Brighton Festival director Hofesh Shechter challenges Latest TV to tennis

Brighton Festival director 2014 Hofesh Shechter is not only a world-famous dancer and thoroughly nice chap – he’s also a mean tennis player.

So when Latest TV found out about the world-famous choreographer’s love for the sport, we decided to challenge him to a match.

And guess what? It was a complete racquet!

Away from the court our very own John McEnroe lookalike Joseph Gunn got chance to ask the Israeli about his love for the sport and his craft – and if there were any similarities.

Hofesh said: “My love for tennis actually comes from a very early age. I loved it on TV watching people like John McEnroe and Boris Becker. I used to love love love it – I don’t know why.

“I never got to play it until something like five years ago when I just decided to pick up a racquet that I got from my girlfriend.

“I find there is something really interesting about the connection between mind and body which really reminds me of dance.

“If you imagine something really strongly or can really visualise it when dancing it becomes the movement, the quality of the movement – whether it’s hard, soft watery, powerful – whatever you are thinking about, the body becomes that. It’s a really similar process when playing tennis.”

Unlike many of his predecessors – who include Brian Eno, Vanessa Redgrave and Anish Kapoor – this year’s festival director has taken up residence in the city for the duration of the three-week event.

And, at the half-way point, he said he is not regretting the decision one bit.

Hofesh said: “I was first approached [about directing the festival] two years ago and I immediately agreed.

“I thought it would be great fun and it is indeed great fun to be here and be doing it. But also the build up, working with a programme with a team, thinking about which shows would make an interesting festival, installations etc.

“I decided to come and be here for three weeks. Normally I travel quite a lot with my company around the world but these three weeks I’m here.

“First of all it’s amazing to be in one place, in Brighton, but also to see a lot of other people’s art which I don’t always have the chance to throughout the year.”

Reflecting on the match, Joseph said: “I taught him too much early on. He saw my technique in the first few points of the match, completely copied it and ended up wining 6-1.”

After winning the one set match, Hofesh admitted he was impressed by Joseph’s dancing, if not his tennis.

But the director said he was unsure if he would be incorporating any of our man’s moves in his next production.