| Description |
Vision/Revision is the title of a ballet I created during my graduate studies, and in many ways, it is the culmination of my two years at the University of Utah School of Dance. It exists in many forms: the stage version that was first shown during the spring semester of 2018 and a final version performed during the fall semester of 2018. It also exists as a screendance as well as through this written thesis that examines the three questions driving my research: First, what does it mean to be "authentic" as a choreographer? Second, how does this approach resonate with the methods of Crystal Pite, a choreographer I admire? And finally, how could these methods and approaches challenge the often-repeated idea of Jennifer Homans, author of Apollo's Angels, that ballet is dying? As I discovered during my creative process, in order for ballet to remain relevant, it is essential that we empower dancers and honor their distinct voices and contributions. It is also crucial that we investigate the transfer of stage work to screen versions and notice what can be enhanced by the circulations of screendance. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I realized that I am an interdisciplinary artist who is inspired by the ability to compose music, to create movement, to encourage dancers, to design costumes, to build a set, and to direct and edit a film version of my ballet. Ultimately, I found that ballet is an art form characterized by vitality and resilience, and it has a profound ability to inspire and motivate me. |
