For the last two years, Ballet West’s Emily Adams choreographed for the company’s Innovations program. Now, she’s standing on the other side of the studio, preparing to dance in Jessica Lang’s Lyric Pieces. Adams spoke with Pointe about working with an established female voice and how it’s inspired her as a choreographer.
What is
Lyric Pieces about?
Jessica didn’t give us a lot of back story, but I get the sense that it’s about community. Each vignette shows the different characters. There are some lighthearted sections and some romantic ones, but I think the props are what make it really unique.
How so?
There are these huge paper props that create the landscape of the piece. Some span the whole length of the stage. At one part, I curve this long paper to form a brook or steam and then another time it’s vertical and looks like a fan. It’s hard, because you want it to look like it’s part of the dance and an extension of yourself–not just a foreign object that you’re carrying around and manipulating.
How does Lang inspire you as a dancemaker?
I really like her demeanor. As a choreographer, you create the environment for something to be made and to grow. She was encouraging but a little bit mysterious, too. I like that vibe. She gave us direction but also freedom.
How do you stay connected to dancemaking throughout the season?
Every once in a while, Adrian Fry—another choreographer/dancer in the company—and I will go into a studio and start collaborating, even if it’s not for a performance. It’s just to get the creative juices flowing. I choreographed for Innovations the last two years, but this season I wanted to dance. I think if choreography is something you like to do, it’s not going to suddenly stop. I plan to continue pursuing it.
Ballet West’s Innovations program of new works runs
May 20-28 in Salt Lake City.
