MFA Monday: Jamie Zahradnik

by Lydia MFA Mondays
photo by Lynn Lane
photo by Lynn Lane

Identity Crisis

There is something about curling up with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning that is such a relief at the end of a long week. Before anyone wakes, in the stillness and the sunshine, I like to sit and ponder the effects of my week. Occasionally, I like to journal, jotting down my thoughts on conversations that never happened, dreams and imagery, and my thoughts on “grieving the loss of grad school”… wait… did I really write that? That’s a little dramatic; I mean grief? How about trauma? Nope, that’s even more intense… On this particular Sunday morning I decided to reflect on some old journal entries from my first year out of grad school, and sure enough, I had described my first year as bereavement.

It’s been four years since I have been a student of the SHSU dance program, and I am in my twenty-eighth year as a student in the school of life. I’m currently in the process of experiencing some real life grief with the recent death of my mother. So upon rediscovering this part of my life occurring directly after graduation, which, by the way, seems miniscule now, I decided not to judge myself too quickly, and to take some time to investigate the meaning of the words I had written.

I discovered that

  • Bereavement can mean “suffering deprivation or loss by force.”
  • Grief can be defined as “keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss.”
  • Trauma can be described as “a powerful shock that can have long lasting effects on body and mind.”

This last definition rang truer to me than any of the other words. Trauma is something I can definitely relate to. I have certainly suffered mental and physical trauma with the numbing news that my mother no longer exists here on earth. It has been an event that has permanently changed my immediate environment, or kinesphere, if you will. It looks different to me, and I also don’t react to people and circumstances within in it the way that I did before. In this way, it has changed not only how I perceive my circumstances, but also who I am in relation to those circumstances, which inevitably has led to a growing loss of identity.

Continue reading →

8 Lessons for Dancers in Higher Education

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA right

 8 Lessons for Dancers in Higher Education

by Sarah Wildes Arnett

1. Dance is not a terminal field, even though the MFA is. Most dancers (and performers in general) know and accept this as truth – dancers are students their entire lives. There is always a way to improve and become better as our bodies change and as the field evolves. I accepted this long before making the decision to go back to school. What I did not realize until much later was that this applies to my creative work as well. As I went into my thesis work and now, as a professional and in setting choreography on my students, I started the process of reworking old choreography. I’ve now taken what was originally a sextet and translated it into a duet (which works much better that way) that has been reworked at least five times on different dancers, each time finding out new information about the piece. The piece has evolved from a general exploration of rhythms and patterns to being about a simple relationship to death and the afterlife. I’m pretty sure it’s not perfect yet.

2. It’s ok to beat a dead horse (figuratively). Not every piece has to be a masterpiece and you don’t have to make work about something new and different every time. Some things are worth investigating again and again. Just because you tried something once doesn’t mean you are done and that you cannot do it again.

3. Age is just a number. I went to school with people from all walks of life, including those in my MFA program and the undergraduates working on their BFA and BA degrees. I truly believe that there are things to be learned from each other, no matter what the age as everyone brings in their own experiences and ideas. One of the best collaborators I ever worked with in graduate school (and best friends I’ve ever made) was an undergraduate student, Megen Burgess. We still work together and talk weekly about dancing ideas even though we live 9 hours away from each other.

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4. Not every rehearsal has to be in a studio. Megen and I created an entire duet (and mind you, a very physically challenging duet) without managing to spend but maybe a total of 4 hours dancing. Sometimes you just need to have rehearsal at El Carreton. Sometimes you just have to draw a dance.

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5. Write everything down. I cannot tell you the number of brilliant ideas (and I mean brilliant – I should be Trisha Brown by now) that I have forgotten because I didn’t write them down. Continue reading →

MFA Monday: Surprises of Grad School

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA rightBiggest Surprises of Grad School

 by Amanda Diorio

 

I would make friends

I thought when I went back to school to get my MFA that I would be entering an uptight academic environment.  I was so preoccupied with the idea of school and relocating my life that I forgot I would be entering a community of like-minded peers. In undergrad, even among dance majors, I was considered the “dance nerd,”   In grad school I was surrounded by not only dancers but specifically  “dance nerds,” people who wanted to explore, dissect and reveal as much about the art as I did.  This community turned out to be a vital support group throughout the process of completing my degree.  Having others to bitch to, socialize, laugh, and share my fledgling art with became essential for my survival during this stressful time.  These bonds were not only a lifeline during the process but created many long lasting friendships and an excellent network that stands strong long after graduation.

