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Blog 9 - Conclusive Thoughts

Throughout this process, I was given the opportunity to experience creating my own choreographic piece. There were times when I reached a mental block, and didn't know how to continue. and using different techniques by well-known choreographers, such as Wayne McGregor, helped immensely with this problem. I thoroughly enjoyed working in a small group, as I had to push myself to communicate my thoughts and feelings, which is something I usually avoid. This journey meant a lot to me in more ways than one. In the future, I wish to experiment more with different styles, and pushing myself outside my comfort zone more. I would like to have the opportunity to work with dancers who have very different movement patterns than my own, so I can learn and expand my creative abilities. Personally, I found that being and active member of the choreographic team was quite refreshing, as it made the process much more personal, and in turn, I believe that I was able to perform the choreography more c...
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Blog 8 - Differences & Similarities

I realised that Crystal Pite and Wayne McGregor both work alongside the dancers of the company to create their dance pieces. I believe that their ability to include their dancers in their creative process is incredible, as it makes it possible for the dancers to build on movement sequences and experiment, rather than just being the ones who perform the outcome. The company dancers have the opportunity to give their own approach to the choreographers stimulus, and they aren't treated as empty vessels ready to memorize multiple combinations. I found that I related to this method in some way, as I found that I personally prefer including other peoples' opinions and thoughts when I create. I really enjoy looking at things from different angles and perspectives, because I find that different life experiences shape the way we see the world, and I am always caught off-guard by how different each dancers' interpretations can be.  The main difference I can point out between the two ...
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Blog 7 - Process update

 Where am I in my process? This whole experience of creating my own piece of choreography for the first time has been enlightening and very exciting to say the least. I never thought that so many variables could exist in threading different ideas together, but along the way I got used to putting time and thought behind each movement, so it could make sense when referring back to my stimulus.     Link -  Monarch Butterfly While I was working on my choreography, I found my thoughts on  my stimulus almost going through a domino effect and expanding. This journey led me to researching butterflies. I know it might seem very random, and quite off-topic, but what I really focused on was what they might symbolise. In movies, usually animations, I have noticed that they are usually used as a sign of optimism, but also, they tend to lead the characters to a trip down memory lane. As we all know, butterflies go through many changes during their lifetime. They handle these ...
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Blog 6 - Wayne McGregors 'Atomos'

  Atomos, 2013, Studio Wayne McGregor   We recently took some time to watch a video on Wayne McGregors process when creating ‘Atomos’ in 2013. The process involved many different parties. Wayne McGregor himself, dancers from his company, and Studio XO. This whole production managed to connect the dance world with technology seamlessly, and it is truly astonishing how everything came together. Sensors were used to gather the data needed (ie the dancers' biometrics), and with everything they gathered, XO designed digital skins inspired by the dancers' emotional states. Furthermore, costumes were designed, and so were props that were used in the creative process, but not during the actual performance. Usually, dancers rely mostly on the movement they create, but through this process, the costumes were just as important. Both elements combined created an even more captivating experience for the audience, as they helped elevate each other. Atomos, 2013, Studio Wayne McGregor ...
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Blog 5 - Wayne McGregors' Choreographic Techniques

Wayne McGregor is one of the most accomplished choreographers of our day. He showed some of his choreographic techniques on a TED talk in September 2012, with two dancers, and he really gave everyone some insight on how his brain works, and how he takes a certain concept that might be very random and through a process of physical thinking, he turns it into his stimulus. He basically proved that you could make anything out of anything, if you used your imagination. Wayne McGregor on the TEDGlobal stage in September 2019 - 'A Choreographers creative process in real time'. In the video of his TED talk, he took the word “TED” and explained how he imagined the word as a 3D object, that he could rotate, turn and manipulate, so he could see different angles. From there, he started improvising, and the two dancers behind him started taking elements from it to build upon. Towards the end he started giving them certain instructions and ideas to work towards. An example of this could be...
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Blog 4 - My chosen practitioner

 I personally had a very difficult time choosing between the three choreographic practitioners we were given to look into. I find that it’s very easy for me to connect to people, and now with this task, I connected with work from all three choreographers. I understood that it would come down to who’s style matched mine, and who’s work could eventually help inspire my own choreographic piece. In the end, I chose to focus on Crystal Pite, and how she thinks and processes life, to eventually create the magnificent works of art she is so famously known for. Watching her interview with Denise Donlon, gave me the opportunity to see dance and life from a different, yet still similar, approach than usual. She emphasised on the impermanence of dance, and how, even though it has many ‘real’ elements, like the body, bones, muscles, energy etc., it also has the more almost non-existent side of it, as it doesn’t last forever. A choreographic piece is only alive in the minds of the dancers a...
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Blog 3 - My stimulus and further research

  When choosing a stimulus, I couldn’t help but gravitate towards this one by Dorothea Tanning called ‘Insomnias’. I saw a lot of potential in using this as inspiration, because it doesn’t depict anything realistic or ‘set’. It gives us the impression of something fluid and almost paranormal, or mystical. There are elements emerging from it, like a few human figures, a crying baby, and angel wings. I chose this work of art as my guide through choreographing my own dance piece, and while on this journey, I pushed myself to look at life as a multidimensional shape that has endless angles and interpretations.   D. Tanning - 'Insomnias' , 1957 My very first thought when looking at my stimulus was the theory of life flashing before your eyes before you pass on. It might sound like a very dark concept to some, but to me it is something I find quite beautiful and almost peaceful and comforting. Life ending is only inevitable. It is not supposed to be a massive shock, as it’s the o...
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