Christina Acosta – Choreographer

 

Dancers often fall into comfortable movement patterning when developing choreography.  

Lately, to break through this tendency, I have been using simple symbol charts to develop movement phrases by assigning each of the symbol variables a task.

In this symbol chart from my choreography journal, I used the arrows to determine the direction of spatial pull on the body and the dots to represent either stillness or turning.  

I love the problem-solving it delivers to my process of making, as well as the unpredictability of the dance phrases that emerge. The process allows me to let go of the need to make comfortable, self-indulgent movement phrases and instead find new connections, interesting interruptions and unique patterning.

Christina Acosta is Professor of Dance at HCC Ybor,
who regularly host national and international performers