The Musical Arts Center stage was alive with movement April 29-30 as Jacobs School of Music ballet students presented their choreographic projects in the final ballet performance of the season, “The Choreography Project.” The two-night event showcased student-created pieces that spanned a variety of styles and themes, giving dancers the opportunity to both perform and create.
“The Choreography Project” is a crucial part of a ballet degree at Jacobs. Each ballet major is required to choreograph two pieces during their time at IU, even if they aren’t particularly focused on choreography within their study of dance.
"It exposes you and forces you to step into the world of choreography when a lot of us don't have experience in that," freshman ballet student Mia Nelson said. "Going into professional fields, learning how to do improvisation for auditions, and just having to learn how the choreography process works is really important."
Nelson performed in four pieces during the night's performance, including one set to music from "Oppenheimer" and “Saltburn,” which she said was her favorite piece to perform. Nelson hasn’t had the chance to choreograph her own piece yet, as the opportunity is only offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors.
"I've gotten so much inspiration from my peers,” she said. “I've really enjoyed watching everybody and taking inspiration about what I want to do next year."
Junior Maya Jackson had a busy night April 29. She performed in two pieces, and then immediately after her second performance, stayed backstage to watch her own piece performed.
"It's honestly always an honor to be on the MAC stage, even for a smaller performance like this," Jackson said. "It's really great, especially getting to perform your friend's pieces, being able to rehearse in the studio with my friends and getting to see my own piece performed on stage."
Jackson began her choreographic process over winter break, thinking about music and movement qualities before working with her cast. She had some parts of her piece unfinished and were developed further by her dancers.
"They crushed it," Jackson said. "My whole cast, I love each and every one of them, and they crushed it."
Jackson's piece featured two couples, focusing on the theme of connection and exploring the relationship one person’s movement would have on another’s.
"I just couldn't stop smiling as I was watching it," she said. "My piece turned out like 10 times better than just from earlier today."
Freshman Jacob Shapiro performed in two pieces during the program’s second night April 30 and one piece the night before. While the requirement for ballet majors is to choreograph a piece twice over three years, some, like Shapiro opt to do it for a third time.
"I might want to do it for three years because you can do like a fast piece and a slow piece and a happy piece and a sad piece," Shapiro said. "There's unlimited options and they let you pick your music, pick your dancers and everything, costumes, lighting."
The rehearsal process for “The Choreography Project” differs from traditional ballet productions in that the choreographers are students themselves and cast their friends and fellow dancers, making it a much more collaborative process than ballets that have preexisting choreography. Shapiro said this is because professional choreographers come in knowing what teaching style works best for them whereas students learn how to teach as they instruct their cast.
Despite the project being required, Shapiro said the dancers enjoy the chance it gives them.
“It's so fun,” Shapiro said, "It's just like you get to get your creativity out and it's cool that they do this and let us express it.”
