Seniors will describe their independent choreographic projects and hold workshops to introduce prospective cast members to their choreographic processes. All interested students should come prepared to move, meet other dancers, and have fun! Come to just one or both workshops.
The workshops will begin with a warmup. Each choreographer will talk about their piece and then explore some movement with you as a group. Afterwards, choreographers will reach out to assess your interest. Please note that you can only be cast in one project of a double bill, and not in back-to-back shows. Rehearsals are typically once per week in the fall and twice a week in the spring semester at a time mutually agreed upon by the cast and choreographer. The residency/tech and performance week will entail more rehearsal time, TBA.
Schedule
September 2 — Workshops with seniors Maddy Mejia & Maya Sessions
September 4 — Workshops with seniors Olivia Kasule & Braeh Simon
Join a Workshop
Both workshops are free and open to all interested Princeton students. No registration required. Join for just one or for both workshops!
Directions
Get directions to Hearst Dance Theater, located on the Forum level of the Lewis Arts complex.
Accessibility
The Hearst Dance Theater is an accessible venue. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Students in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.
About the Senior Choreographic Projects
Photo by Larry Levanti
Maddy Mejia
This project employs a contemporary movement vocabulary to investigate the creation of meaning in our social lives. Through the use of moving walls and an intimate seating configuration, the piece subverts traditional audience agency and dynamics. If interested, please reach out to Maddy at mm6006@princeton.edu.
Photo courtesy Maya Sessions
Maya Sessions
This piece will explore the feeling of sonder—the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as one’s own—and how strangers interact and groups/communities form. The movement style will be primarily contemporary modern dance with group contact/partnering and an emphasis on rhythm. To learn more, please contact Maya at mayasessions@princeton.edu.
Photo courtesy Olivia Kasule
Olivia Kasule
This piece explores the nuances of fluidity and resistance, using movement that draws from and deconstructs both ballet and contemporary forms. Dancers will explore how these forms can shift and evolve, working with the addition of a tactile floor material that responds to each step. As they move through this changing space, they’ll leave behind subtle marks, both physical and felt. With the possibility of live string accompaniment, the process invites a technical yet responsive approach to movement, with attention to presence, detail, and the space between control and release. To learn more, please contact Olivia at ok0209@princeton.edu.
Photo by Larry Levanti
Braeh Simon
This project researches the complexity of gratitude and how it’s shaped by time, experience, and the people we grow with and apart from. Set within fictional narratives, the piece unfolds in chapters with distinct movement vocabularies, using rhythm, musicality, and gestural exploration to explore shifting relationships and emotional tones. For more information please contact Braeh at bs4648@princeton.edu.