Dance Portfolio

I am a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Growing up, my grandmother took me to see the ballet, and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to dance. Dance has given me my roots, and I do this every day because of what dance has done for me.  Dance has allowed me to express the complexities of my life. Growing up and dancing have been interconnected for me, and this loop has inspired me in my dance journey. I enjoy making dances because I like to express myself through movement and have free autonomy in what goes into my work. I crave the openness and versatility that choreography gives you. I also enjoy the challenge of making different kinds of dances- styles of dance, solos, groups, duets, etc. Each choreographic process has something new to offer. I like the idea of something fresh. I prefer to tell various stories through my work: realistic personal stories, relatable and broad stories, and fantasy. I prefer that each audience member has their own interpretation and connection to my work. I love the connection that personal and realistic stories make. Getting that out in the world is important to me because everyone experiences unfavorable circumstances that are not always discussed or are hard to discuss. However, I also like how a fantasy story or something theatrical can leave an audience escaping their realities, even if it is only for 5 minutes at a time. My goals and aspirations as an artist are challenging to put into words and explain. I am passionate about putting those realistic works out there and spreading awareness over topics not usually openly discussed in society. I am still exploring what I want my interpretation of my work to be. A part of me does not care about that. However, I see the importance of focus in my current and future work. 

I do not have any set process for choreographing. I have tools such as motif and repetition that I work with, but nothing is ever set in stone. Also, it depends on my concept. I often work with the music first, and I am very visual-based, so I just see the movements of each word or beat I want to bring out in the piece. Other times, I have a crystal clear concept but have found no perfect music for it yet, and in those cases, I work more with abstraction and how I want to communicate whatever the idea is, whether that's partner work, theatrics, props, etc. I primarily work in a standard proscenium setting; however, I am interested in film work and virtual landscapes.  I have many inspirations to guide my work. I love taking inspiration from other well-established dance artists. A few of my favorites include Gina Menichino, Erica Klein, and Shannon Atkins. However, when I have a concept in mind, I always look up dances on similar topics/concepts to dissect and see what tools or choreographic processes I want to include. As a dancer, I also take inspiration from music. Still, I use that to inspire my movement and drive my plot or story, but not so much for tools or ideas on conveying the topic/story; sometimes, there are exceptions if I find that perfect song. I also take inspiration from movies, books, and other written and visual representations of stories. 
 

I want to explore my approach to my themes more in my work. For example, I am enthralled at how a fantasy or theatrical story can leave an audience escaping their realities, even if for only five minutes at a time. I connect to my work through my lived experiences. For example, I have made pieces about feeling isolated and inadequate, something I have experienced regularly since I was a teenager. I have also made dances about feeling empowered and like you are on top of the world. I also connect to my work through others' experiences. This is more of a goal of my work, but I want to be a voice for others who do not have a way to express things that occur in their life. I am passionate about spreading awareness and empowerment. Through our ideas and movement, we can express, uplift, and inspire others.