choreography highlights

The Rocky Horror Show

October 2023

Through the exploration of personal identity and originality, Rocky Horror Show investigates and embraces individuality, authenticity, and acceptance of the authentic self. Given a strict structure, how can creativity, authenticity, and originality flourish? Movement was used to characterize and contextualize the individual personalities of each character and move the narrative forward, allowing the audience to connect and investigate the characters through their own lens. Preserving the extravagant nature of the original show and interweaving this theme of originality became the upmost importance while choreographing this cult classic. With the use of humor, movement, and story telling, the audience is reminded that being eccentric and unique should not only be accepted but embraced.

“If beginning is…”

How do we learn to find a beginning from an ending? If beginning is… asks the audience to investigate what marks a beginning, when beginnings truly begin, and how perception changes beginnings. This piece explores the importance of experiencing moments through both vignettes and as a collective. The dancers take the audience through a desire to begin movement but discover a necessity to find an unwanted end. Often the ideal endings are unable to be found. This phenomenon is understood through eight different views. We question whether we resist these endings, we resist the arrival, but do we resist the progression? While this piece may be perceived to be about beginnings, it is all about how, in life, we must learn to find an end.

 The beginning is…beginning again. The beginning is…running forward. The beginning is…crawling backwards. These beginnings are transformative moments in time. Within this piece, audience members and dancers alike contemplate what marks a beginning.  When do beginnings truly begin? Do beginnings ever end? How does perception alter the idea of a beginning? How does perspective transform an end?

Performed at American college dance association (ACDA), WSU 94th Annual Spring Dance Concert “On the Horizon”, Senior Capstone Showcase “Adjust Your Focus”

Performers: Meghan Allen, Hannah Brown, Molly Chieca, Madison Collier, Natalie Garban, Maggie Gates, Taya Malgay, Mary Renko

the vision is clear with a lens that is not mine

October 2022

Performer: Riley Tiarks

intuition

April 2021

Performer: Riley Tiarks