ntroduction

 

My creative research modalities are composition (choreography) and teaching (pedagogy). As artist-researcher, I explore and examine the intricacies of human experience and relationships through movement. As teacher-researcher, I examine my own teaching practice and curriculum development where my goal is to assist dancers in developing their own studio practice, artistic expression, and critical thinking skills.

 

Past and current areas of my interdisciplinary research have bridged dance with English, history, social studies, religion and music. Future areas of research interest bridge dance and somatic practices with psychology and neuroscience.

 

Past Research

 

My thesis in 2016 consisted of choreographing, directing and presenting a creative work with seven dancers for the proscenium stage. Additionally I presented an installation and solo performance in a fine arts gallery. I was interested in exploring a section of sacred Judeo-Christian text and accessing an embodied human connection with the divine through dance. By exploring embodied practices that have at their core reaching a spiritual state through movement, I aimed to deepen my own creative process.

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I surveyed non-American forms of dance or embodied practice from different millennia (Gaga, flamenco, Gregorian chant). I examined their philosophies by participating in classes, reading scholarly books and articles, conducting interviews, witnessing and analyzing the performances and recordings. Then I responded by experimenting in the studio and trying allow my body use new information to access a deeper place in the human spirit through movement. I examined the historical context and background of the sacred text and used it structure my composition. I also worked with a composer who created an original score, and collaborated with seven dancers to bring their experiences to the process. While my findings were broad, the methods of improvisation and curation that I developed have become part of my creative process.

 

Current Research

 

Creative research is the process of asking questions about and exploring a concept to create new information, knowledge, or response. My creative research usually examines the human experience or relationships through choreography and/or visual art. Findings are the discoveries that present themselves throughout the process of creation. My creative process typically follows a structure of: inspiration and collection (ideas, music, responses, data), exploration (felt responses and improvisation with and without dancers), organization (movement manipulation, structuring, setting to music), refinement (rehearsing, detailing and cleaning) presentation (performance or installation in a traditional or non-traditional space).

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My choreographic style, while based in ballet, is not limited to one technique. Works I created with Camerata South Orchestra, although set to live classical music, incorporated use of movement on different levels and floorwork, pedestrian movements, increased ranges of motion in the torso than is typical of ballet, and on-and-off center moment that typifies contemporary dance. The dances I created at New World School of the Arts blended modern dance techniques and ballet. For young dancers, I have created several short story ballets where I use the classical story ballet form as a structure and combine classical and contemporary movement styles to tell a story.

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As an emerging artist I participate in my regional, national and international dance community by presenting choreographic works, teaching master classes and lecture demonstrations. I have attended Corps de Ballet International conferences, been a member of NDEO and FDPA, and have taken students to present works at NHSDF and ACDFA. While working for Miami Dade Public Schools and Miami Dade College, I completed requirements for a professional teaching license in the state of Florida. In my community, I volunteer with worship dance ensembles in faith centers, offer Pilates and Gyrokinesis classes, and choreograph, perform and offer master classes with Music in Motion Dance Company. In the summer I guest teach with studios and pre=professional companies in Florida and New Mexico.

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My research methods of dance techniques and somatic methods directly influence my classroom teaching. I have studied the ABT, Cecchetti and CPYB teacher training methods of ballet and have taken teaching workshops in Gaga, Countertechnique, Límon dance technique. I take yearly teacher training courses in Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis methods with an emphasis on applications for dancers. I find that the principles of these methods compliment each other and that by having a diverse breadth of information to draw from, I am better able to communicate concepts with the dancers I teach and collaborate with. With the methods I use I am able to offer dancers tools and resources to develop their own practice for preparing, conditioning and maintaining their bodies for embodied creative work.

 

Future Research

 

As an emerging artist, I continue to develop relationships to lead to recognition in my field. This includes teaching and presenting works with dance companies, universities and conferences at the regional, national and international sphere.

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As teacher-researcher, I am interested in course development. My continual curiosity in developing safe training for dancers that meets the demands of the current profession helps me curate and develop current dance technique classes. As ballet and contemporary dance progresses beyond the classical idiom, so training dancers needs to progress. Sample new course offerings are: ballet for the contemporary dancer and applications of Gyrokinesis method on mental health in dancers.

 

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Closing

 

I maintain an agenda of creative research and mentoring students in a way that contributes to collaboration, creative problem solving and critical thinking within and beyond dance in higher education.