At a time when old systems are being re-evaluated, dancers are taking a fresh look at the dynamics between collaborators and creatives, writes Sarah Parker.
Last fall, freelance dancer Reché Nelson stepped into a movement lab with a choreographer she was excited to work with for the first time. Nelson expected to engage in creative conversation throughout the process, but the bulk of her days was spent generating her own solos based on various prompts, learning other dancers’ phrases, and being instructed to combine, manipulate or rearrange certain parts. “It felt a lot like a game of telephone,” she says.
Noticing how the choreographer gravitated towards some dancers and away from others, Nelson became focused on creating something worthy of approval. “But as someone new to the choreographer, I never felt like I got to learn her personal aesthetic or movement style,” she says. “I didn’t really know what was expected of me, and it felt like a stab in the dark.”
Nelson’s exchanges in the room made her question whether choreographers and dancers are always on the same page when it comes to movement development—and, in turn, credit for what they create together...Keep reading on Dance Magazine.
Last fall, freelance dancer Reché Nelson stepped into a movement lab with a choreographer she was excited to work with for the first time. Nelson expected to engage in creative conversation throughout the process, but the bulk of her days was spent generating her own solos based on various prompts, learning other dancers’ phrases, and being instructed to combine, manipulate or rearrange certain parts. “It felt a lot like a game of telephone,” she says.
Noticing how the choreographer gravitated towards some dancers and away from others, Nelson became focused on creating something worthy of approval. “But as someone new to the choreographer, I never felt like I got to learn her personal aesthetic or movement style,” she says. “I didn’t really know what was expected of me, and it felt like a stab in the dark.”
Nelson’s exchanges in the room made her question whether choreographers and dancers are always on the same page when it comes to movement development—and, in turn, credit for what they create together...Keep reading on Dance Magazine.