 

The teacher/student relationship has evolved

When you enter a graduate program you have already passed a test in the eyes of the faculty.  You have already completed one major academic step and have decided to continue onto another. There are fewer grad students for them to keep track of and you yourself are probably a much better student.  For me this reduced a lot of the intimidationI felt with my undergraduate professors.  Continue reading →

You’re so brave

by Lydia MFA Mondays

It started when I wanted to see what came up on Google if I typed in “MFA dance programs.”  What came up was a list of what are possibly the largest and most well known MFA MFA right
programs– and those with their SEO figured out.  I sat there staring at the first hit, and then scrolled down wondering which school I should click on first.  I clicked, and apparently unclicked my self-confidence.  (Could they see me through the screen?  Were they laughing at my ignorant query into their top tier elite institution?) That suffocating, diminishing blanket that hovers and squeezes you whenever you walk into an audition came right back over me. I thought I had grown larger than that blanket, but apparently I’ve just felt mostly comfortable for some time.  I hadn’t felt that vulnerable exposition in a while.

That little anecdote is really leading to two things:

1) Applying for programs is scary.  You are brave.  Auditioning is scary. You are brave.  Interviewing is scary. You are brave.  Doing things where you put everything on the table– where you go all in– and might not get anything back is terrifying.  I’ve known some people to LIVE on that feeling.  I, however, want to shrink into the smallest version of myself.  I’ve always wanted more courage because that shrinking feeling is the absolute worst.  If you’re a shrinker like me, practice putting yourself in places that are scary.  People tell you to “fake it til you make it” but I can’t think of too many things more miserable than wearing a false self.  So I try to go back to the place where I do feel confident, where I feel like I am my full self, and pull of those things into the new, scary place.  It takes some discipline to not let the fears run rampant.

2) Let’s do something that pushes us out of our comfort zones this year.  I mean really, actually pushes you.  I think we all take some small and fairly safe risks.  But it takes courage and motivation to really push yourself.  And maybe it’s only one thing this whole year.  And I want to know what it is.  Share, because you will inspire someone.

 

 

Is the MFA the new MBA?

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA right

“COMPANIES ALL ACROSS AMERICA ARE STARTING TO SEE A CRITICAL TALENT GAP AS OLDER EMPLOYEES RETIRE. ARTS STUDENTS MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE TRADITIONAL SKILLS, BUT THEY HAVE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE: CREATIVITY.”

You may have seen this article floating around on social media.  Here are some key points, but I encourage you to read the full article!  What a perfect response to anyone who sees art as a hobby.  Use this article as a way to explain why the skills of an artist go beyond  the art form and are key to the growth of business in our time.  It’s always great to have language on hand when our value is questioned time and time again.

“Consider this: Today’s contingent economy has people moving constantly from one job to another, one type of work to another, one industry to a different industry. In fact, on average, a person between the ages of 25 and 45 will hold 11 different jobs in their lifetime. Thirty percent of us will work in more than 15 different jobs over the course of our careers.

Organizations far and wide—perhaps even yours—will compete intensely for workers who are adaptable, resourceful, and can quickly learn and apply new skills to a variety of challenges. Where can you find such workers?

One answer runs counter to much conventional wisdom: Ask an artist.”

“Is art school the next B-school? Hardly, though artists often possess the skills and temperament that business leaders regularly say are in short supply: creativity, resiliency, flexibility, high tolerance for risk and ambiguity, as well as the courage to fail.”

Ways to engage artists in the workplace:

  •  Ask them to explicitly think about puzzles using their artistic hat/lens. Invite a local theater group to work with employees on improvisation exercises to free up their creative juices. Research has shown that when people engage in improv they later generate more creative ideas to a range of issues and challenges.
  • Figure out how to incorporate critical feedback into an ongoing process of improvement and innovation. Ask an artist to come in and run a “critical feedback” workshop for employees.
  • Have an artist facilitate a workshop where a creative task is emergent, shifting, and where new information requires adjustments and negotiation.

“Many people see artists as shamans, dreamers, outsiders, and rebels. In reality, the artist is a builder, an engineer, a research analyst, a human relations expert, a project manager, a communications specialist, and a salesman. The artist is all of those and more—combined with the imagination of an inventor and the courage of an explorer. Not a bad set of talents for any business challenged to innovate in a world of volatility, uncertainty, and change.”

