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JaQuel Knight
Notable Works: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Burlesque, The Wiz on Broadway
Like Knight, I aspire to fuse visual storytelling with the art of dance in the commercial world. I also admire his bold decision to establish his own enterprise, ensuring the legal protection of his work after facing compensation challenges. He understands the profound beauty in his work, which holds deep personal significance. This sets artists apart—their lives and intimate experiences are woven into their creations. Their art is an extension of themselves, deserving the same respect and protection they afford their own identities. I deeply resonate with this.
Camille A. Brown
Notable Works: For Colored Girls/When the Rainbow is 'Enuf,' Once on This Island, Porgy & Bess
Brown emphasizes the importance of seeing and hearing her dancers. Her choreography weaves together West African dance forms and vernacular movement styles to provide direct responses to the social questions facing society. Through these forms, Brown gives voice to complex themes of race, identity, and belonging, creating a powerful platform for reflections.
I resonate with Brown’s decision not to adopt an alias; her acknowledgment of the pressure to shrink oneself to make room for others is something I deeply relate to. I also connect with her use of Black vernacular dance, as it is a key element in my own choreography. Like Brown, I aspire to have a career that spans across various artistic fields, allowing my creativity to flow freely and make an impact in every medium I explore.
Kenny Ortega
Notable Works: High School Musical Franchise, Newsies film, Dirty Dancing
In musical theater, Ortega employs a technique of transforming pivotal dramatic scenes into dance numbers. I believe this approach is crucial for developing a clear narrative through movement: identifying the emotional essence of a situation and translating that energy into dance. Ortega also incorporates creative warm-ups that cultivate a fun and inviting atmosphere, fostering encouragement, acceptance, and productivity. This approach is highly effective. I also admire his determination to keep expanding his resume, even after achieving significant success. For him, creativity is a continuous journey. The diverse range of his work truly inspires me, as my own creative ambitions extend beyond the stage. I aspire to direct creatively and collaborate with artists, aiming to broaden my experience in a similar way.
Quentin Tarantino
Notable Works: Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Death Proof
I admire Tarantino’s ability to emulate the essence of each film that inspires him without simply copying it; this is where I believe many people are mistaken, and label his work as theft. His work reflects a profound respect and appreciation for the history of cinema, allowing him to create something wholly original from what came before. I, too, adopt this approach of “honorable theft” at times; the art of creating something entirely new that encapsulates the spirit of the inspiration.
Martin Scorsese
Notable Works: Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino
Martin Scorsese is one of my all-time favorite directors and I have been a fan of his work since middle school, watching his films with my grandparents. A personally impactful aspect of his filmmaking is his use of the dual narrative: the way he introduces an entirely different storyline in the second half of many of his films. It often feels like watching two separate movies, yet they are seamlessly connected. I am exploring this technique in my ECS choreography by differentiating the dynamics between the first and second movements. I have always been fascinated by his attention to detail in cinematography with the use of framing, color, and symbolism. These elements are central to the art that I continue to create as well and are often referenced in our Choreography classes in terms of the structure of movement development. Scorsese’s ability to convey change and emotion through composition and color is something I also emulate in my work.