| tumbleweed |

I thought of creating this project after realizing my position as the only Dance major in my year and my lack of exposure to the outdoors through my education. Earlier this year I was a Head OA Leader and Community Engagement Liaison. My time outdoors and with LA community organizations proved how close nature is to us and how close we are to it. Those experiences inspired my Watson Fellowship application, Species: Global Animal Conservancy using Dance. I planned to travel to zoos in different countries to observe animals, using their movements in choreographed pieces, performance art, and conservancy art. The pieces would have demonstrated the connection between the human and animal body. The series of pieces and performances would have been a body intended on raising awareness around animal treatment, endangerment, and conservancy. I used that application to base my course and have been amazed by the transformation of the idea. Traveling to outdoor spaces, injecting dance into new environments, and living through the skin of a black man, I know I'm venturing into uncharted territory. My dance education needed a challenge that took me out of the classroom and forced me to use dance in alternative ways. 

Southern California is one of five Mediterranean regions on Earth. The idyllic mixture of landscape and habitat create a unique environment supporting a wide variety of life. This course answers the question: how do you create choreography inspired by the wildlife and terrain of Southern California?

This course requires a journal that will kept through the semester. DNA is divided into three terrains: Mountains, Deserts, and Beaches. There is a written paper for each terrain detailing the choreographic journey, specific readings, and overall process. The student will film a site specific piece at each terrain and hold a final performance/showing.