This week we'll be hearing some thoughts on the choreographic process from McKenna Emerine, a senior Arts Management major and Dance and Spanish minor, and Faith Setzke, a sophomore Dance major from Sauk City, WI.
MEET MCKENNA
Where did you find the inspiration for your concept?
I found inspirations for my piece through my family; how we interact and how we feel about each other. I really wanted to create a piece that honored members of my family and the guidance they have given me throughout my life.
What style is your piece? How many dancers are in the piece?
The style of my piece is ballet-contemporary and I have two dancers in my piece.
What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process?
At the beginning of my rehearsal process I used improv to figure out how my dancers moved, and what movements they were comfortable with. Now I come up with choreography and they help me make it make sense! They are the ones that are dancing it has to feel right in their bodies.
How have you grown as an artist through the process of creating a new piece of choreography?
I am learning to express my ideas in a new, more complex way. I am also learning to make decisions about what I like and don't like and I am becoming more confident with my choreographic process as I go along.
MEET FAITH
Where did you find the inspiration for your concept?
The piece that I am choreographing came together when I went on my family vacation to Dubuque, Iowa with my parents. My piece is based on migration of people. I will be using the migration of monarch butterflies as a representation. This idea came together when I was at a wildlife museum and the directors where talking about the migration of monarch butterflies. This was a big deal this year because over 100 butterflies were tagged and about to be released to migrate to Mexico. I connected to the piece very personally because my grandmother and I would always studied butterflies and the way they live their lives. I incorporated all stages of the butterflies’ life from: beginning stages of life, the struggles of transformation, and taking reality by flight. This piece shows how migration can be a great thing and has struggles. I based this also on dance. Every dancer has a dream of some sort; they follow their path and don’t always make it. The ones that don’t give up after falling rise up to the challenge and can take on their dreams by flight.
What style is your piece? How many dancers are in the piece?
The style of dance I will be choreographing is modern-based with contemporary ballet, and there are five dancers ranging from freshman to junior dancers.
What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process?
It was very important to me during the Afterimages auditions that I selected dancers with great stamina and strength. I plan always plan the rehearsal way in advance, I make notes when dance visions come to mind, I present the information to my dancers, and I fine-tune the music for the piece.
How does one of your “typical” rehearsals work?
Rehearsal material is prepped in advance, yet I am flexible and open to change depending how the piece is coming together with the various strengths of the dancers. I am trying to display how the instruction I’ve received to date at UWSP Department of Theatre and Dance has improved my overall ability to dance and make my dreams reality.
How have you grown as an artist through the process of creating a new piece of choreography?
I have grown through the process of creating a new piece with becoming one with myself. Since I am doing a piece that is meant for others I want them to love it as much as I do. By constructing and deconstructing I finally am able to see how even though one thing might not have worked right away a better thing can always come from it!
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