Rehearsals for Pop! are really starting to come together. Dancers are working hard each week in rehearsal and have begun learning choreography from director Charlotte Foster Williamson, as well as both guest choreographers Andrea Ekmark and Trey Mitchell. In our last blog we discussed the ideas behind Pop!, as well as Andrea’s inspiration behind her choreography. Today we are excited to share more information about guest choreographer Trey Mitchell!
Trey was born and raised in Virginia and now resides in New York City, where he continues to perform, choreograph and teach. He studied at North Carolina School of the Arts and Shenandoah Conservatory, where he received a BFA in Musical Theater. Trey has choreographed and performed in several professional productions, and has also taught various classes and workshops all over the nation. If you’re a frequent fan of SIDEWAYS, you got had the chance to see Trey guest perform in “Love Stories.”
Trey has a contagiously energetic presence in the dance studio and SIDEWAYS is excited about the opportunity to work with him again this year. Here, Trey shares some thoughts about the inspiration behind his piece:
This was my New Year’s resolution: I will be honest about what I’m truly struggling with on a daily basis. The truth is, I have trouble staying present. I don’t know why, but I seem to be constantly filling up my life with distractions. Presence. It’s a topic in my world. Being present, staying present, finding presence, and connecting through presence. And here I am, 30 years old, living in New York, trying to stay or even feel connected with myself and the world around me. Can I be the only one feeling this way? I mean, I sit on the train and walk the streets like millions of others, so why don’t I always feel like I’m having a real human experience? (Trey stops writing paragraph on his phone to see if anyone liked his status update… now he scrolls through, finds an article about a cat zombie, totally seriously for realzz back from the dead, and its now approximately…thirty-two minutes later) Okay self, point taken. I guess I didn’t realize how much my life revolves around this thing. Alarms, Notifications, Matches, Trends, Comments, Debates, Likes, Loves, Lusts, Shares, Pokes, Winks, Pics, Tags, and Updates. It’s seemingly a technological life all about connecting with other people, forming opinions, passing emotions back and forth, and even finding “true identity.” Our devices, for better or for worse, have become emotional hubs. So today, I’m coming out of the closet and admitting that I live a large portion of life with my head down inside my phone. I dare to ask: Is my entire emotional life happening face down into a device? Well…okay, if I’m being honest, candid at the least, I know I’m often looking for quick validation, love, or even an escape of some sort. But really, when was the last time I was truly alone with my thoughts? Do I even see the motion of life around me? I’m not quite sure, but I know I’m going to explore that topic in the only way I know how…Musical Theatre!!! And with that cue: “Ladies and gentlemen, in consideration of our performers, please turn all cell phones ON and kindly adjust your device to FULL volume. Notifications must be turned UP for the duration of this experiment. Thank you, and enjoy the show….(a 5-6-7-8 jazz hand).
Wow! Trey’s thoughts are certainly intriguing and we can’t wait to see how they translate on stage! One thing is for sure, you won’t want to miss “Pop!” Mark your calendars for June 19-21 at 7 Stages Theater in Atlanta. We can’t wait to share this with you.