At the adjournment of Dance Composition Two, I found that my final choreographic study brought together all that I learned in this class, culminating into one last project. In this class, and through outside observation, I learned about and focused on two major topics of choreography: the importance of music and musical structure, and the role of authenticity in choreography and learning. Thus, in my final project, a three-minute choreographic study to the song “Bottom of the River” by Delta Rae, I worked to incorporate these aspects along with lessons I learned from concert viewings into my creative process.
Many of our studies in Dance Composition Two centered largely around an honest attention to music and/or rhythm. As a class, we discussed different ways we can approach time, specifically how different subdivisions of time can be used in creating dance compositions. For example, we had the challenging task of learning to dance to a rhythm when you could not hear it. Consequentially, if our bodies were not completely consumed in a three-four time or a five-eight time, the rhythm would not come across with clarity. These studies forced me to learn how to use an inner sense of time because there was no musical cue to work with; this experiment was beneficial when I actually had music to work with in later studies, including my final study. I was able to attune myself to the rhythm, plotting ways I could mirror the music in my body. These studies also taught me that I could break up a distinct musical pattern by accenting some beats, while ignoring others, adding diversity and unpredictability to the movement. Hence, in my final study, I tended to ignore obvious accents in the music. I also decided to defy the music by not letting my movement grow with the crescendos in the song, playing with the idea of unpredictability. In our later studies, we paid a lot of attention to structural design of music and how it relates to our choreography. We listened to music and coded it with letters based on changes that we noticed within the music. Then, when choreographing our studies, distinct differences in the dance were aligned with new musical sections. These distinct differences could vary from transposing the choreography to a new level, to changing the dynamic of the movement from viscous and tense to circular and loose. Altogether, these different sections allow for dynamicity in qualities and levels, and thus progression in the studies. In my final piece, I applied this practice of coding sections with my musical selection, noting four sections, two subsections, and a reprise of a former section in the music. I decisively changed qualities from section to section, dancing everything from meticulous to gestural to grounded and primal movements. By creating these sections in my quality, I created an ever-changing plot line in my choreography that would not feel stagnant to the audience.
Though not always blatantly articulated, my greatest take away from Dance Composition Two was the power of authenticity as a choreographer, a dancer, and as a student. This sentiment of purity was modeled by my teachers in the manner they conducted themselves, and authenticity was encouraged in all the studies and lessons. I learned that authenticity applies to energy, performance, and critique. Consideration of these multidimensional aspects in a genuine way allows for successful choreography. Whenever we approached a new lesson, we had to approach it without judgment. The best way to create and learn was when the class disregarded insecurities and preconceived expectations and just acted. I noticed this particularly when we inverted phrases. At first everyone was uncomfortable creating these movements that we thought to be “ugly”. However, when we let go of inhibition and just tried to do the lesson, it was easier to create. Throughout the class, I noticed that the studies where the dancer organically created movement, including whatever moves felt natural on his or her bodies, were the most well received pieces by the class. Therefore, in my final study, I wanted to bring as much authenticity as possible to the work. To do this, I improvised to create movement, and I picked a song that actually spoke to me and made me want to dance. I attempted to bring a real sense of performance to my work and embody the character and tone I wanted to portray in my study. This in turn compelled me to actually enjoy the process of creation; it gave me a feeling of ownership for my work. Another dynamic of class was learning how to authentically analyze work when watching and coaching our classmates. After the performance of a peer, we had the opportunity to critique their work. However, we could not simply say whether we liked or disliked the work – it was instead expected that we provide authentic reactions, which allowed us to get better at looking at others work. In turn, this resulted in improvements on analyzing and editing our own work.
Lastly, my observation of works within the department helped me learn what I like and dislike in choreography, and it gave me ideas of what I want to experiment with or avoid in my own choreography. In Dance Downtown, I was particularly struck by the use of the dresses in Sofie Clemmensen’s “Fjorten”. I am always intrigued by the usage of clothing in movement or as a prop, so I paid particular attention to this at the show. In Clemmensen’s work, the dresses were used as both a symbol as well as a vessel for compelling choreography. She had the dancers create unity between each other by connecting arms while they exchanged the dresses. Clemmensen also had one dancer weighed down by wearing everyone else’s dresses, creating an image of one grounded dancer surrounded by the other dancers who found lightness in their movement after being unveiled from the heavy dresses. All throughout the piece, these dresses stood as a symbol, possibly as a metaphor for the hardship and weight of being a woman. Thus, the removal of these dresses lifted a burden off of the women, unmasking their beautiful bodies and allowing them to dance more freely. I was surprised by the way Clemmensen could find multiple purposes with clothing in the dance, so I wanted to include this multidimensionality to prop usage when incorporating a skirt into my own choreography. Thus, I tried to use the skirt in my final project to not only symbolize the feminine, mysterious quality of my character, but also as a tool to create new images by putting the skirt over my head or wrapping it around my neck. Watching Dance Downtown, I was also struck by the handling of symbolism in Bebe Miller’s “Sel Fou!”. The dance used multiple books, and there was a distinct time when the dancers kicked the books. As an audience member, I immediately considered this to be a symbol for censorship or the throwing away of knowledge. Seeing the gravity of one simple act made me realize the importance of every move in a piece and how it can cause a multitude of reactions and sentiments depending on audience members’ own perspectives.Thus, in my final project, I tried to pay acute attention to the gestural moves I choreographed and brainstormed multiple ideas on how these images could possibly be perceived. Being an audience member for Miller’s work, I was inspired to consider symbolism in my own work and how audience’s feelings towards one movement could define their perception of a piece. Hence, in my final project, I considered what themes would arise from certain moves, such as wrapping my skirt around my neck or holding up a hand with three fingers Lastly, in watching Merce Cunningham’s Black Mountain pieces performed at the Wexner Center, I was once again reminded of the relationship between choreography and music. In the pieces displayed by the OSU dancers, the choreography often purposefully mirrored John Cage’s music. It was as though the dancers were creating the eccentric instrumentation within their bodies. For example, when Cage’s music created a springing sound, the dancers would spring jump into the air, creating an image of what that sound would look like. I attempted to carry out this observation in my choreography, by creating movements in my final study that I felt accurately depicted the singer’s soulful voice, or the intense beats within the music.
Although I have a long way to go as a choreographer, I believe Dance Composition Two taught me useful tools for moving forward as a novice choreographer, using inspiration from those around me as well as leaning on my own authentic and organic ideas to create movement.
Kelsey Kempner 