Choreographing the Future: Mechanisms of Control

When Chicago native Crystal Ornelas gently pulls at the arms and clothing of her cohort of 13 dancers during her dance composition rehearsals, she clarifies her dancers’ questions about how a step should feel when executed. With third-year Ornelas’ help, the dancers gain control over the quality of their movement, a task related to the central theme of the student-choreographed piece.

This isn’t the first time the dance and psychology double major has taken to the front of the studio to choreograph an original work. Her first encounter with dance allowed her to explore movement creation — her dance journey coming full circle as she takes Senior Lecturer of Dance Amy Wilkinson’s dance composition class.

“That first teacher I had is when I got introduced to choreographing,” Ornelas said, reminiscing on her middle school after-school program where she fell in love with dance. “Even though we had no dance training, she would implement it into our warm-ups. The whole point was that, as students, we got to create on each other.”

However, she said she struggled as a first-time choreographer without a clear message for the piece. When she came to Loyola and learned she’d have the chance to choreograph again, she knew she wanted to approach this opportunity with more clarity and purpose.

A course available only to dance majors and minors, dance composition is offered every spring to a maximum of 12 students wishing to grow their dance skillset by becoming choreographers themselves.

Patience, an open mind and young dancers allowed inspiration to finally hit for her. As a dance teacher at Gus Giordano Dance School, Ornelas said she’s watched her students struggle and become frustrated in their inability to control their bodies when performing a new step. 

“That snapped an idea in my head,” Ornelas said. “The things we can’t control are the things that are hard to face.”

Ornelas said she saw herself in her students. Understanding what they were going through, she wanted to develop an idea of what control is and what it looks like through her piece.

“What are the things that are in your control versus out of your control?” Ornelas said, explaining the questions she asked herself in exploration of this theme. “For the things out of your control do you comply, do you accept or do you resist it?”

First-year dance and social work double major Emlianna King, a member of Ornelas’ cast, explained how Ornelas used imagery of machinery to convey the stylistic quality and storyline she wanted the dancers to portray.

“Everybody’s doing the same,” King said. “By the end of it, though, you have people breaking out of that cycle and realizing they have the ability to do something different, move in a different way.”

For fourth-year dance major Cristina Guzman, being a dancer in Ornelas’ piece has challenged the way she dances, causing her to experience the concept of the dance in real time during rehearsal. 

Guzman, who was a choreographer for dance composition last spring, shared the style she feels most comfortable in differs slightly from the movement quality found in Ornelas’ dance. Guzman said there was a learning curve she had to face regarding the stylization, but it was one she gladly accepted.

“There’s definitely bits and bops that I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s not super familiar to me,’” Guzman said. “It’s nice to feel challenged.”

Dedication to Ornelas’ vision is shared among her cast during rehearsals, according to second-year advertising creative major and dance minor Raya Whitlock. Whitlock praised Ornelas’ ability as a choreographer to build an environment where she could truly have fun while doing the art form she loves.

“She’s always on it,” Whitlock said. “She always knows what exactly she’s going to do and we just have so much respect for her in that regard. Every rehearsal, I do in and I’m like, ‘Wow, she’s got this.’”

Peers from other Loyola dance classes, Whitlock said she’s watched Ornelas’ transition from student to blossoming choreographer in awe.

Having known Ornelas for the past three years, Guzman recalls hearing her hash out ideas on what she might create for dance composition during Ornelas’ first year at Loyola.

“I want to reiterate how proud I am of her and how excited I am to see her have this moment in the spotlight,” Guzman said. “She’s a phenomenal dancer and that spotlight is always on her if you’re looking at her, and I’m always looking at her.”

When looking to the future of this piece, Ornelas said she finds guidance in the words of her first dance teacher, who would say the job of dancer is done when the life of one person in the audience has been touched.

Finding value in any interpretation of work the audience may have, Ornelas shared a message she has for the Loyola community about the dance composition course.

“This process helps cultivate artists who want to demonstrate their work,” Ornelas said. “Art should be taken with so much love and enjoyment and with the same respect as any other class here.”
With less than a month left until performance day, Ornelas is finishing choreography before heading into rounds of cleaning before the piece’s debut April 25 at Newhart Family Theatre. Tickets to the Dance Composition Showcase, featuring the original work of Ornelas and 11 other students, are on sale now through Loyola’s ticketing website.