Artist Statement

    During my choreographic career I have been attempting to find meaning in the making of and performance of dance.  That search has taken form of the question “What is performance?”.  It is clear to me that for many creators, participants and watchers of dance there is a difference between many well rehearsed performance pieces and dancers rehearsing a piece in the studio.  My interest lies in what makes a work “performed”, why "performance” is engaging and what meaning this performance has in human’s spiritual lives. 

One aspect of performance I am particularly interested in is character. In the creation and rehearsal of my pieces I give the dancers a psychological impetus for performing every detail.  The psychological make-up of a person or being is reflected in how they move.  It provides an impetus for their actions, often determining their speed, muscle tension and weight.  I have observed that in performance, dancers who have a reason i.e. psychological impetus to move have a stronger presence on the stage.  This makes the dance more engaging for both the performer and the audience. My interest in a strong sense of character in movement has also manifested in my work with facial expressions. Dances I have made during the past two years incorporate over exaggerated facial movements that emphasize a certain quality.  The idea that interesting performance quality has something to do with being engaged has also directed my movement research.  I have come to feel that dissonance, something unexpected or different in choreography leads to engagement.  My movement attempts to find new movement patters drawn from ballet, classical modern, hula, martial arts and hip-hop.  It has been described as convulsive, oddly rhythmic, mangled, sensuous and playful. 

The idea that performance is a sort of altered state that reflects something spiritual has resulted in religious imagery within my work.  Snapshots of the Eucharist, Baptism, blessings and other iconographic imagery are embedded in almost all of my work.  The connection between performance and spirituality has also led me to an exploration of the five senses. I am interested in the Christian liturgical concept that the senses can be used to escape the senses.  Colors, textural objects such as rice, food, smells, sounds and light are as much a part of the work as the movers on the stage.  My choreography employs character, facial expression, the senses and religious imagery in an attempt to make meaning through performance.  By keeping both the dancers and audience engaged through these modes it is my hope that they will find spiritual meaning in their own lives.

                                                                                                                                  - Krista K. Miller