With this semester project coming to a close, I want to leave with you peak at what keeps me inspired as a choreographer.
- Feeling. Robert Cohan stated that “Dance is a sign of life pressing itself out through the body,” and that it allows us one to express what is “impossible to put into words”. While this is true on paper, I have had great inspiration in some of my most vulnerable life experiences. Dancing truly does help me express those feelings I can not put in to words. Dance has been an outlet for my highs and lows, and when I am dancing how I am feeling, it generates an authenticity that keeps me inspired.
- Storytelling. Whether its is an interpretation of a fairy tale or a lived experience from my own life, I love to tell a story with my choreography. I strive to captivate an audience and bring them into the world that I have created. Each story demands something different in order to bring it to life, which inspires movement.
- Innovation. I have always been inspired by things that were a little bit outside of the box. The idea that I can create something that my audience has not seen before motivates me to keep pushing the envelope with my choreography. Never be afraid to try something new.
Last but never least, music inspires me to create through each point described above. I’ve listened to songs and pieces of music that evoke great emotion. Sometimes I’ll play something and see a story arc that fits perfectly. Creating a piece in one style of dance that is unexpected for a specific genre of music keeps me innovating.
My goal with Dancer’s Playlist was to share what inspires me, in hopes of inspiring you too. I have had a great experience this semester, experimenting with choreography. I invite you to stay inspired with me through my Instagram page @dancers.playlist
Feature image: Photo by Eliot Tensen, Lighting designer Mandy Masmar
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