Gearing Up For EDC: A Few Words From Our Choreographers (Part 2)

It all comes down to this: an entire semester's worth of work into 4 performances.  As we prepare to launch into tech week, the Emory Dance Company choreographers (students of the Choreography II class) have each written a few words about their inspiration, their choreographic process, and the development of their works.


Kayla Davis, Senior
  
I started rehearsal with this note to my dancers: 

Dear Lovely Cast, 

Today we are going to try a little experiment, after check-in, nobody is going to talk. It will be a challenge but it will require us to tune into each other more. After being without my voice for four days, I’ve learned so much about myself and how I connect to others. If you must talk use the white board. 

My message was greeted with shocked faces but everyone accepted the challenge and fully committed themselves to having a new experience. When we all turned off our voices we were forced to be more focused in to feel each other more. This really helped my dancers find something new in my choreography. They became a collective group. They will probably never experience a rehearsal like that ever again because it is quite inefficient. But it was really quite beautiful to watch them connect in new way, in a new moment, that only they will share.

Through my choreographic process, I’ve been deepening my understanding of the beauty behind the impermanent things in life. Really everything in life is impermanent. You may think, well if nothing lasts then what’s the point of doing anything? However that logic is reversed, it’s because nothing lasts that there is value in doing everything.

Thanks, Kayla!

Don't miss the Emory Dance Company Spring Showcase, Tabula Rasa.  Click here for more details.

For more information on the Emory Dance Program, please go to our website.