The full article, “Is an MFA and new MBA?” by Steven Tepper can be found here.

MFA Monday!

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA rightI’ve been thinking a lot about what the MFA degree means for artists in our country right now. We’re living in a world so heavily driven by capitalism that any artist struggles with the effects of commercialism and mass production values. Is it really valuable to obtain a degree in the fine arts right now? Obviously, my answer is yes but it is worth recognizing the issues and struggles artists deal with on a daily basis. I’m going to approach this from the ways I’ve dealt with financing my own art, but please feel free to comment and add any advice you may have.

“Fine” art doesn’t necessarily (or hardly ever) generate a lot of cash 858671_563107497041148_2128003440_o-1[1]flow. Artists aren’t usually creating in order to fund an end result, we are looking for an outlet of expression. Some artists are very interested in words of our critics and ticket sales, and some are not. It just depends on what kind of work you are making and why you’re making the work. Certainly the MFA program will give you a good bit of help in both of those directions. The feedback I received from my peers and professors in my choreography classes pretty much spanned the entire spectrum, ranging from questions of how the eyes were directed to asking questions directly to the dance, not me the choreographer (thank you Larry Lavender!) I found that considering my work through these multiple lenses was extremely valuable and gave me much more information about what kind of artist I am.

However you do view your art, if you can find a position at a University that supports creative work as research, you will probably find that funding opportunities are available for travel to conferences, festivals, performances, or wherever it is you decide to take your art. Of course, value is placed on adjudicated works, so when you are competing against other faculty for travel grants, it is important to consider. If full-time faculty work isn’t your cup of tea, it is possible to receive grant money, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult. Individual artists are mostly ineligible to receive grants from most agencies nowadays, you must be affiliated with a nonprofit corporation and an element of community outreach is becoming almost a requirement, with a few exceptions. This is great news for our youth and our communities as it strengthens our audiences and community appreciation for what we do, though it adds one more thing that gets in the way of just making the art. For anyone considering the MFA (or any artists in the field) I would highly recommend taking coursework in arts administration, particularly covering grant writing and non-profits. It was a course I have used time and again in working to fund my own travels and productions since I’ve left school.

For those artists that do depend on ticket sales and contributions (commercial or otherwise) the issue of creating art that is “accepted” is a very real one. The internet has made things so readily available that people can make a few clicks and have world class dancers right in front of them for free. Television has commercialized dance in a way that is boosting support for dance in a positive way, but also in a way that is confusing and misleading for many. In competitive shows like So You Think You Can Dance, audiences see brilliant dancers perform short dances (2-3 minutes) that tell entire stories on high production budgets and they can understand them! It’s not really SYTYCD’s fault – its commercialism as a whole. We get blasted everyday the same – ads, music, tv shows. Its simplified and you understand exactly what you’re supposed to. This makes things incredibly difficult for the abstract artists who aren’t always making art specifically “about” something, thus causing problems when we do get people in seats and they expect to see what they saw on television. I’m not saying there isn’t merit to what the choreographers and dancers do on SYTYCD, because they truly are amazing at creating captivating, well performed, well rehearsed dances in one week for two minutes. It is making our jobs a little more difficult to feel that we have the freedom to say what we want to say in more time and with much less money.

Sarah Wildes Arnett is Founder/Artistic Director of SWADanceCollective and Assistant Professor of  Dance at Valdosta State University in Georgia. She received a Master of Fine Arts in Dance Choreography at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts in  American Studies from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Sarah’s interests are interdisciplinary as she enjoys integrating her talents  in film-making, photography and music composition into her choreography while also expanding boundaries of genre and style. She continues to perform professionally with various companies and artists in the southeast. Most recently, she has performed and shown work at the MAD Festival (Atlanta), Alabama Dance Festival (Birmingham), NC Dance Alliance Annual Event (Greensboro) and RE:Vision by Forward Motion Theatre (NYC). http://www.swadanceco.com/

MFA Monday: Stressed about your thesis?

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA rightObservations that helped me create my MFA thesis

by Amanda Diorio

It will happen.

