CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

CHOREOGRAPHER’S INFORMATION

Choreographer’s Name (s): Trey Erny

(As you want your name to appear in the program)

Campus Phone (219)508-6127 Email: trey.erny@valpo.edu

Major: Theatre Minors: Music and Education HomeTown and State: Valparaiso, IN Class of 2024
CHOREOGRAPHER QUALIFICATIONS

Check all that apply*:

□ I have performed in one or more ‘Dance Ensemble’ performances

Please list years you performed: 2022
□ I have taken one or more dance courses at VU
Please list courses taken: Tap Technique 1 (taking Ballet in the Fall)
□ I have taken ‘Dance Composition I’ at VU

CHOREOGRAPHIC VISION

Tell us about yourself as a choreographer and about what motivates you to want to create a piece for this
concert:

I have had this specific idea since the beginning of last year. In high school, I choreographed multiple numbers for
the Show Choir my junior and senior year. Now that I have experienced Dance Ensemble (and a dance class at VU)
I feel as if I have grown as a dancer and I want to continue to grow and share my passion for dance with others.
This process will help me grow as a dancer and as a leader.

* Choreographers must have taken at least one technique class and must have performed in at least one ‘Dance Ensemble’
performance for their proposal to be considered.
 CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

DANCE WORK PROPOSAL

✔ INTENTION **
o What is the purpose of your dance?
□ To tell a story □ To create a visualization of the music
□ To convey a feeling □ To celebrate a particular style of dance
□ Other:

o Further describe what it is you’d like to communicate to the audience.

● This dance is going to rely heavily on emotions and careful movement to convey the very
specific feelings it requires. ( I explain more in the next section)

** Dance as an art form has the power to move an audience in a great variety of ways. During your creative process,
consider what you want to share with the audience. Be clear and detailed as you define the INTENTION of your
dance. It is the foundation from which to consider all other choreographic decisions (music, improv & movement
creation, composition, costumes, lighting, scenery, props).
 CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

DANCE WORK PROPOSAL (continued)

✔ APPROACH TO MOVEMENT CREATION ***

o What technique(s) of dance will you be using?
□ Ballet □ Hip Hop
□ Jazz □ Tap
□ Modern □ Ballroom
□ Other:

✔ MUSIC CHOICE **
o Have you chosen music?
Check one of the below boxes and fill in the requested information.
□ I THINK SO
Please list title(s) and artist(s), as well as a description of the song (including tempo(s),
instrument(s), lyrical content, length):

▪ Song Title: Uninvited

Performing Artist(s): Originally by Alanis Morissette but I will be using the version
from the musical: Jagged Little Pill (here’s a link: https://youtu.be/W1PlPZim6kM )

Length of Song: 3:45 (with my plan of entrances and exits, it will be 4 minutes)
(minimum 4 min)

‘Mood’ or Intention of the Song:

● Jagged Little Pill is based off of Alanis Morissette’s album of the same
name. Jagged Little Pill centers on the Healy family. The Healy's appear to
be the picture perfect family in their competitive Connecticut suburban
neighborhood. The mother of the family has an addiction problem, the
daughter is struggling with her sexuality, the son is struggling with the
pressures of being “perfect”, and the father is growing distant. The song
“Uninvited” is the climax of the show where the mother, MJ, overdoses.
The song is her fighting between the want of the pills and the want to
stay alive. My dance will NOT be this graphic (I just wanted to give a
backstory of the song's mood and feeling). However, in my dance one
dancer will portray the “good” and the other will portray the “bad”. The
dance will consist of the good being enticed by the bad and the good
slightly wanting the bad, but knows that it isn’t good for them. The dance
will start with the two dancers on either side of a large frame (indicating a
mirror) and they will dance mirrored until the good turns away and the
bad follows her out of the mirror. This is where the two start to dance
together in a series of methodical, close, but separate movements where
 CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

the good is trying to get away but the bad manages to keep her there.
The dance ends with the good finally giving into the bad and the two of
them are left on stage in a close embrace.

□ I HAVE NOT CHOSEN ANY MUSIC YET

What genre(s) of music are you considering?

*** Please note that filling the stage with a variety of styles of dance and music is a Dance Ensemble tradition.
Please also take care when choosing music with lyrics; proposals with music using offensive language or offering
offensive messages will not be considered. We also encourage students to consider music without lyrics, as it
opens up choreographic opportunities to let the dance speak louder. If you have questions or concerns about
your ideas for music, please contact Ann Kessler (ann.kessler@valpo.edu) or Salena Elish
(salena.elish@valpo.edu).
 CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

DANCE WORK PROPOSAL (continued)

✔ DIRECTING A PROCESS ****

o Casting
▪ No. of Dancers: 2
▪ What styles or level of previous experience will you desire from your dancers?

I would like my dancers to have at least a couple years of experience and some
background in musical theatre.

▪ What qualities of movement will be most important for your dancers to be able to
perform?

flexibility (mentally and physically), connection to the music, and the ability to go from
sharp movements to smooth movements.

o Leadership Experience
▪ Please tell us about opportunities you’ve had to lead a group of peers through a process.
What successes did you have? What challenges did you face? How did you address the
challenges and what did you learn from the experience(s)?

Like I stated before, I had the opportunity to choreograph my show choir in high school my junior and
senior years. That was an awesome experience because I was able to lead my peers through learning a dance that
I created. A challenge that I faced was that some of my ideas that played out perfectly in my head, didn’t work out
in person. However, a success that I had was that I was able to work with my peers on creating a solution that
better fit the scenario. Dance is collaborative, no matter where or who you are. Being able to work through
problems was made easier by the fact that I listened to my peers and heard their input and I used that to my
advantage to come up with a proper solution for everyone.
 CHOREOGRAPHY PROPOSAL: DANCE ENSEMBLE 2023

**** Choreographers are not permitted to cast themselves in their own piece. Students wishing to choreograph
for Dance Ensemble should do so because they would like opportunity to delve into the experience of setting
movement on others. Performing in one’s own piece denies the choreographer the ability to see the dance in its
entirety.  If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact Ann Kessler (ann.kessler@valpo.edu) or
Salena Elish (salena.elish@valpo.edu).