By: Alison Gerardot
I love studying process. I think I have over 50 videos saved on my Facebook feed that have to do with other people’s process. I love to watch how other “creatives” create. How they conceptualize ideas and integrate them into their art.
In terms of my own process, I find it most meaningful to create pieces that have to do with my life, other peoples experiences that are impactful or with things that I’m experiencing at the moment. I’ve really been experimenting with my own process. As a type A planner, I typically have everything mapped out with my pieces in advance so that when I walk into a space I can specifically direct the dancers where to go. But I’ve been actively practicing not doing this. I’ve been challenging myself to walk in, completely “unprepared” with the exception of a few loose ideas, but open and ready to create in the moment. With the dancers. It’s a whole new way of operating for me. Granted, sometimes, time does not allow for this type of creating. Because it takes a lot of time to explore and create on the fly. But when I get the chance I’m finding that I embrace this type of creation most of all. And sort of crave it.
For the Choreographer’s Lab my inspiration stems from some personal things I’m struggling with right now and letting go of the control I want to have on my life and letting the universe (aka the water) guide me to where I’m supposed to be next. As a type A controller (see above) I tend to want to force the process of life, but I know very well that I need to create life in the present moment, and just like my new exploration of my process, the best things will come.