From Scratch

I rember the first time I had a choreography assignment- it was akward and embarrassing. I had no idea where to start, what the movements would or should be, and don’t get me started on music. I remember often telling myself it needs ‘more’. But at the time I didn’t understand what ‘more’ ment. So I added some leggy things, some flashy tricks (that I wasn’t very good at doing), and definitely some dramatic flare to my steps. I remember feeling good about what I had created because it was ‘difficult’. We would then discuss the choreography we presented and our peers would talk about what they liked or didn’t like, etc. One of my peers told me that basically I was trying to hard, that next time I should try choreographing without the tricks. Little did I know- that comment would be the most helpful in all the works I would later create. Less is more.

I’m still working on this. Tricks aren’t inherently bad, but intention and flow are more captivating. As a ballet dancer rehearsing variations, I often focused on the turns I struggled with or the height of my leg. So naturally, when I began choreographing, I found myself prioritizing eye-catching tricks rather than letting go of these fleeting technical feats.

But the question remains—how should this start? I still think about what my college professor shared with us in Choreo IV: she admitted she never knew how to begin a piece. Her honesty was incredibly refreshing and reassuring to hear.When you’re given the assignment—choreograph a four-minute solo—it feels like a loaded gun. Where do you start? The music, costumes, lighting, even the essence of the piece are all unknowns. Do you dance the entire four minutes, or do you walk on and off stage, leaving the space empty? What do you do with those moments? You could bring a chair onstage and simply stare at the audience, or you could repeat a single movement phrase fifty times.

These were the thoughts running through my head. When I was in Choreo I, my only concern was how many tricks I could cram into the piece. And now I am thinking how can I do less and leave the audience stunned without getting a ‘F’ on my assignment. But of course I created a solo and it had dancing in it. And it was a dance for film because this was during COVID.

From scratch, anything can happen—and each time I choreograph, I’m still discovering. But will I ever truly know what I am capable of?