Approaching the choreography for the show has been a unique task for many reasons, the first of which is that the songs are all very different in terms of their context within the show; some happen as a result of the usual Musical Theatre concept: a character is feeling such an intense emotion that they burst into song! Other times, Annie uses music consciously to shock, delight or comfort Alex. Secondly, the subject matter isn’t exactly something that is generally considered for a song and dance!!
In light of the above, and due to the nature of the show, the biggest factors that influence my choreography are this: Alex’s life (her past, trauma and recovery) and her relationship with Annie. If I didn’t focus on this, then the movement would have no meaning or grounding, and there wouldn’t be a place for it in the show.
On top of this, whenever I’m creating movement I look closely at the music and lyrics- as simple as it sounds, that’s my stimulus. If you’re not dancing to the music that’s playing, then why is it on? If the movement fits to another track, and makes sense, then I probably haven’t done my job- unless it’s a really amazing fluke of a fit!! Which did happen once…a bizarre scenario in which a piece I’d choreographed to a section of text from Aeschylus’ tragedy ‘The Eumenides’ (part of The Oresteia) fit perfectly to ‘She’s like the wind’ by Patrick Swayze, from Dirty Dancing. Seriously.
It was a strange but delightful discovery.
Anyway…
Throughout the musical numbers we see Alex and Annie’s relationship change- sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse! Will Alex’s want of independence finally win out?
In some of the more light-hearted numbers between Alex and Annie, in which music is used consciously, the choreography finds them reminiscing on happy childhood memories- specifically tap! Alex loves tap, and musicals, which is handy. However, she acknowledges that she wasn’t brilliant due to her left foot being out of sync with the rest of her body! With this, the choreography for these numbers reflects the experience of dance she had as a child and the dance steps she was taught: the pure childhood joy of dancing around. Nostalgic. Annie is trying to reconnect Alex with herself through these memories; Alex’s reluctance to accept Annie in these songs at first is insistent, playful, and in vain, because Annie seems to have the agency in Alex’s lucid dreams- much to the latter’s frustration. Alex just wants to move on with her life: ‘I need answers, not feelings.’ Thanks Annie, but no thanks.
In the more ‘I’m so [insert emotion here] that I’m going to burst into song’ type numbers, the choreography is more connected to Alex’s trauma and recovery: her abuse, flashbacks, insomnia and current coping mechanisms. In these numbers, clearly tap is not the way to go. Human based, contemporary movement is called for here, with an interesting push and pull between the two characters.
As both the writer and director, Dave has ideas of what he’d like to see in each number choreographically and I create the movement for that; for instance, ‘a push and pull between the characters’ or ‘unification’.
In Dissociated there are two ‘live’ actors, with others being included through pre-recorded footage, both visual and audio. With such a small cast there are limits to what you can do choreographically, but it also lends itself to an interesting dynamic throughout the numbers and playful partner work.
I’ve always had a particular passion for raising awareness about child sexual abuse and its prevention, and I’ve learnt a lot more about this often taboo topic whilst working on the show. It’s a subject that we seriously need to address much more in society, and Dissociated does this in a playful, truth-based, and touching way.
It's a privilege to be telling Alex's story, and we can't wait to bring it to the Etcetera Theatre, Camden, from 15th-26th October!