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.