Date: 30/10/2006
Place: His livingroom

Klaus Ludwig came to Brussels to be a student of PARTS and has been living in the city for 10 years now. Having studied economics, he was likely to become a tax adviser but his hobby took over when he got accepted to PARTS. Meanwhile, he has returned to bookkeeping: he started an accounting office specialized in the performing arts. The performing arts and accountancy have everything to do with each other according to Ludwig : looking at a production on stage or looking at the numbers on paper is just another way of approaching a piece.

As a foreigner, Ludwig feels at home in Brussels, which to him is a small island in Belgium where many different nationalities come together. He loves Brussels because it is Ť so alive and international ť. Ludwig feels part of a cultural community, which he describes as quite isolated. One disadvantage of studying at PARTS is that the school absorbs you completely and that it is difficult to get out of the small circle of PARTS-related people. It was a big relief for him when his world opened up by leaving school.

Part of the nature of the Brussels dance community is that it is in constant motion because of the system of guest performances that are shown in the different venues. The Brussels audience has a comfortable position with so many companies visiting the theaters. This flexibility cannot be found in for example Germany where each city has its own theater company and the audience has to do the effort to go and see a performance. Another characteristic of the Brussels dance community is a shared way of life, a life from day to day, which often implies having many ideas but little means. It means sacrificing a lot but also getting a lot in return. The idea that many others chose the same way can be a support in difficult moments. Everybody in the community will experience the contrast between one’s own and society’s values at a given moment, which can make one question his choices. Ludwig gives the example of the importance society attributes to possessions and (saving) money. It is not always easy to find a balance between the Ť realistic side of life ť and one’s ideals.

Ludwig describes himself as a workaholic. He used to do a lot of work for free, but cut down voluntary work to reduce the influence of stress and pressure on his health. He had to learn to put himself in first priority, to slow down and to make sure he earned a living. He also had to learn to separate his personal and professional life. His priorities started shifting when his body gave him signals that he was working too hard. His top priority at the moment is having more free time.

apprenticeship – opera – non-profit – managing part – Eastern Germany – tax – range of 400 km – quite tempting – booming – public transport – alive – small island – foreigner – Berlin wall – Atomium – life cycles of 3 years – big relief – transform – guest performances – change sides – Russian – switch too often – from day to day – sacrifice – crisis – importance of money – inner voice – surprises – work like crazy – survive – health going down – workaholic – music academy classes – longing for knowledge – “cartier” – buddies – pressure – be alone – try to escape – applause = moment of recognition -