Renee Liang interviews Desmond Richardson, one of the creative directors for New York contemporary ballet company Complexions, which brings its show Rise to Auckland at the end of this month.

Desmond talks about the company's ideals and its claim that "whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world - and all its constituent cultures - as an interrelated whole."

Rise by Complexions, featuring the music of U2, Rachmaninoff, Billie Holiday and Roy Buchanan is presented by THE EDGE® International Arts Season and CAMI spectrum from Wednesday, September 29 for four performances only.

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Your company philosophy is that “dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them”.   In what ways is your work “multicultural”?

The work is" Multicultural" not only ethnically but through the variety and versatility of the movement.  This steps beyond the traditional fold, to create dialogue between the Artist and the audience.

What kind of inspiration do you draw from your own cultural backgrounds?

The inspiration we draw upon from our own cultural backgrounds stems from the way in which Dwight (the co-creative director) and I were both raised .

Though separate we both share the common thought, to believe that there is beauty in all things and people and if we remain open there is so much to discover.

Tell us more about your techniques for blending dance styles.

Our techniques for blending dance styles comes quite naturally, from my beginnings in Hip Hop and Dwight's in Ballroom , then training classically, helps us to understand the form and yet not be bound by it.

How do you go about creating a new piece?

The process of creating a new piece comes in many forms.  Sometimes an idea is bred from listening to a score, or looking at the dancers and seeing how we can challenge them to go to the next level in their artistry.

What was the inspiration behind this show?

The inspiration behind this show is not one specific idea, we want for the audiences to go on a journey with us, thus our program will incorporate three specific acts with scores of music ranging from Rachmaninov to U2.

How can dance interconnect the world? 

Dance can interconnect the world strictly by what is happening now.  With the barrage of dance on TV and in film, the more it is accessible I believe, the better. Inspiration seems to come to many these days  who want to dance and don't have an opportunity to see it live in the theater. I am a prime example of this.

Do you also cross boundaries into other disciplines (such as theatre, music, visual arts?)

We have often crossed disciplines with the inclusion of poetry, original songs and visual imagery. We feel it is important and imperative discover and investigate these other idioms.

Does Complexions do any outreach programs or teaching when it tours?

Complexions does outreach programs when we tour  Dwight & I feel  it is necessary to share what we've learned and investigated and  to soak up the many diverse cultures we come in contact with .