first attracted her to Scottish Ballet and find out more about her multidisciplinary work.

How did you first get involved in dance?

I was always an active child. At the age of 11, I was already practising gymnastics and Estonian folk dance when my mum suggested that I audition for ballet school. I loved musical theatre but cannot sing, so it had to be dance!

What attracted you to Scottish Ballet?

It was the potential to dance an interesting and challenging repertoire. I was looking for a dance company in Europe and I decided to audition for Scottish Ballet. Ashley Page had just taken over the company, and there was a promise of an ambitious artistic programme. I quickly realised I wanted to be a part of the new direction the company was taking. 

Do you have a favourite memory from your time with Scottish Ballet?

Having spent 13 years with the company, there are so many special memories. One that stands out to me is dancing lead roles in the Balanchine Triple Bill (Apollo, Episodes, and Rubies) at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2005. It was the first time in 20 years that Scottish Ballet had been invited to the Festival, so naturally the company was absolutely buzzing and we all felt so proud.

Can you describe the transition from dancer to choreographer?

Both of these roles are relevant for me right now – I dance my work, I have choreographed for others, and I also dance other people’s choreography. So, the transition is a fluid one and perhaps will always remain so.

You are currently creating works that use combine dance, aerial, visual art, and written word. What is it like making work that crosses between these disciplines?

I’ve always found inspiration from a variety of sources and disciplines, so a multidisciplinary approach comes naturally to me. Ultimately, I love working and collaborating creatively with other people – working alone in a quiet room is not for me. 

You recently performed new work at Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Candoco dancer Joel Brown. What was that experience like?

Our work 111 had a really long development period – it evolved over time from a number of residencies, rehearsal periods, letters, and talks. Joel and I not only created this work together but really had time to get to know each other too. It was great to finally show it to the public and the reception has been great. It has generated quite a bit of interest both here in the UK and overseas. It looks like there will be many more opportunities to perform this work in the future.

What’s your get up and go song?