As those of us who have worked in show business are well aware “the show must go on.”  It is amazing when you think about all that needs to get done in a production like an MFA thesis concert, but miraculously it all happens.  This was a helpful attitude to take when I was working on my own concert.  I had no idea how all the work would get done, but I knew that somehow it would all come together. And of course it did.  Remember this when you are at your wit’s end and about to freak out about not finishing your work for the show.  One benefit of having a concert as a final project is that you have no choice but to get it all done. The dates have been set long in advance and cannot be changed.  This is one advantage that those seeking other kinds of terminal degrees do not have.  I have friends who have been working on their PhD dissertations for years.  The have no specific end time so it can be drawn out.  We, as performers, have the benefit of having a set date to be done by, a finish line to look towards.  When you are in the thick of it and your life has consisted of this crazy schedule for years it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel but remember grad school is not real life.  Your concert and your degree will happen.  Hang in there!

The project is still a part of the learning. 

While your final project is a reflection of your overall work in graduate school it is still a part of the learning process.  There is this sense that Continue reading →

MFA Monday

by Lydia MFA Mondays

For those of  you who may be new…The “MFA Monday” series features the advice of Masters of Fine Arts.  Enjoy their thoughts on the process of attaining an MFA!

         by Angela Falcone

 Oh grad school…

Falcone3Being a current first year M.F.A. candidate/student at Texas Woman’s University, I have quickly learned the heightened expectations of a graduate student.   One of my professors, Sarah Gamblin, said one afternoon, “you must do everything to the nth degree.”  After she mentioned this revelation about graduate school, my life has been turned upside down.  I am in my second semester of what everyone calls the “first year” and the journey has been everything I have expected…challenging, stressful, and rewarding. Not only am I tested mentally and physically every day, I am one part of a community striving to better themselves as artists and as dancers.  Below are three revelations I have had about this journey…so far.

1. You can never “over do” an assignment. 

I have always been an “A” student throughout my academic career, but I have never had the pressure of succeeding and/or being challenged to this degree.  If you think you are doing the assignment “correctly,” better think again.  I have quickly learned the expectation of an assignment is truly infinite.  If it is one blog entry for .5 points of your overall grade, you better be writing that blog as if it is your proposal for your final paper. Having adapted to this type of expectation over the past semester, I am rapidly becoming a better writer, thinker, innovator, and creator.  I am so thankful for this revelation!

2. It is not the “what” that is important anymore, but the “so what.”

I am one of the many students at TWU that went straight from undergrad to graduate school.  In saying that, I have quickly realized within my very first class, I need to dive deeper into the topic at hand.  Regurgitating information (like a banking system education) is not the expected anymore.  When stating anything, I now know I need to find connections, anomalies, dichotomies, and/or possible links between any and all things, no matter the significance (because everything means something).  I am still working through the kinks of this revelation in my writing.

3. Process! Process! Process!

My background mainly consists of drill team training, which is coined (in the dance community) as a genre that does not challenge process and is completely final-product based. I would like to shift this paradigm and invite improvisation and collaboration into the drill team process.  Normally when I choreograph, I would have every detail planned out ahead of time, but now, I am well aware of the possibilities of improvisation and provocation (Larry Lavender’s term). This semester, I have had many revelations in my own choreographic process.  I am granted four hours a week with my dancers, which is just enough time to play, experiment, create, and collaborate.  The process of creating work has truly been stimulating and invigorating.

These revelations have truly shaped the artist I am becoming.  I hope to one day be able to succinctly articulate how the impact of dance has had on my life, but until next time…

Angela Falcone, a Houston native, graduated from Friendswood High School in 2007. She was a member of the drill team, the Friendswood Wranglerettes, where she held the title of Grand Marshal. After graduating, she followed her dream and tried out for the Kilgore College Rangerettes. She had the honor of being chosen as the Freshmen Sergeant and Swingster her freshman year, and received the greatest honor of being chosen as Captain her sophomore year. Following graduation from Kilgore College with an Associate in Fine Arts, she was accepted to the University of Texas at Austin, where she holds a B.F.A. in Dance. Angela currently attends Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas where she is pursuing her M.F.A. in Dance. She is specifically interested in shifting the paradigm of high school drill team by reinvigorating the choreographic process and bringing a somatic awareness to high school dancers’ bodies.

 

MFA Monday

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA rightSurprising things I discovered when entering Grad School

 

I would make friends.

