Season Reflection

Receiving the opportunity to apprentice with The Dance COLEctive this season has provided me an environment of artistic and personal growth.  Almost every rehearsal begins with a company class that focuses on technique, strength, and movement pick up, ext. I look forward to this every week and have learned that it is a gift to be able to have class before every rehearsal.

Photo by Eric Olson

I have always enjoyed creating movement and learning different techniques on how to approach the creation process of dance. As an apprentice this year I have learned that collaboration is a key to success and growth. I have learned my habits as a mover, meaning the type of “moves” I rely on. This year I have been challenged to abandon these signature moves to create characters, relationships in space and to experience a new vocabulary of movement in my body. For example I have learned that as a mover I tend to create quick, sharp and whirly phrases but this year I have tried to break out from my norm. I am learning that taking the time to experience the movement can then in return tell what is important, what the viewer needs to see.

This year I have enjoyed collaborating with the other company members. Before joining The Dance COLEctive I had only a little experience in partnering. I was always hesitant to giving or receiving weight and simply not knowing how to create a duet. This year I have had to be challenged to create many duets and how to trust in partnering. Now something that was outside of my comfort zone is becoming an aspect of dance that I look forward to pursuing.

This season has challenged me as a performer to really see the audience. In my past experience as a performer there has always been a separation between the viewed and the viewer.  I have found it difficult yet intriguing as a dancer/artist to look at the people watching, to talk to them, to engage with them while moving.  This season is teaching me to more than a dancer on the stage but to just be myself while performing. I am looking forward to what the next season/year will bring. There are always new things to learn, more movement to discover and opportunities for growth.


Submitted by TDC Apprentice Julie Boruff on Sunday, May 5, 2013.