<B>Dedicated to dance</B><BR>Christopher Bruce's quiet intensity made him the outstanding contemporary dancer of his generation. It also makes the artistic director of the Rambert Dance Company rather awkward company for Julia Llewellyn Smith in The Financial Times <P><BR>Christopher Bruce looks wistful as we walk the short distance from the Rambert Dance Company to The Chiswick restaurant in the west of London. "It's a great day for bedding plants," he sighs. Rambert's artistic director would clearly rather be sitting in the garden of his Somerset home than having lunch with a stranger. "I was there this morning, and it made my heart ache to leave. Nothing moves me more than an English spring day."<P>Bruce is a contradictory figure. A passionate, driven man, his speech is flat and neutral. His quiet intensity made him the outstanding contemporary dancer of his generation. It also makes him rather awkward company.<P>His choreography is acclaimed internationally for its humanity and compassion, yet the creator of such works as Ghost Dance and Swansong is a remote figure. His energies seem conserved for his work, leaving little over for human interaction.<P> <A HREF="http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020504001559&query=dance" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A> <P><B>Stuart Adds</B>: Having interviewed Christopher Bruce a couple of times myself, I can understand the comment about his reserve. However, Llewellyn Smith goes on to say that, 'His energies seem conserved for his work, leaving little over for human interaction.' My impression is that those views would not be shared in any way by those who work with him at Rambert. <P>Later, the interviewer writes, 'Emotionally, he already appears to have cut the ties with Rambert, in anticipation of the next phase of his life.' And yet she saw him dashing across the road to get to a rehearsal on time - a man still giving his all for the dance company that has been at the centre of his life. <P>I wish they would send dance journalists to do these interviews - they might make more sense.<P><BR> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 10, 2002).]