A thousand steps around me: a study of discovering metaphor through manipulating repetition in dance

This research presents questions and ideas about repetition and metaphor. It addresses the question: What is it about repetition that drives home a point, unravels ideas and opinions, and creates metaphor and connection to lived experiences? The thesis explores a very personal experience of dysfunctional repetition and the journey of using productive repetition to break that cycle. This allowed me to reflect upon who I was before this experience and the process of discovering my missing self and capabilities afterwards. In various chapters, I reflect upon the tools used in the creative process to facilitate metaphor through repetition and gesture. I explore personal metaphors that arose throughout the creation and the lessons learned from experiencing these metaphors. Finally, I share how this process has changed me as a person and the impact it will have on my artistic journey throughout this life.