Research with Student Collaborators
Mentorship and collaborative creation are central to my research practice. I view students not just as learners, but as co-researchers and co-creators, artists whose perspectives, questions, and lived experiences enrich the work we build together. My choreography with students is rooted in an ethic of reciprocity: while they gain hands-on experience with creative process, cultural research, and performance making, I gain insight into how younger generations are shaping and reshaping the expressive landscape of Street and Club dances.
In the studio, the process begins with building trust, fostering a space where students feel seen, heard, and valued. We engage in conversations about personal histories, family stories, and cultural identity, which allows the rehearsal space to become not only a site of choreographic exploration but deep reflection and connection. Students learn how to move with one another before moving for one another. We listen to music, discuss lyrics, explore rhythm as a language, and reflect on the historical and cultural roots of the movement vocabularies we use. Through this, students develop a more expansive understanding of dance as a carrier of lineage and meaning.
These collaborations are about more than building a repertory, they are about building people. Students walk away not only with refined performance and creative skills, but with greater cultural awareness, empathy, and the ability to work across differences. The studio becomes a place where leadership, vulnerability, and self reflection are practiced alongside movement. I prioritize relationship building, embodied knowledge, and building community in my processes. These collaborations are a powerful extension of my research, exemplifying how creative inquiry, pedagogy, and community building intersect in academic spaces.
Sunday Cypher
Off The Dome
