Artist Spotlight: Gregory Dawson

You worked with BalletX to create Ungesehen (“Sight Unseen”) in 2020, which had a film debut. What was that experience like?

This was a special time. It was my first time ever in Philadelphia so my time walking and exploring the city really fueled the work. It is always exciting for me to work with dancers that I am not familiar with. I am fed by trying to figure out how I may serve them in the work. With this particular group of extraordinary movers, it was a rapturous moment in time. Their hunger was a joy to watch. And then the pandemic and lock down hit days before its premiere.

What makes BalletX special to work with?

The wide range of talent that you have to explore. They are accustomed to ingesting a lot of information. Most of the artists are creators at heart so it is wonderful to watch them interpret the work in collaboration. Christine has a wonderful sense of gathering great talent in a room.

Looking back on an incredible and prolific career, what excites you about this upcoming world premiere?

I am always excited to see how dancers dive into the work. This composition is no exception. I also understand from a performers perspective how exciting it is to perform with live musicians. Each night will be different; the connections with the musicians are personal and filled with endless possibilities. Worlds are built between that infinite space between a musicians’ notes and a dancer’s movements. This for me is an incredible thing to witness.

Can you describe your process? What challenges or rewards are you facing at this moment?

The process may vary. It is not often that I start creating already having a score. Because I love exploring and composing with a musician or technician, often motion dictates the score. When I start first with motion I feel that I am not regulated by the score.

Having said this, when I am creating to an already composed score, I often think of motion being an instrument within the composition – working sometimes in counterpoint. I begin with a concept. Usually for me, music comes after I have explored motion.

I am super excited about how motion connects and what are the possibilities. As a performer I would visualize the work before execution. Whether this be in the shower, walking down the street, or sitting on a train, the work was always mentally explored. When I create in the studio the concept is always at the forefront of my brain, and motion is created by me really listening to my body. Sometimes it flows and there are those moments when it does not come.

Who or what have been the most significant influences on your creative journey as a choreographer?

Well my lineage is based in the philosophy of Alonzo King. I had the extraordinary opportunity of being with him in a studio for many years. First as a student then as a company member. He is a nurturer that dwells in a space where he is interested in your interpretation foremost, then the sculpting begins. It took a long minute for me to realize that all along my journey with him he was cultivating a choreographer. It was egoless and very precious.

Also along my journey I had the amazing opportunity of spending a year in residency with Elizabeth Streb action specialist who blew my mind with the research of rhythm, sound, impact, and the science of motion.

What are you looking forward to in your collaboration with composer and jazz pianist Luke Carlos O’Reilly? Tell us about the music.

First of all, the music is powerful and beautiful. Luke and I came together through Christine and her connections in Philadelphia. She told me about him. I began to research his sound and began to envision ways that the collaboration could progress. I have collaborated many times with Jazz ensembles, so I was stoked for the new adventure. He and I spoke often and he came to Oakland and we had studio time to record some of the tracks. This was important because he could pick my brain on where I was going with the movement composition. This was our moment to plant seeds in each other’s brain. Luke is super receptive and sensitive. I only needed to explain to him what my intentions were and he would come back with gorgeous notes.

In my mind the score and movement composition is a journey. Through that journey we need the support of a community that helps us to access joy, which leads to freedom. And we need to give reverence to those who suffered to sustain our existence.

What message or feeling do you hope to communicate to the audience with this new work?

Joy is the essence of freedom—it’s the dazzling sunrise that follows a stormy night! When we embrace life wholeheartedly, it guides us to pure joy. Let’s not forget: freedom isn’t just handed out; it’s something we seize for ourselves. As a society, we sometimes overlook the truth that we are inherently free, and in doing so, we miss out on the exhilarating joy that springs from this awareness.

Remember, freedom is what we choose to claim; we are all as free as our hearts allow us to be.

What are you looking forward to after this?

I look forward to creating, whether in a studio or in my garden. It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to do so.