Meet the Choreographers: Chelsea and Amanda

Enjoy some behind-the-scenes reflections from Chelsea Connor, a junior dance major from Hoffman Estates, IL, and Amanda Armbruster, a senior dance major from Marshfield, WI!

MEET CHELSEA

Where did you find the inspiration for your concept?
I found inspiration in a tragic event that impacted our country in our not-so-distant past.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process? What does a "typical" rehearsal look like?
In the beginning of my rehearsal process, I was toying around with two concepts so I had my dancers improv using each concept to see how they moved together. Once I decided on my concept, we did some brainstorming to narrow down the specific idea behind the piece. From there I created and taught my cast choreography then played with spacing and facings to accommodate for the staging this year. A typical rehearsal begins by reviewing what happened in our last rehearsal then learning new material and putting everything we have together. In a couple of rehearsals I also showed my cast some of the research I had done to help me create my choreography that day.

MEET AMANDA

Where did you find the inspiration for your piece?
I've always been intrigued by the human heartbeat.  I'm interested in not only the physical qualities of the human heart, but that the heart can feel so many emotions.  I'm also fascinated by the idea of pulse: everybody has their own pulse and internal rhythm.  When people come together they are able to pulse as one in a community.

What style is your piece?  How many dancers are in the piece?
My piece's style is contemporary, and it has seven dancers.

What are some strategies you use in the rehearsal process?
My strategies include improvisation, collaboration, and deconstructing phrases to find gestures and simplicity.

What does a "typical" rehearsal look like?
We usually begin with reviewing the material we worked on previously and then transition to learning a new phrase or working with a prompt or idea.  It's the dancers' job to interpret and embody the movement, so we discuss how it felt and discover different options.

How have you grown as an artist through creating a new piece of choreography?
I have become more open-minded to every new possibility and have learned to apply that open-mindedness to my work.