Meet Choreographers Amy and Ivy

Meet Choreographer Amy Roby: 

PC-Veritydance

Where did you find the inspiration for your piece/concept? 

I have found inspiration for this particular work from questioning the definition of hope. There are people who I've investigated, Judy Garland and Maya Angelou, to make a foundation for the theme. I also investigated poetry by Emily Dickinson and referred to many other scholarly resources that have written about hope, and it's explicit and implicit associations.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process for Afterimages? 

During the rehearsal process, I come in with a time line of events that might occur to communicate the overarching theme of the piece. I make use of repetition and experiment with different energies to execute the movement given. The dancers are a big part of the process. I take into consideration what their natural rhythms are for movement.

How have you grown as an artist through creating a new piece of choreography? 

This process has pushed my limits in use of spacial design and focus. I question what draws my eye, and what I would like the audience to focus on.

How does one of your typical rehearsals usually run? 

Rehearsals usually begin with a run of where we left off. Then I begin working with dancers on new material. Prior to rehearsal, I make sure I listen to the music to find details that I may have missed previously

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process? 

I enjoy the discovery process of rehearsal and working with the dancers to find purpose in the movement. The question I ask myself most often is: how does this translate? 

Meet Choreographer Ivy Boudreau: 

Where do you find inspiration for your piece/concept?

·     I found inspiration for my piece by reflecting on the natural progression of the concept of the solo I choreographed for Solo Composition last year.  This solo, titled “Roots”, was about finding a sense of belonging and home within oneself and knowing that wherever life takes you, home is within you.  This year, inspired by the constant growth and evolution in my own life, I am exploring the idea of branching out from this rooted place of home to find connections with others.  Sometimes these connections are challenging to find, sometimes they come about in the most unexpected times and situations, but they always require a high level of honesty and trust.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process?

I like to spend time doing improvisation to free verse I wrote about the piece, as I hope this allows my cast to discover ways to personally connect to the concept.  It also helps me to see how they naturally prefer to move.  I also like to let my cast take a phrase I’ve choreographed and change it up - maybe take a movement that was originally performed by the arms and move it to the legs, or perform a movement on the floor that was originally a jump.  Some of the most beautiful movements have been created by a cast member making a variation of my choreography.    

How have you grown as an artist thought the process of creating a new piece of choreography?

·     

      This is my third year choreographing for Afterimages, and it has been interesting to see how my approach has changed from year to year.  I continue to struggle with the process of translating something I can see in my own mind and body into the body and mind of another human, but I’m realizing more and more that communicating through movement makes a lot of sense to me.  Seeing the world as something in a constant state of motion, flux, change, ebb and flow, is the only way of experiencing life that truly makes sense to me, and it’s a great joy to echo this state of change by figuring out ways to process my ideas through movement.

How does one of your typical rehearsals work?

Depending on where we are in the process, I usually choreograph a phrase or two ahead of time and teach them at the beginning of the rehearsal, after reviewing whatever we did at the previous rehearsal.  Then we begin trying the phrases in different formations, orders, with and without music, and with changes like I mentioned above.  I figure out where I want the movement to happen in the piece, watch my cast perform it multiple times, and make adjustments as I need to. However, this is just one way that a rehearsal could potentially go - it’s always a little unpredictable!·    

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process?

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     I love the experience of connecting with some of the beautiful dancers I work with every day to create something that would never have existed without the efforts of each and every one of us.

Meet the Choreographers- Joe and Ayla

Meet Choreographer Joe Svihel: 

Where did you find the inspiration for your piece/concept? 

The inspiration for this piece came from my family. I had a very interesting relationship with my step mother and her children (my step sisters). My step mother was a very controlling and particular woman, and my sisters and I had to do our best to please her and do the things she wanted exactly how she wanted them done. My concept stems from this childhood experience-showing how a controlling figure can effect the people near them.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process for Afterimages? 

A lot of my choreography comes from the music and how I feel emotionally at different points in the song. What I would do is give my dancers a phrase of choreography and I would watch them do it and then improvise the next counts until we found something that worked. I really want to make sure I'm showcasing all of my dancers in a different light, given their character and their strengths, so that each of them stands out in a different way.

How have you grown as an artist through creating a new piece of choreography? 

I've never worked with dancers en Pointe before so that's a new experience. I also think I'm learning a lot more about myself and my cast. I couldn't have asked for a better group of dancers to work with.

How does one of your typical rehearsals usually run? 

I come with ideas for a certain section in my head, then I give them some movements, watch them do it with the music, and just keep adding things until we have almost an entire section-then we run it. My cast is really good at helping me put my ideas into movement, and bringing their own personality into their character.

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process? 

Finally getting my idea out of my head and into reality, and working with this amazing cast. I couldn't be more grateful.

Meet Choreographer Ayla Jakes: 

Where do you find inspiration for your piece/concept?

·     This last year my family was blessed with a very rare gift, that otherwise had always been known as impossible. At a young age my mother was told that she had ovarian cancer, and that she would not be able to have children, however I was born. When I was than just a little girl, my father also went through the battle of cancer and after all the fighting was completed, to say the least, be became sterile and I was told I would never be a big sister. Nineteen years later, my family’s fate changed drastically and my mother became pregnant. I am now a big sister to a beautiful little girl named Ollie, who at just 6 months has already taught me how life can be so delicate and precious. My piece reflects the process of being born, in regards to having a second chance, to see the world in a new way, and to simply be young and fragile again. My piece is about coming back to when we were young and recollecting all the important information from our childhood that we tend to throw away as we get older.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process?

