As long as I am
Choreography: Danica Clayton
Music: That Painting by Michael Wall
Costume and Lighting Design: Danica Clayton
Videography: Elizabeth Krebs
Dancer: Danica Clayton
As long as I am, I will have breath. Amid personal and global transition, it felt right to come back to something that is there from the beginning of life, breath. This piece is an investigation, guided by improvisation turned into choreography, the moments that breath guides life, brings life, and brings someone to the end of life. In creation, this work also took form as a reverse chronology of breath and an anticipation of what breath will do for me in the future.
Photos
Special thanks to my advisor, Stephanie Miracle, for your honest and generous advice through all the Zooms and phone calls. It has only been a pleasure working with you, and you are simply amazing! Thank you to the faculty who have supported my growth these last four years, believed in me, and challenged me. The inspiration and passion you all have shared with me will last a lifetime. To my family, thank you for supporting me through genuinely everything and helping me find my feet on the ground. And lastly, thanks to my peers, especially my BFA peers. You all only ever bring me joy, laughter, and the desire to go beyond. We did it!
Danica Clayton was born in raised in Greenfield, Iowa. She started her dance training at age three and continued studying dance at the University of Iowa, where she plans to graduate with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Journalism. During her time at the university, she has worked and performed with Armando Duarte, Jessica Anthony, Ailey Picasso, and Jessie Madden, among others. In her four years at the University of Iowa, she has experienced significant growth that has spurred her interest in screen dance, accessibility of art, improvisational movement, and the intersections of writing and dance.