Artistic Statement

I have always been a daydreamer who imagines a variety of things like the movement of clouds, imaginary flight through the air, and most of all, dance concerts I would produce. My inspiration usually comes from music first. There would be a catchy song or sound playing and my daydreaming mind would immediately think of movements. I find the rhythm in the music and follow the notes and I would often “fight the music,” or find juxtaposition of the music, by finding opposition between the tempo of the music and the pace of the movement.

My movements can range from flowy to rigid, from large leaps to small finger traces on the floor, and from fast to slow paced. I am drawn to the unpredictable, non-uniform movements. Each dancer has a unique gift and movement to bring to the floor and I like to highlight their differences every chance I get. This is the best way to captivate the audience. Sometimes I create a fun and energetic piece so the audience can clap and dance along, and sometimes I like to throw in an uncomfortable piece where the dancers are focused on each other that it forces the audience to confront the emotions shown in the piece.

I enjoy showing my choreography on all sorts of stages whether it is a traditional stage, during a half-time game, or simply out in nature. There is an advantage to each location that not all stages can offer. There’s beauty to highlight the appropriate location for the demand of the movements. A traditional stage takes advantage of the variety of lights and can manipulate sounds. The half-time shows provide wonderful interactions with the audience and the dancers. Performing out in nature is intimate and simple, which gives dancers the opportunity to connect with the unpredictable.

I create choreography because I am a daydreamer. I enjoy inventing movements in my mind and bringing them to life. Dance is not only a way for the dancer to escape to another world but also for the audience to escape with them. It brings a range of emotions that need to be expressed and sometimes confronted. A story can be told through dance and sometimes dance is created for the sake of movement. It is simply unpredictable.