More photos captured by @jaclynduchateauphotography for National Dance Day!! let’s celebrate art and and the blessing to be able to move our bodies every day!!
Here’s my full tiny dance for Mason Gross School of the Arts 50th anniversary!!
I picked the song the day before and went into this dance with a clear idea that was driven by the music. I think about how we as humans experience society in different ways and it was clear to me where in the music society felt chaotic. Personally when I am surrounded by too much I tend to slow down. My thoughts quiet, my emotions shrink and my body feels slow. When society feels calm and quaint I feel like my true self. Then I asked the question: What is my true self and can I simultaneously be calm and bubbly? I came to the conclusion that two things can be true and so my tiny dance reflects my human reaction to society.
Appraisal
choreographed by me in collaboration with the dancers
Photos by @jmdevans
To my wonderful cast,
I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you in my cast for Student Works Festival 2026 at Mason Gross School of the Arts. Your willingness to fully dive into the process and your constant commitment to the work have meant more to me than I can put into words. You showed up with openness, curiosity, and a readiness to explore, even when things felt uncertain, and that kind of dedication is what brought this piece to life. Being my first solo choreography project on a cast at MGSA, this experience was deeply personal, and I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive and inspiring group of artists to share it with. Thank you for trusting me, for pushing yourselves, and for helping shape something that feels so honest and meaningful. 💗
I call this the dance of birds and planes.
I found myself craving the Field of Dreams this morning. Dancing here brought me back to the sounds of nature and I found myself looking up to the sky. That’s when I saw birds and planes.
(If you watch till the end you’ll see the birds and planes)
EPONYM
Thank you @joana.henigan03 for these awesome photos and for having me in your senior capstone!!!
Everyone come to Loree Dance Theater on April 18 at 7:30 pm to see Joana’s evening length Senior Capstone EPONYM!!
