Adapting to change, dance and choreography online

Since May of last year, we’ve been working in the digital space and we’re discovering that even though we can be together, we can feel connected through dance.

Dancer Abigail Thomas gives us a glimpse into dancing virtually.

In December I was blessed with the opportunity to work with Nova Dance. This process took place during the last two weeks of December, and was a quintessential end to the year. 

The rehearsals were refreshing and fast paced. We didn’t just learn to emulate the choreography, we were given the chance to play with the new vocabulary. Despite working online everyone was able to indulge in the energy that comes with any artistic process. Dancing with other people offered a connection. I was able to forget being online and appreciate dancing in a group. In a time where everyone is forced to distance themselves, the chance to connect is valued on a deeper level.

Being a classical dancer, it is always exciting to push boundaries, deepen the understanding of the body, and step out of comfort zones. Re-discovering how we can and cannot move helps us grow. This dance process opened up the floor to do so. We worked on warmup exercises that slowed down the movement of different parts of the body. This made me more aware of muscles and movements that are otherwise overlooked.

Imagery was discussed heavily during the learning process which really helped in understanding the piece. After learning a section of the choreography everyone was given the chance to share how their imagination led them to execute the sequence. I gained so much perspective from these discussions. Hearing the way someone else thought about a particular movement helped everything fall into place in my head. When it was time to practice I could fall back on the imagery that other dancers utilised which helped tremendously with expressing during the piece.

Art has grown so much this past year while artists are adjusting to the changes in their practice. Being a part of this December process has allowed me to interact with other dancers, and observing the way they have adapted to the change is inspiring. I am looking forward to this year and the artistic opportunities it will bring.