What people say about my work intrigues me. The feedback I receive from visitors on my work—what they are experiencing, what they saw, what they think it is, what it reminds them of, and the words they use to describe it—is what inspires me to create. Instead of dictating how the audience should feel about the work, my art gives them the freedom to relate to it any way they see fit. I never take what the audience says for granted, as I believe they are essential to what art really is. With this, I am committed to maintaining my identity throughout my work, and I yearn to engage an audience in order to understand their viewpoint.

 

My work acknowledges the feeling of emotions and the use of my own personal connections within society. As they both relate to my life as a whole and have the ability to connect with the audience, I think these two elements are the most significant in how I envision my work. I make art that stands out for the audience, whether it be subtle or overt, to enhance their prior experiences and present feelings. As this is one of my biggest priorities as an artist, I also love to explore melody and tone within the music.

 

Before I choreograph, I listen to several different songs and weigh in on what melody and tone speak to me the most. Finding a connection with these two elements allows me to implement my intricate and constructive movements to create choreography. As I find a song with these two factors, I instantly start to visualize what emotions and past experiences that can relate. No, I'm not confined to a certain genre; rather, my choreography changes based on which music is most meaningful to me at the time. If I can’t connect to the music in that moment, then I have no motivation to create because it won’t have any significance. Finding music that has the correct melody and tone is ultimately crucial to how I produce something I cherish. 

 

My aim as a performer is to convey to the audience my interpretation of the work. I believe it is crucial for the audience to comprehend the dance's meaning, but I also believe it is significant for me as a dancer to interpret it in my own unique way. In the end, I consider it essential for one to define their identity as an artist because I think art is so specific to oneself that it's important to do so even when you're doing choreography created by others.