Reflection and Creation

 I am in the process of creating a new dance piece to be performed by three of my students in mid- April of this year. I use the word “creating” deliberately as I do not think of myself as a choreographer – I put steps together and hope for the best.

This small piece is an exploration into contemporary ballet in the form of a trio. It is a challenge to myself not to solely use the classical vocabulary. For the dancers, it is an opportunity to discover new ways of moving. This past week was particularly difficult for, as we were nearing the end of the four minute piece, I realized that in the process I had exhausted my reservoir of ideas and my dancers as well. 

With all the reading about reflective learning on my mind and a desire to improve our work, I decided to sit down, clear my mind and scrutinize as fairly as possible the work accomplished. What did I like about this piece? What was displeasing? What flowed and what did not? I was quickly able to identify the moment in the piece that was causing an unwanted disruption. By reworking one short section in the middle, things fell into harmony and we were able to finish the creation.