I believe we all have the need to create. Each one of us views the world through an individual lens and a collective lens. We share experiences about ourselves and hope in some small way that those viewing/witnessing connect with us whether it be a beginning of a dialogue, or a hand on a shoulder, or a knowing nod of approval. Ironically, I never wanted to choreograph when I started dancing. I was more interested in being the “material” for the dance-maker. However, I found myself asking questions more and more and secretly deciding that I would have made this or that choice instead. It was in those moments that I learned to embrace my thought processes and ideas…. and that my voice mattered.
Growing up as a shy kid, moving around a lot, being the new kid in school, listening and trusting the words of my gymnastics coaches, and not being open about my personal life caused me to be a great observer of things around me. I am a daydreamer at heart and my sister Laura tells me that one of my greatest gifts is that “you are the fly on the wall.” I find beauty, humor, horror, and inspiration in a lot of different things and in a lot of different ways. I grew up in an extended family where we encouraged each other’s creativity. We played.
I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing choreographers: Steve Koester, Terry Creach, Bill T. Jones, Doug Varone, and Loa Clawson. Each of them had a remarkable influence on me as a person and in my desire to choreograph. I’m interested in how things are put together and the structures that involve creating a strong choreographic work. I love the architectural ideas of dance and have been inspired by Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham, and Tere O’Connor. My friends Nancy Bannon and Colleen Thomas have inspired me to look at the world through imagery and other points of view. Gerald Casel allowed me to pick his brain and to question my choices and myself and has always been supportive in his answers.
And then there are the dancers who have danced in my company. A great deal of finding choreographic inspiration is by watching them move through space and life. I surround myself with people that I want to know and they want to know me. Sometimes the relationships don’t last forever, but still I think about them and remember their contributions to my work and to my life.
Lately, I am interested in other forms of art, especially sculpture, poetry, gardening, and painting. I find myself going to dance concerts less frequently but have also found myself more interested in making dances. I have given up timelines and am allowing the works to unfold and surprise me. When they are ready, they are ready. It has given me more freedom and joy in the creative process than I ever have had before when I was more concerned with reviews, commissions, size of audiences, and touring. I admire those choreographers who are in that game immensely but at the end of the day I feel that it wasn’t where I wanted to be.
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