I thought when I went back to school to get my MFA that I would be entering an uptight academic environment.  I was so preoccupied with the idea of school and relocating my life that I forgot I would be entering a community of like-minded peers. In undergrad, even among dance majors, I was considered the “dance nerd.”   In grad school I was surrounded by not only dancers but specifically  “dance nerds,” people who wanted to explore, dissect and reveal as much about the art as I did.  This community turned out to be a vital support group throughout the process of completing my degree.  Having others to bitch to, socialize, laugh, and share my fledgling art with became essential for my survival during this stressful time.  These bonds were not only a lifeline during the process but created many long lasting friendships and an excellent network that stands strong long after graduation.

 

The teacher/student relationship has evolved.

When you enter a graduate program you have already passed a test in the eyes of the faculty.  You have already completed one major academic step and have decided to continue onto another. There are fewer grad students for them to keep track of and you yourself are probably a much better student.  For me this reduced a lot of the intimidation I felt with my undergraduate professors.  While I had (and still have) great respect for the faculty who guided me through my MFA program I sensed a more open relationship with them than I had past teachers.  I believe this allowed me to ask for help in my learning process more readily and, in turn, gave me the most out of the program.

 

 

It’s not only about making the art.

I thought that majoring in choreography would be all shop.  I would create pieces and receive feedback to make them better. Having received my BFA only 5 years prior I don’t know why I didn’t realize that the program would be so well rounded.  I teach non dance majors now as an adjunct professor and explain to many undergraduate students why this dance class they are taking for a fine arts credit helps them become more well rounded. On arriving for my MFA orientation I was reminded that we would be looking at choreography from more than the perspective of the choreographer creating the work.  We looked at it from an audience members point a view, where the work stands in our culture, and what the choreographer’s life entails.  Somatics classes informed me about my body and technique classes gave it new and inspired ways to move. It wasn’t just about spacing, timing and costumes. While few credit hours are spent outside the department (9 out of 60 in our department) you do have the opportunity to explore other fields. I took Global Arts, Multicultural Education and Exercise for Older adults, all of which significantly help me in my jobs today.  I arrived thinking I would only create choreography leave ready to start a company.  I came out with a more open mind about where dance stands in our world.  While creating work on occasion my current bread and butter lies in getting others, college students both in and out of the arts, children at local dance studios, and adults from beginner to professional to expand their knowledge of dance.  Much like the MFA program did for me.

 

B0061P 0098Amanda Diorio is an adjunct faculty member at UNC-Greensboro and Elon University.  She teaches adult classes open to the public at the North Carolina Dance Project where she is also a member of the board of directors.  Amanda holds an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a B.F.A. in Dance from Temple University. She has taught, produced, and choreographed dance extensively in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Florida and North Carolina at universities, studios, public and private schools and community centers. Specializing in Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop techniques she enjoys spreading peace, love and understanding through her teaching of dance, choreography and culture.

So you think you want a M.F.A….

by Lydia MFA Mondays


So You Think You Want a M.F.A.?

By Rosie Trump

Photo from Rosie Trump's MFA projectLet me begin by saying graduate school is not and should not be for every artist.  It requires a huge personal undertaking and a significant financial investment.  You will be a different person and a different artist when you finish.  With that being said, I want to share some advice I have gathered from my own graduate school experiences and post-graduate career.

 

Know Before You Go

There are many good reasons to pursue an M.F.A.  There are also some very bad reasons. A combination of good timing and clear postgraduate goals can make all the difference. When deciding on pursuing an M.F.A., it is very important to be honest with yourself and realistic about what this degree will add to your life and career.

If you are 5 or less years out of college ask yourself: Do I have significant professional experience?  Do I have ample teaching practice and a developed pedagogical approach?  Have I developed a distinctive, individual artistic point of view? If you answered no to any of these questions, spend the next two years filling in the gaps before you apply.  Additionally ask yourself, will I resent spending the next three+ years of my life being separated from friends and family, extremely poor, lonely, overwhelmed and overworked?  If you answer yes, wait and reconsider an M.F.A. in a few years.

If you are a mid or post-professional ask yourself: Will I resent spending the next three+ years of my life being separated from my established dance community, deferring earning potential and having my established methods and approaches upended and dismantled? Do I have an extra 40-60 hours per week in addition to my non-negotiable responsibilities to dedicate to intense study?

I believe a good M.F.A. experience is akin to boot camp—a very long boot camp.  For me, graduate school was the hardest thing I had done to date. On the flip side, it was also the absolutely most rewarding thing I had ever done.  I came out on the other side armed with an entirely altered perspective on dance and choreography, and a cohort of brilliant, inspiring friends for colleagues.

 

Still want to go? Tips on how to pick a good program:

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