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Creativity & Ability Festival

May 20th 2022


I always forget how much I adore Grand Rapids until I get an opportunity to visit.


I was asked by my very good friend, mentor, and colleague, Heather Liskiewitz, to partner with CARE Conservatory of Ballet and Artist's Creating Together for their Creativity and Ability Festival that was held at the Ottawa Area Center on May 2nd! I was so honored to be asked to be a part of this festival that impacted the lives of many kids and adults who are special needs. Being twenty-three, I never thought that I would be able to experience anything like this until I was well into my professional career. However, I am so incredibly thankful for this learning opportunity.

You don't realize how big of a platform you actually have until you are apart of something as impactful as this. When I made the decision to teach dance, never in a million years did I think I would be able to reach a level of community like this. People (myself included) don't realize how different someone's life can be when they are affected by something as life altering as special needs. You don't think about the parents, grandparents, or siblings that are affected. You also don't think about the workers, care givers, and volunteers at a facility that specialize with special needs. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes of all time...


"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." - Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird

I often forget how dance and the performing arts in general can be used to reach such a wide variety of people. There are so many organizations like the ones we partnered with that incorporate the performing arts in order to bring joy to members of the community. It always reminds me to be thankful for the loving supportive family and friends that are in my circle. Being able to do what I love is one thing, but I would not have made it where I am today without the support of my family.


I have always known that I want to make a difference in society but ESPECIALLY in the performing arts community. My choreography covers a vast majority of topics that children, teenagers, young adults, and adults alike are currently dealing with. I always try to use the platform that I have been given to touch people with my work, but also, I try to really make them think about their perspective on life. My goal is to take the audience on a journey from beginning to end, and hopefully, they won't have the same mindset as they did at the beginning of the piece. I love to entertain people, but I also love to make them feel. The human mind and body experience so many different emotions, so I really try to play on that.


During my time in Grand Rapids, I also had the honor of attending Grand Rapids Ballet's beautiful 50th Anniversary performance of George Balanchine's Serenade and a contemporary take on the classical ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream! Serenade is one of my favorite ballet's of all time, and I am so thankful that I was able to experience it in person. The entire thirty-five minute ballet is set to Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings


and any ballet set to Tchaikovsky is automatically a classic in my opinion.


I remember sitting in the audience when the music started and chills ran up my arms. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up. When the curtain started to open revealing a beautiful sea of girls in blue skirts, I cried. I didn't cry because I was sad, but because I often forget how there is so much beauty in simplicity.


Balanchine was a choreographic genius.


He understood the power of visual relationships between the dancers. His lighting was based off of the morning sun shining in the dancer's face's, or for taking the girl who ran into rehearsal late and create a transition based on that. Every move that is made in a Balanchine work has a very specific intention. It was breathtaking. It was inspiring. It made me elicit a very vulnerable response as an audience member. It made me cry.


I also had the honor of attending Eisenhower Dance Detroit's final performance of the season called ANEW. Norbert De La Cruz III was commissioned to choreograph a original piece on the company and his original "Legacy Island" was debuted on May 6th! My work is heavily inspired by him and his movement. I often forget how important it is to be immersed in the arts. As a choreographer, much of my inspiration is drawn from personal experience, but I am always inspired by seeing other artist's work.


Being able to hear Stephanie Pizzo (the Artistic Director) talk about his collaborative process with the dancers made me realize how I tend to do the same thing with mine. I trust my student's input, and seeing how they are the one's who will ultimately perform my work, their opinion is highly valued in my mind. His piece was a very powerful representation of life and the legacy that each individual will leave behind one day. I was also able to see work from great choreographers such as: Maleek Washington, WeWolf Works, James Gregg, Rauf Yasit, and Stephanie Pizzo! The performing arts world is constantly inspiring and pushing me as an artist to think outside of the box. I am SO thankful for this art form and the community that surrounds it.


"I'd like to think art's purpose is to open channels to the humane. I think that's what art is meant to do." - Crystal Pite
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