·     Some strategies I feel I use during the rehearsal process include improvisation, experimentation of different bodies, different uses of spatial awareness, and musicality emphasis. I try to stay refreshing with new ideas every rehearsal, along with making sure my cast is comfortable with what they are performing. Although this piece has an underlining reasoning for myself, I also feel as though all my cast members are able to connect to the “story” on their own personal level and I appreciate their willingness to accompany my crazy ideas, along with being open and honest with me about the creative creating process.

How have you grown as an artist thought the process of creating a new piece of choreography?

·     

      Through this creating process I feel as though I have grown mostly in understanding spatial awareness. I used to choreograph at my old studio in regards to recreational performances and self-choreographed solos, and being able to work on a collegiate level with a group of amazingly talented dancers has really been different but exciting for me. I am more open to other ideas and concepts than I have been in my past choreography positions and it is very refreshing to be able to work with others to create a beautiful and moving art piece.

How does one of your typical rehearsals work?

·     Man, does it depend. Typically, we will review what was obtained from the last rehearsal, along with any questions or concerns about the material and then we will jump right into working and collaborating with one another on new material. The reason I say that it depends is because we are only humans; there have been some rehearsals where I personally have felt burnt out and I can tell that the majority, if not all of my cast, is also feeling the same way due to just everyday busy life.  When days like this happen (and I know it happens to everyone), we tend to just roll with the punches and work around what we can, along with what we are comfortable with achieving. I am very grateful at how helpful and flexible my cast has been through this process, and I can’t imagine this process going any more smoothly without them.

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process?

·     

      I may sound like a broken record, but what I enjoy most about the Afterimages process is being able to work with my cast on a deeper level. I enjoy being able to get ideas and concepts from my performers along with being able to collaborate on a university level. I am so proud already of everything that my cast has achieved, and every week I look forward to having rehearsal with them! 

Meet the Choreographers-Allie and Jarrell

Meet Choreographer Allie Round:

Where did you find inspiration for your piece?   

 I initially found inspiration for my concept from self-reflection on my own life, currently as it is. This piece is a big part of pushing myself to grow further as an artist, and to ultimately not back down out of fear, or discomfort.

What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process for Afterimages?

A few strategies I used during my rehearsals include:

a.     Playing with phrasing by switching up timing & trying the movement with different music.

b.     I enjoy playing with different facings of the bodies within space because these can also spark new meanings to the choreography.

c.     Coming prepared with a few ideas to rehearsal, but not feeling limited to those set ideas. I enjoy coming up with movement on spot because it feels fresh, and it is easier when I can physically work with the bodies in space, instead of just in my head

How have you grown as an artist through creating a new piece of choreography?

                Well this is the first time I have choreographed a complete piece ever, and I find it overwhelming and kind of daunting to think about. But when I am in rehearsal with the dancers, I have such a blast, and they give me a sense of reassurance & also confidence to bring forward the best work that I can create because I’m not only creating this work for myself, but I want it to also be enjoyable & fulfilling for the dancers. I’ve found that when I think too much, it limits my creativity, so I’ve tried to go with my first instincts and test them out. Some things work better than others, but it’s definitely worth the try!

How does one of your typical rehearsals usually run?

                 A typical rehearsal may look like: trying out some set choreography/ideas that I have in mind, and then from there, exploring & coming up with ideas to try on the spot.

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process?

                  My favorite thing about the Afterimages process would be working with the dancers in my cast. They are always willing to try all of my ideas, and I sincerely appreciate their hard work. I enjoy how they push me to become a better artist & communicator as well. But most importantly, we have fun! It’s a lot of hard work, and most of the work within this piece is serious, but it doesn’t mean that there isn’t any room for enjoyment. J

Meet Choreographer Jarrell Homesly: 

Photo Credit -Raju Karki Photography

Where did you find inspiration for your piece?

           My piece is about women in an abusive relationship. I want to show the physical, emotional, and mental pain that women go through while in an abusive domestic relationship. I found my inspiration from one of my friends whose mom was in an abusive relationship. I want to show that it is a huge problem in today’s society and so I want to bring it up and show it in my piece and have my cast really dig down deep and portray these characters. 

    What are some strategies you use during the rehearsal process for Afterimages? 

         Some strategies that have been helpful for me is definitely improvisation. I like to get a sense of how my dancers move so I can gather ideas about what I can come up with. I also like for my cast to get the music in their head right away so they can have time to fully engage and invest in what style of music they will be dancing to. I think that the music helps bring out the emotional aspect of the process for this concept. I also enjoy experimenting with spatial design and setting my dance to how many dancers are in my piece. I like to play with duets, solos, trios, and the group as a whole. 

How have you grown as an artist through creating a new piece of choreography?

                I think that collaborating with my dancers is definitely an important factor of being an artist. Listening to what the dancers have to say is really important to me because the dancers in my piece are portraying a specific role, and so taking ideas and suggestions from them is very beneficial. I believe that I have also grown as an artist because I am taking composition ideas and using them in different ways to interpret something so controversial and beautiful at the same time.   

 How does one of your typical rehearsals usually run?

             In the beginning of my rehearsal process, I used improvisation and visualization to get the dancers minds generating. I want them to think about who and what they are dancing for. Then I progressed into setting specific complex choreography and ideas for them to dance. During rehearsals, I like to choreograph, explain, and refine all at the same time so that everything is clean and crisp as much as possible.

What do you enjoy most about the Afterimages process?

                  What I enjoy most about the rehearsal process is listening to ideas and giving my dancers specific new information that they have never heard before. I like to watch them have fun and tell stories through their movement. I also love seeing how the dancers make the piece their own once they are given the information and I like to see how they use that information.