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this song was playing on the walk to PDPR

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Tuesday 8/27 Auditions with guest artists 

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Tuesday 8/27 Auditions with guest artists 

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Meridith Rainey

What was exciting?

It was exciting to learn contemporary ballet. I felt like I've had the opportunity to learn this style with other artists and doing this audition made me like Meredith's style even more. It was another successful Zoom audition that was fun to be a part of.

What was challenging?

It was challenging to pick up through Zoom but over it felt calm and enjoyable to do. His combination was one of my favorites this season. Of course, ballet is always a challenge for me but Meridtih made it fun to do.

How would being in this project help me grow?

During the audition, I took Rainey's advice not to worry so much about the combination but to just have fun and do it. It also helped me keep my mind sane throughout these past two days of dancing.

Le' Andre Douglas

What was exciting?

Everything about this process was exciting. I thought his sense of teaching was so raw and easy to follow. He made it seem so seamless to learn. This process was just one of the exciting ones you want more of.

What was challenging?

Staying in the pocket of music and figuring out what he wanted from us as dancers and individuals. Once he kept repeating about being yourself and showing your true self made a huge difference in my ability to add my flavor.

How would being in this project help me grow?

Being in this process would help me grow by being uncomfortable with another style that I'm not familiar with but that I want to keep learning about. I've always appreciated hip-hop fusion but I never really stuck with it just because I know that I'm not the best at it. I think it'll help me grow by trying a new style.

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felt moments of love during this audition.

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Wednesday 8/28 Auditions with Love and Megan 

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Wednesday 8/28 Auditions with Love and Megan 

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Megan

*What was exciting?

It was exciting to learn from Megan this audition just because I've never seen her contemporary work but I've seen her dance and have danced with her before. it was cool to learn how she adds a groove to her contemporary work. This audition process was one of my favorites so far.

*What was challenging?

Learning from a student choreographer is always challenging, especially in learning their dance style and incorporating it into our bodies. She did incorporate hard floor work that I sort of feel like it was fun to do. Yet it was challenging to get off the floor to then continue staying on the beat for the next part.

*How would being in this project help me grow?

Being in this project would allow me to work with yet again another student choreographer who knows what they want in their process. Megan has this way of teaching that is enjoyable to work with and being in this project can help me grow to continue learning from a colleague like her.

Love

*What was exciting?

I've always loved taking classes from love. Her qualities as a teacher and choreographer always allowed me as a dancer to be as free as possible. Her combo was exciting to learn so I'm excited to see where her process is headed.

*What was challenging?

Lots of movement that was happening but the challenge was manageable. Every time Love teaches a class I know its going to be a challenge just by the way she incorporates floor movement to coming off the floor and running. I think just being athletic in her work is challenging which helps me get to where I want to be as a dancer.

*How would being in this project help me grow?

Learning from UT alumni has always been the best way to help me learn from them. Being in Venese's piece who was also a UT alumni just made the experience better. I've always liked having past MFA students come in to teach. It excites me as an artist to take what they teach and bring it into my dancing and teaching. So learning from Love will help me grow as an artistic dancer by learning her style of contemporary.

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What was exciting?

This whole process this semester felt so comfortable and fast. The lineup of artists this semester is so exciting because they each bring in their artistic style to then eventually create cyhpers at the end of the semester. I'm beyond excited just for this next PDPR year.

What was challenging?

I think each of the combinations we learned this week was challenging just because they all had different dynamics with what they wanted for their outcomes.

How would being in this project help me grow?

Being in this Fall project would be a thrill to be in again, hopefully now performing in the round for the first time at UT so I'm excited to grow through the process of seeing how the process then changes at the end and how I can adjust direction changes when performing.

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This was my mood on Sunday on our day off

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What has been challenging for you in this process?

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What has been challenging for you in this process?

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During the residency week i found myself being challenged mentally rather than physically. This was a different type of mental capacity that took over my week. I found ways to make myself feel better by sleeping early after rehearsals. It did help a lot the next days of some rehearsals. But this process was one of the best one physically.

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Being able to trust the process and grow along the way!!

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During the week of rehearsals i learned to be patient with myself and others around me. I also tend to get frustrated in silence when either the process is slow. Lately I’ve grown to just give it time to then let things work out on its own. It has been an adjustment for myself to just let things happen but i like being able to now be patient with myself and other things that happen around me.

