artist statements.

Every few years, I reflect on how I make my art and my core values surrounding it. These reflections have never resulting in traditional prose, so please enjoy the whimsey of my artist "statements" from 2018, 2017, & 2014.

Artist(s) Statement(s) (2018)

I live in-between the comfort and panic zones of creativity. It’s serious play.

Life is messy. Justice is complex. And my art making reflects it all.

It is a way to fill the gap in education outside the classroom.

As an independent (introverted) artist …

I am selective, precise, and purposeful with the who/what/when/where/how.

I strive to understand each discipline’s form and function.

I investigate what was, what is, and what is yet to be.

I attempt to set choreography on myself.

I improvise the entire performance.

I develop new ways to create.

I embrace vulnerability.

I search for answers.

I challenge myself.

I use dance and theatre to express, explore, and evolve my thoughts, ideas and myself.

Solo work or small collaborations recharge my batteries and reenergize my process.

I perform to remind myself of the performer’s experience. It is my reset button.

As a collaborative creative director …

I devise original and relevant pieces of dance theatre for social change.

I aim to make the comfortable disturbed and the disturbed comfortable.

I utilize psychology theory to develop work that speaks to masses.

I push boundaries and conversations around social justice issues.

I believe in the natural choreographic selection process.

I infuse a lens of learning and educational theories.

I embed grounding techniques in rehearsals.

I create resilient performers and ensembles.

I make and hold space for dialogue.

Dance theatre is my lab, my think tank, my playground.

It is where research begins, is challenged, is ignored, is beyond ambitious, crumbles,

and begins again…

Artist Statement Video (2017)

My Artistic Manifesto (2014)

It all starts with a box

Before you think out of the box you have to start with a box (thanks, Twyla)

It is held together with plain old scotch tape

The box has boxes and bubbles and words and incomplete thoughts and has a bottom that sometimes falls out

The content makes the work or the work makes the contents

The contents mean nothing and everything

The box is intuition materialized … it creates grooves

Thinking is overrated and asking how is a very paralyzing thought … it creates ruts

Have a strong beginning and a strong finish and the middle will take care of itself (my dad reminded me of this regularly)

Success and failure are relative

The only constant in life is change (or so my best friend keeps saying to me)

Whatever sensation you are feeling, acknowledge it, and know that it will pass (and let it go)

Have 20-minute pity parties on a semi-regular basis to reduce external sympathy seeking episodes

Embrace panicking for extremely short periods of time, then MOVE ON and be like Nike, JUST DO IT

Remember that anger is an energizing emotion, make the best of it

You don’t have to know where you’re going to be on the right path

Be authentic OR fake it til you make it OR fake it til you become it

Be comfortable in uncertainty i.e. have a lil' faith and trust

Practice mental reservations

Practice gratitude

Practice productive procrastination

Practice daily self-care

Practice blind faith

Do it for yourself and no one else (yes,all of it)

Always ask, the worst answer you will hear is "no"

Always try to take advantages of opportunities, or you never have the option

The ultimate challenge (or ultimate to-do list, I can't decide) is: Process the past while living in the present and preparing for the future.

Art is what you can get away with (it sure is, Andy)

Make the audience uncomfortable

Break the fourth wall

Gather information

Take it all in

It's an adventure

Everything in moderation

Eat chocolate daily

Be Patient, maybe too patient

Relax your shoulders

Stop clenching your jaw

Write

Create

Move

Find Flow

Play (a lot)

Breathe (consciously and often)

Speak (when necessary)

Find balance

Keep balance

Regain balance

Follow the links to find out more: bio. cv. fitness resume. research statement. teaching philosophies. living bibliography.