Heather Vaughan-Southard ballet, choreography, college dance, dance, dance education, dance performance, jazz dance, modern dance, teaching dance, Uncategorized

The Next Verbal Challenge: Describing Contemporary Dance

I am relatively new to Twitter but I have already enjoyed the relationships I have started to cultivate and the dialogue they have inspired. One of the threads we've created is the comparison of contemporary dance to modern (look for #comodance).  I have biases.  Know this.  But also know that while I consider myself a … Continue reading The Next Verbal Challenge: Describing Contemporary Dance

Heather Vaughan-Southard arts, choreographic process, choreography, creative process, dance, dance education, dance major, dance scholarship, modern dance, teaching dance, Uncategorized

The Verbal Challenge: Describing Modern Dance As Succinctly As Possible While Evoking Visual Image and Possible Definition of Intent

Yeah....It can be that difficult to maintain brevity when attempting to describe modern dance to the non-dancer. This is by no means the first time I've visited this puzzle in my work but this is a most recent stab prompted by the impressive Jordon Cloud. So, here goes. My meager attempt to describe modern dance … Continue reading The Verbal Challenge: Describing Modern Dance As Succinctly As Possible While Evoking Visual Image and Possible Definition of Intent

Heather Vaughan-Southard arts, choreography, dance, dance performance, modern dance

Part II: The Body Re-Members

  I wrote “A Passion Observed” over a month ago although it was only recently posted. Last week, Bill T. Jones was interviewed by Tom Ashbrook for NPR’s On Point radio show.  I always love the show, but when my favorite liberal artist/choreographer in on….I REALLY love the show.  (Last week also featured a show … Continue reading Part II: The Body Re-Members

Heather Vaughan-Southard arts, choreographic process, choreography, college dance, creative process, dance, dance career, dance education, employment, teaching dance

Finding 1st

I do a pretty funny impression (if I do say so myself) of a favored former professor of mine, in which I circle myself for a couple loops as if casually chasing my tail, finally locating my final destination and carefully placing myself accordingly:  1st position parallel.  Essentially, it is the same position I was … Continue reading Finding 1st

Heather Vaughan-Southard choreographic process, choreography, creative process, dance, dance career, dance education, Dance in the Annex, dance performance, jazz dance, modern dance, teaching dance

A Love Clear and Simple

A couple weekends ago, I bought a bar of soap. Not just any soap. The best smelling, most decadent, exfoliatingly brilliant bar of soap I’ve ever purchased (from the Olive Mill, in Saugatuk, in case you were wondering). When telling my husband about my love for this bar of soap, he said, “wow, and it … Continue reading A Love Clear and Simple