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What have you done to further the intentions and goals you set for yourself at the top of the semester?

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What have you done to further the intentions and goals you set for yourself at the top of the semester?

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I have done a lot over the past month to keep my goals straight. I pushed myself into performing for two pieces this semester just because i know i have the time to handle it for myself. It’s been a great experience so far that i hope it helps me grow as a stronger dancer again. It is a challenge too since I haven’t performed two dances in one show in a few years but I’m happy that this goal is happening.

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Cast!!!! Being able to dance with others makes me feel grateful.

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What have you contributed to the piece and to the realization of a creative community of caring, kickass artists?

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What have you contributed to the piece and to the realization of a creative community of caring, kickass artists?

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Being in a piece with different dancers this semester has allowed me to play like a big sister role of helping them out when times get hard during a rehearsal process. In Meredith’s process i found myself giving advice to some of the second years just so they can also trust a residency process. It made me feel good getting close to some of the cast members by helping them out when they needed help. I will always have time for others during a process like this one.

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What has been challenging for you in this process?

Over the past two month I’ve experienced waves of exhaustion. Wether it was physically or mentally , i felt so out of being present when i needed to during some rehearsals. Overtime i got over it by telling myself i can do it and it’ll all workout but i eventually just started to stress myself out. I think this semester i never had a “break” to take a step back when things were getting overwhelmed. I eventually had to take a day off to regain myself to be okay for the show. I feel like now I’m a lot less anxious than i was a few weeks ago.

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What has been a delight for you in this process?

Think the best thing that is making this process exciting as well is getting to create new friendships with other people in different cohorts. Making these friendships have been the highlight of my semester. I felt like I’ve branched out and really got to know people individually rather than a whole group combined. These are moments i look for to talk about in the future. The people I’ve met through this process are ones i can also call my close friends. This has been a big delight in this semester process of PDPR

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What connections are you making between this experience and other life experiences you are having? 12/02

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What connections are you making between this experience and other life experiences you are having? 12/02

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During this PDPR semester , my experience has taught about trusting my gut and being patient with others around me. This whole experience has been different than past ones. I feel like being in two pieces that had so much emotions to perform and feel was so raw and real. Having problems outside of school made me appreciate the community i have around me. Both pieces had connections to community and emotions. So leaning on one and other through dance and in real life is so special to me. I do think that these experiences relates to life experiences.

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If you would ask me back in August how i would want this semester to be it would be completely different from then till now. Over these past months I’ve felt a growth in my artistry through dance and life. This semester has given me the opportunity to take on a challenge that I wouldn’t have expected to do. Not only being in two pieces but having this be my last fall semester here has allowed me to enjoy everything that happened around me. From new friendships to prioritizing my health i can say that I definitely have grown up to the expectations i wanted this fall semester.

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What's next for you in this process? What do you want to continue doing or manifest anew? 12/02

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What's next for you in this process? What do you want to continue doing or manifest anew? 12/02

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I personally am excited for the spring semester. PDPR will be interesting with the line up of choreographers. I feel like i want to be challenged one last time before graduating in May. I hope to continue performing after May and get to work by creating dance with others. This next chapter of life will be different , but i hope to bring my experiences with me to share to others.

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What have you done to further the intentions and goals you set for yourself at the top of the semester? 12/02

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What have you done to further the intentions and goals you set for yourself at the top of the semester? 12/02

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I have done a lot over the past month to keep my goals straight. I pushed myself into performing for two pieces this semester just because i know i have the time to handle it for myself. It’s been a great experience so far that i hope it helps me grow as a stronger dancer again. It is a challenge too since I haven’t performed two dances in one show in a few years but I’m happy that this goal is happening.

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What have you learned from someone else in your cast and/or the choreographer/creative leaders of your project? 12/02

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What have you learned from someone else in your cast and/or the choreographer/creative leaders of your project? 12/02

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This year I’ve learned that processes can be slow, but the outcome will be great. Throughout this semester i also learned to value others as a team. Being in two pieces was tough but having other people around me helped create wonderful pieces. Having a bond with my cast mates made this process enjoyable.

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