For 2 weeks, the senior production choreographers and dancers work for 2 hours each day, Monday through Friday. After this 2-week period of intense rehearsal and creation process, we must shifts gears to begin rehearsals for the annual “Spring Dances Concert”. After the approximately 8-week process for Spring Dances comes to a finish, with a total run of 5 shows, we will return to Senior Production rehearsals. Taking such an extensive “break” from creating presents various potential challenges and obstacles for both the choreographers and dancers. For example, it is very easy to forget choreography if it has not been visited in a while, especially if it was only rehearsed for a short 2-week period. It is also very common that ideas and inspirations for the choreographers, including myself, will shift, change or develop. These new “ideas” can significantly affect the way we create the rest of the piece and may even effect the pre-existing material that we have made in the fist stage of senior production rehearsals. It then may become necessary to make changes to the choreography that we have already set, for the sake of creating a holistic and cohesive product.
I took the time speak to two choreographers for Senior Production, Alex Anderson and Bynh Ho, as well as one of the dancers, Solana Temple. I asked them to speak about the prospective obstacles, as well as the possible positive aspects that they anticipate when returning to Senior Production rehearsals.
“The time off has been a time to reflect. We started out with two weeks of creation and throughout that time, I have been able to figure out what I want my work to say. This break period has allowed me to research music, ideas, and a concept that is solidified in order to really make my piece what I envision it to become. An eight week break does seem like a lot of time, but given our other priorities and rehearsals for our upcoming concert; this time sort of flew by. I cannot wait to get started again. I am more confident in what I'd like to deliver and incredibly excited to invite the audience to my world.”
-Alex Anderson (4th year choreographer)
“I guess the kinds of qualities and sensations that we discovered before the break might feel foreign and not in the [dancers’] bodies when we return, so it might be challenge to find something that once felt ‘theirs’. That once felt natural or familiar. It might also be a challenge that this is the second half of the rehearsal process so I’ll feel a bit more pressured to ‘set’ material. I won’t have enough time to experiment or workshop ideas.
What are the positives of coming back? I’ve had space away from my process and away from my ideas and away from my dancers. So, that’s given me breathing room to think through what we accomplished in our last rehearsal process, so that I have some distance to be able to formulate ideas more clearly or make certain decisions, or to make certain alterations or changes that have presented themselves over this break.”
-Bynh Ho (4th year choreographer)
“By taking a long break from material, it allows me to come back into the room with a new, refreshed mind set. It will be interesting to do the choreography after such a long period of time and think about what "notes" are popping into your head. Every person remembers something a little different, which help rebuild the movement back up to the initial quality. I cannot lie though; I do need a little refresher of the material. When something is so new, the muscle memory has not built up yet. This may leave me blank minded in the middle of a phrase or two. Regardless of all this, I am very excited to continue working on Kyle's piece and cannot wait to see what the final product is like.”
-Solana Temple (3rd year dancer)
Returning to the Senior Production creation process may seem a little daunting. It will be a true test of our memories, patience and physical capacities of our own bodies. But I am confident in the artists that surround me and know that we will be able to finally piece together a creative and one-of a-kind Senior Dance performance!