Wayne McGregor on why he won’t spell out his striking dance creations

The top of the Guardian’s Wayne McGregor interview by Lyndsey Winship. Picture © Erik Berg

‘It really bores me’: Wayne McGregor on why he won’t spell out his striking dance creations (Lyndsey Winship, Guardian, 19 September 2025)

This piece is nominally centred on Lyndsey Winship’s recent visit to see Wayne McGregor’s new double bill, Jocasta’s Line, for the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo.

It is not a review as such, though it discusses the pieces in some detail; but more importantly Winship also speaks with McGregor about the work, which reveals some clear exasperation regarding what some expect from dance and theatrical productions.

Here is the fuller exchange that yields the headline quote:

‘When asked, McGregor is only frustrated by questions about what he himself was interested in exploring. “None of that matters, none of that matters. What matters is how you receive something. It really bores me, this transactional conversation,” he says, meaning the choreographer explaining their intention; the audience expecting something explicit to be communicated. “I think we need to be much braver about trusting our instincts about what we’re receiving, by opening up ourselves, our own lenses.”’

So, interpret McGregor’s work as you see fit. If you find something in it that you appreciate, then great. However, if you are confused by what you see, do not expect much help from the creator in untangling things — that is the message. It rather flies in the face of where most companies and theatres seek to be in communicating with paying audiences. But McGregor is a much-admired and original choreographic voice, and of course he is entitled to respond to commissions as he chooses.

I suspect this interview may be referenced frequently in the future as writers and audiences discuss his work and their responses. I am sure his exasperation will prompt reflection, even if it does not sit easily with the mantra about the customer always being right.