The pleasant surprise for me is that when I look into Tony's eyes, he's still 100% present, sharing everything that's going on. Acting with him is like a beautiful dance.
I believe honesty comes across in music because for people that music isn't just something to dance to. For people for whom music is something that they feel, they understand what I'm talking about.
When I was in school, I was very involved with a lot of things. I was very very active. I couldn't say that I wasn't popular. I was a cheerleader when I was in junior high. I didn't make it in high school so I started a dance line.
I've studied a lot of great people over the years - Pete Seeger, James Brown - and tried to incorporate elements that I've admired, though I can't say I dance like James.
I love to dance. But I don't like being up in front of tons of people. I didn't have the desire to be performing in front of a lot of people. So it wasn't something I ever seriously considered.
So, it becomes an exercise in futility if you write something that does not express the film as the director wishes. It's still their ball game. It's their show. I think any successful composer learns how to dance around the director's impulses.
