From time to time, but more regularly in recent years, I’m asked to choreograph original works aside from musical theater shows and studio ballets. Fulfilling artistic requests have been made easier from having pre-written lists of brainstorms that accumulate over time in my “notes of inspiration”.
Inspiration can hit from all angles anytime during the day when something looks interesting or I’ve read something that stands out. Quotations from books make awesome choreographic starters. Lists of explorative movement ideas that range everywhere from the use of words like imbalance and sizzle, to words that I find fun to play with like onomatopoeia, obsolescent, or just the letter F (the best letter in the alphabet).
Musical inspiration is equally as wonderful for discovering inspiration. If I pair a quotation with a dope song, it makes choreographic magic happen. I prefer older tunes for songs with lyrics and new music for instrumentals. Songs need to be played hundreds of times in order to turn them into movement with inflection, telling narratives through body language.
Becoming reestablished in the local art scene every time we move has been a challenge. I’ve gone years without choreographing at all, and then years when I’ve been asked to set 20 unique pieces.
Dance has become an unexpected lifetime of obsession. Stopping feels like being a recovering alcoholic. “What’s next?” “How can I be in the studio all day?”
I think the most important thing is to have an outlet. Let it be cooking or writing or painting or dancing or playing music or just spending time with animals, or in the garden. The more time we spend in any of these creative realms opens awareness where art becomes obsession, or maybe it’s just love. It doesn’t matter who will see the masterpiece other than us because it’s self-care. I care about myself enough to think about choreography, no matter when it might come to fruition, if it ever does.
Dancing is an interesting choice of outlet because oftentimes its dependent on other people and having space to work. Yesterday, I was given keys to a new studio space and it felt like Christmas. I don’t own the studio but just having access to space is like a gift. “Oh, I get to dance in here? Why thank you!!” I have no doubt my goofy grin came out to play in an alarming beam of teeth.
The most interesting comment I hear as an artist is when people tell me, “I’m not creative at all.” How does this work? While I can understand that not everyone visualizes how Ballet and Bollywood might look performed on stage in petticoats, feeling inspiration might be one of my favorite past times.
Knowing how to move forward with bouts of inspirations might be the most challenging layer to the process. I will tell you that the options are endless. Photography might be the simplest form of capturing art now that everyone has a camera in hand at all times. We even have a method for sharing images like never before. I think sharing art, while it may not feel important during the process of creation is the goal in the end.
Wouldn’t you like to see a Bollywood Ballet in Pet Coats?
See what I did there? 😉
Comments