Initial idea/Stimulus

When searching for the stimulus behind my choreography, I knew that I wanted to find something that involved layered, thought-provoking and emotive themes, in order for me to feel inspired and driven by my research, and able to develop my performance through a depth of meaning behind my work. 

'Where the Crawdads Sing' is a novel by Delia Owens which uses beautifully expressive prose to explore 'how isolation affects human behaviour and the deep effect that rejection can have on our lives' (Vanity Fair, 2019 cited in Owens, 2019). Observations of the fragile complexities of nature are complemented by the compelling coming-of-age story of the main character Kya- a young girl abandoned by all of those around her, and left to fend for herself in the desolate marshland of the North Carolina Coast. Seen by the community nearby as a filthy and frightening creature, Kya is left as an outcast from society, distrustful of others and burdened by her ongoing solidarity. I was instantly captured by the stunning descriptive style of writing and felt inspired by the striking themes that are expressed throughout the novel:

- Connection to Nature: Through lush and vivid description, nature becomes a living figure in the novel and is seen as a source of reliance, education and exploration for Kya - "Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother" (Owens, 2019, p.34). As well as exploring this tender relationship with nature in my choreography, images of the marshland are also inspiring me with the looping shapes and unique patterns that I could incorporate in my movement:

(Law, 2020)

Poetry: threaded within the novel are short poems expressing Kya's deepest thoughts and emotions, highlighting her growing curiosity and knowledge, and she learns the beauty of communicating through words and art. "I wasn't aware that words could hold so much, I didn't know a sentence could be so full" (Owens, 2019, p.103). I have already begun to research how poetry can be used to develop movement and am keen to explore layering spoken words over my music to create sections of my choreography which reflect the emotion and imagery of the poem.- Independence vs human connection- Education & womanhood: without the stepping stones of a conventional upbringing, Kya is left stalled at an early developmental stage, progressing into womanhood by 'an usystematic accumulation of a beautifully chaotic education... combining personal experience with exploration and discovery' (Lannamann, 2021). I feel as though it would be powerful to show a development in my movement and character from Kya's initial childlike innocence, into a thriving and brave young woman.- Intolerance and discrimination- Survival, necessity and violence: Abused and sexually assaulted, Kya resorts to brutal measures to protect herself, showing humans capacity and hard-wired response to adapt to unfavourable circumstances to stay alive (Lannamann, 2021)  - "Evil was not in play, just life pulsing on, even at the expense of some of the players" (Owens, 2019, p.142-143). Looking into imagery and real life stories behind women's rights campaigns may be an effective area of research for me to respectfully and authentically approach this tender and sensitive topic.- Longing and lossWith such interesting themes before me, I hope to develop a depth of knowledge of these complex ideas in order to powerfully express them to my audience. Although I won't be following the narrative linearly, I would like to create an abstract representation of the thought-provoking messages and styles within the book, using the vivid descriptions, quotes and poetry as my key source of inspiration. By doing this, I hope the audience will feel touched by the longing and loss that Kya endured, as well as empowered and inspired by the confidence she gains from self-reliance and connection to nature. Furthermore, I hope to show the strength that she represents, helping the audience to realise that we are capable of more than we imagine when life requires it.References:Owens, D., 2019. Where the Crawdads Sing. London: Corsair, p.34, 103, 142-143.Law, Lana, 2020. Marshland on Bald Head Island, North Carolina. [image] Available at: <https://www.planetware.com/pictures/north-carolina-usnc.htm#PH_NC182> [Accessed 26 January 2022].Lannamann, T., 2021. Where the Crawdads Sing Themes: Education, Coming of Age, and Adulthood. [online] LitCharts. Available at: <https://www.litcharts.com/lit/where-the-crawdads-sing/themes/education-coming-of-age-and-adulthood> [Accessed 6 October 2021].Lannamann, T., 2021. Where the Crawdads Sing Themes: Survival, Necessity and Violence. [online] LitCharts. Available at: <https://www.litcharts.com/lit/where-the-crawdads-sing/themes/education-coming-of-age-and-adulthood> [Accessed 6 October 2021].