Meaning of the Piece

I realized, after publishing my last post, that I didn't get into the meaning behind the piece I hope to make this semester. I am very interested in looking at the invidual vs. the society in which he/she resides, in terms of suicide. This subject has been running through my mind all summer, and I have put together a "logical" progression of the subject, in terms of dance, for my piece this semester.

My interested in this piece began this summer, when I worked as a Volunteer Advocate at 2nd Floor. I answered phone calls distressed youths made to a Youth Helpline, and used the skills of Crisis Prevention to aid these young individuals through their problems. During the training for the position, I had a strong response to a couple of video presentations that were given on suicide. I found the quotes, statistics, and personal accounts FASCINATING beyond belief, and as such, decided that creating art as a means to heighten awareness was necessary.

I see this piece in a theatrical architecture, with an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action. I see a "soloist," who will serve as the figure considering suicide, and a corps of dancers serving as the "society" in which this individual resides.

I am toying with the "genre" I see this piece fitting into, in terms of my last semester piece, this semester's piece, and my thesis. Last semester, I asked the audience to suspend their reality to accept the twisted dreams of two young women. This semester, I want to walk the fine line between Realism and Post-Realism. I want to imitate day-to-day life, while looking at it from the perspective of a suicidal young person.

I have been really inspired by the music of Thomas Newman. Thomas Newman creates scores for some of the most amazing pieces of film, such as Little Children, Revolutionary Road, and Angels in America. Upon seeing each of these films, I looked up the music, due to the visceral response I had to it, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was all created by the same musician. I see the introduction set to accessible music for the audience, so as to pull them in. I am very inspired by a techno soundtrack by Major Lazer, which I received from a friend.

How all of these ideas will fit together, I do not know. What I do know is that this piece is VERY close to my heart, and that I want to create it for a greater purpose than TRDA 184. I want to create this piece to touch the audience, and have them heighten their awareness to suicide as a problem. I want to evoke emotions in my dancers as well, and have them feel a need to perform that is greater than DanceWorks and greater than GWU. I hope to inspire just one person, and if this happens, I will feel good about my work.