| Description |
The practice of yoga has had a profound impact on me as a dancer and artist, serving as a new lens and conceptual framework I have applied to my creative work. Both dance and yoga allow me the unique opportunity to experience who I am by emphasis on self-investigation through expansion of consciousness with the use of the body. Dance enables me to outwardly manifest my inner reality through the form of choreography and performance, while yoga encourages deep emotional reflection. I am interested in the relationship between my yoga practice and philosophical beliefs, and how each influence my creative process, choreographic works, and performance. In this thesis, I am exploring the tantra yogic model of embodiment: the body is the key to transcendence; and the yogic perspective of tapas: the heat or resistance required for physical, mental, and spiritual transformation. Using discomfort as a catalyst for artistic growth, I analyze and reflect upon my thesis work: ""Better an ignis fattus/than no illume at all"" (Better to be a foolish fire than to have no flame at all). I draw connections between the philosophical perspective of tapas, the tantra model of embodiment, and their relationship to themes in my creative work. Ultimately, this study reveals how the practice of yoga, and the concept of tapas has been a useful tool for my creative work, providing me artistic freedom and fortitude to embrace uncertainty with steadiness and ease. |
