As a choreographer, I blend contemporary dance with theatrical elements to explore the complexity of human emotion and relationships. I focus on investigating the connection between vulnerability and strength. In movement, I explore how the phases of pain and growth in life change us as humans physically, mentally, and spiritually, our understanding of justice, and how different social atmospheres can be represented through movement, lighting, and sound. By drawing on personal and shared stories, my goal is to evoke a deep emotional response, challenging audiences to connect with the raw, authentic expression of the body.
 

I draw on jazz, contemporary, modern, and hip hop forms. I take great inspiration from the dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch and the artistic movement- German Expressionism. I am inspired by Pina Bausch’s emphasis on human emotion and vulnerability and her use of repetition and everyday movements to explore the beauty in small human behaviors. German Expressionism influences me with its use of exaggeration of emotion, dramatic lighting, physical intensity, the tension between stillness and chaos, and the exploration of the darker human condition. Bausch’s influence shows in my work, “Look at Me” (2023), as I utilized the contrast between strong, fast movement and movement so minute it is almost still. My creation process involves guided improvisation to gather movement that is more organic to the dancer. I am fascinated by transitions of clear unison to extreme chaos and back. Eye contact and connection to the audience are important to me, as I want the audience to feel challenged to be an active viewer and to increase tension between the dancer and the audience. I often create and explore fluidity in floorwork because I believe gravity and ground are silent partners to dancers, not competitors. German Expressionism influenced the atmosphere- ominous sound, staccato strings, an unsettling bass, and dark but intense lighting- chiaroscuro lighting.

Personal perspective, performer perspective, and audience perspective are all constantly shifting and always valuable to me in dance and art. Life is continually changing and creating new dreamlike or nightmarish situations, just depending on perspective. Future investigation will include topics of grief and shock, confusion and conflict about taking the next steps into the unknown, times of transition, and the coupled fear and joy of change.