A place in Between

Choreographed by Emilia Garrido Vásquez

A Place in Between is an exploration of places of discomfort and possible growth for neurodivergent people in the dance community. My dance composition was showcased March 31st and April 1st of 2023 during the Macalester College Spring Dance Concert. My piece was inspired by stim dance motifs and choreographed from a neurodivergent point of view. It was a dance trilogy composed of different formal and experimental dance movement vocabularies. It explored dance styles that featured the dancer’s different approaches to expressing stim dance, which included ballet, modern, swing dance, and dance improvisation.

The ballet language represents a structure that many find comforting but to others can also feel constricting. By incorporating stim dance motifs based on my everyday stims, I demonstrated what it means to break from that mold and inhabit a space where dancers can discover their own truth. This illustrates how stim dancing can be part of a method to create artistic dance, providing a unique degree of fluidity that can coexist with more traditional dance styles.

During the process of creating A Place in Between, I encouraged my dancers to propose moments that reflect the movement they engage in to self-regulate, and I hosted workshops with artists from different movement backgrounds to help them understand what it means to explore stim movements in their own dancing styles. This inclusive approach to stim dance is a testament to its versatility, as it is not bound to look any specific way.

The music in my piece was performed by live musicians along with a backup track arranged from different songs from the album Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood. I first listened to Titanic Rising as I was in the process of receiving my ADHD diagnosis, and it had a profound impact on me. The composition and chord changes are unique and moving, and it utilizes classical instruments. This music helped me realize that those two natures can coexist. I, too, can find my place. The music also serves as a guideline for the development of inhabiting the unknown. In a piece that is very much about centering the humanity of the dancer, it is fitting for the music to be performed by other humans. It connects us and makes us a community. My goal is not to portray the destination but to embrace the beauty of the journey and what we may find along the way.

As a choreographer, creating a neurodivergent-friendly environment for my dancers—where mistakes were embraced as part of the learning process and each dancer's needs were accommodated—was essential. I believe that stim dance is crucial for researchers to comprehend this aspect of neurodivergent behavior better and can assist others who depend on it for self-expression and self-regulation.

Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to creating more accessible and inclusive dance spaces. By showcasing the beauty of the journey and the different ways in which we can find our place in dance, I hope to bring visibility to places of discomfort within the dance community and foster acceptance for those who don't benefit from the system.

This piece won the department’s David Wick Endowed Prize for Excellence in Choreography.

Dancers: Amarah Friedman, Andrew Lee, Emilia Garrido Vásquez, Kano Ottiger
Musicians: Mia Guzman - Singer Louise Yang - Music Director and Cellist Evelyn Kent - Singer and guitarist
Costume Design Associate: Kitty Jiang
Lighting Design Associate: Kellen Chenoweth
Sound Design Associate: Matías Cevallos Alemán
Sound Engineering Lizzie Nelson

Music Rearrangement and production by Matías Cevallos Alemán of "A lot is going to change", "Wild Time," "Movies" and, "Near to thee" by Weyes Blood