Waves (2024)
Waves was a commissioned work I created for Smith College in the Fall of 2024. This piece is rooted in the belief that each person holds immense depth, power, and potential within. It’s a tribute to our personal histories and the strength we gain through community. The process invited the dancers to take a deep dive into themselves, and to reflect, to share, and to show up as their authentic selves. Through guided prompts and creative tasks, a powerful sense of trust and vulnerability emerged among the dancers. They opened up about their upbringings and life experiences, finding unexpected connections across backgrounds. This work became about more than choreography, it became about building a space where everyone felt supported, seen, and celebrated.
In Waves, you can feel the love. The dancers offered each other constant positive reinforcement, with moments of freestyle that allowed for honest self expression and peer affirmation. They embraced the cultural roots of the forms we explored, acknowledged where appropriation shows up, and committed to moving forward with more awareness and care. One student shared that the work reminded her of the Rumi quote: “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” That quote stayed with us, and it captured the heart of the piece. Waves are about that kind of depth that moves through us and connects us all.
Photos by Paul Bloomfield