The very first choreography project of this semester started with the song “Legends Never Die” by Orville Peck & Shania Twain. The entire class was instructed to create a piece to this music, meaning you could basically do anything. The first version of this I did not really like. The second version, we did the exact same piece but completely in silence. Our last instruction was to put you movement to any sound, including no sound, that you wanted, as well as use the movement you originally had, but make it work. This completely changed my perspective, and my concept. I used a song that did not have any words, but instead many strange sounds. I made this piece to demonstrate how tied I was to my foot injury, and the use of my sneakers and my stool. The final version of this piece was much more fun to make, especially because I could really connect more to the meaning and make it my own.
The second choreographic project that I created this semester was designed to explore space, force, and time. Space, force, and time can be interpreted and used in many ways. Space can reference where you are dancing and the angle from which your audience is watching. I attached my phone to the ceiling of my dorm room for a different perspective. Force refers to the dynamics of your movement, whether it is hard hitting or slower and more controlled. I utilized the sound of a metronome because it is a static, steady beat, but I did not always move that way. Time can be manipulated by using the music or different parts of your body. I chose to follow the music during parts of my routine, and other sections I completely disregarded the sound, creating a different dynamic. I enjoyed how making this piece forced me to think of different movements, so that it matched my space.
I choose a concept of form as a starting point to begin our third choreographic project. The form I chose and based my work off was the idea of unity, variety, and contrast. This form involves bringing together movements or concepts that are usually not seen together and use them to create an original work. I titled my work “Stir Crazy” in a not-so-subtle reference to my quarantine endeavors. The sound that I used was a painfully boring podcast about a haunted Xbox entitled “Dumpster Fire.” I have been very drawn to the idea of moving in and out of the camera shot since I noticed how often people, including myself, feel that they need to be completely in the picture to make it a good video. I also had the idea of costume changes to represent the different moods that the character of the Xbox portrayed. I was determined to do these costume changes in real time because I enjoyed the uncomfortable amount of stillness and hesitation that it provided. I also chose to not always address the audience and chose very specific moments to break the fourth wall, which was also a fun experiment.
For my fourth choreography project, I researched and explored the topic of Toxic Positivity. We were able to choose a topic that we were interested in, and I chose toxic positivity because I can relate to the idea heavily. I have struggled with knowing what exactly toxic positivity, what it stems from, and how it effects other people for most of my life, and this project was the perfect opportunity to discover what it means to me. The music was many YouTube sounds and the song “Everything is Awesome” from the Lego Batman Movie put together by Allyson Hineman. My dance history, and my history in general, has a lot of connections to toxic positivity and toxic relationships. The key point that interested me while reading the article were the “Signs of Toxic Positivity” because I dove into this topic hoping to discover how to recognize the ways people are toxic in certain relationships. While I was creating my choreographic work, I chose movements that represented the signs from the article, as well as what I felt my relationship with toxic positivity was/is. The seven signs are as follows: 1) hiding or masking your true feelings, 2) trying to “just get on with it” by dismissing an emotions, 3) feeling guilty for the feelings what you feel, 4) minimizing other people’s experiences with “feel good” quotes or statements, 5) trying to give someone perspective instead of validating their emotional experience, 6) shaming or chastising others for expressing frustration or anything other than positivity, and 7) brushing off things that are bothering you, or another person, with an “It is what it is” comeback. Using these statements, I was able to connect movement, facial expressions, costume, and props to the topic of toxic positivity. I realized while making this piece that it is a heavy topic. The emotions that came up while exploring this movement were confusing to me. At some points I became playful, other parts I was angry, some parts were sad and lost, and other parts I truly felt happy. The version of my piece that I decided to choose combined elements of miming, clowns, and anthropomorphizing, giving human characteristics to an inanimate object. I utilized enjoyed the idea of miming because mimes are usually displayed as happy, silent beings. They are often seen performing with a huge smile on their face, though their may be tears painted under their eyes. The concept of mimes is also very similar to clowns. Using a broom with a drawn on sad face as part of my piece, I dove into the concept of anthropomorphizing, giving inanimate objects human like characteristics.
This piece started off as a realization of everything that I carry with me every day, everywhere I go, no matter what I am doing. It represents the constant voices in my head, the unreasonable expectations on myself, pressure from parents and family members, injuries, body image issues, lack of eating, overeating, wanting to be heard, being misunderstood, thinking about the future, being terrified of failure, etc. I call this work “Layered”. Music is by Zoe Keating. In the piece, I was able to unlock movements and emotions that I have not utilized or felt in a very long time. Due to being out for a while because of my feet, I have been having trouble getting myself motivated to dance again. I am always worried that I will hurt myself or not be able to dance the way I used to. I made this piece for me. I used movement that felt good on my body, the clothing, and the video editing to show the audience a small piece of my timeline. I did not make this piece for pity; I made this piece for release. With everything that is going on, a divide of people in this country, and in my life, I felt it was important to do something for myself. My hope is that this piece will show that it is okay to let things go, that there is beauty in letting the past be the past and have it stay there. I also hope that I can learn this concept myself, as it is something I have continuously struggled with. *I do not own rights to this music*
Filming and Editing Credits: Virginia Raffaele
The pandemic has been so hard on all of us, and quarantine is just not fun. Sometimes, the best way to enjoy yourself, and get through the day, is to get up and move. Create something, even if it's in your bathroom. *I do not own rights to this music*
Who knew you could tap at home? Here is a fun tap combination I created for my final in Tap II at SUNY Fredonia.
One of my good friends, Grace Harvey, asked me to create a solo for her so she could audition for an intensive in the summer of 2019. Here is a peak of me really just enjoying being alive. *I do not own rights to this music*