“Dying Swan” Mikhail Fokine version, restaged by Monique Meunier for the UCSB Fall Dance Concert 2025.
Choreographer Joshua Manculich set a group piece on the UCSB Dance Company and set a solo titled “Focus” on me. The concept for the solo is that what you focus on expands.
After writing an essay for my creative writing class (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zVRHGNglShLEuS1xNNn9QPhNtQufQDgmxrcpCRgFkEI/edit?usp=sharing), I was inspired by spirals in relation to dance. My ballet professor, Valerie Huston, taught me that many ballet shapes mimic the spiral of the DNA helix, hence the title of my piece, “Helix”. Additionally, I incorporated elements of what it feels like to mentally spiral. For my senior thesis, I challenged myself to create a dance that feels as though it could spiral infinitely, all while sprinkling in the nuances of abrupt stops and stark shapes to create that sense of mental spiraling for audience.
Performance Dates: December 3, 4, and 5, 2025
Music: Odessa by Caribou, Says by Nils Frahm
Music Editing: Reese Overlock
Lighting Design: Reese Overlock
Choreography: Reese Overlock
This piece was inspired by the party scene. Many people utilize partying as a form of escapism from their mental battles; they go to the club, get a drink, and dance with their friends to avoid reality...but what happens when they go into the bathroom at the club, all by themselves, looking into the mirror to face the reality of themselves? On the dance floor, willl they “Break it Down” or “Break Down”?
Music: “I’m here. (feat. Mauricesax)” by Bolden, “Think of Me Once In a While, Take Care” by Take Care
Music Editing: Reese Overlock
Lighting Design: Reese Overlock
Teacher Christina McCarthy taught the first class of our choreography series in which we were assigned to choreograph a duet. After splitting the class into groups of three, each of the three people were instructed to choreograph a duet on the remaining two team members. This is a video of what I created and set on my two team members.