Jeffrey Jacobs and Professor Caroline Prohosky, Dance Department
“How can I tell her I am thinking that transformations are not forever?” From the first time I read the final line of Susan Mitchell’s From the Journals of the Frog Prince, I knew I was in trouble. The imagery, the cadences, and the ideas it presented became such a part of me that I knew I had to create a dance based on the poem. Thus began my ORCA experience. The grant I received from the BYU Office of Research and Creative Activities provided the means for me to explore through modern dance ideas significant to the LDS community.
Modern dance is a largely misunderstood or unknown art form in American society, yet aside from Jazz music it is probably the only significant fine art to originate from America. Because the general public does not know much about modern dance, there is frequently a struggle to fund modern dance projects. There is an unrecognized effort and cost associated with creating a choreographed modern dance work. It takes hours for a choreographer and dancers to develop the movement for the dance, and additional hours to rehearse and perfect the movement. There is a cost associated with the costuming, music, and sets for a dance, not to mention the expense of finding a venue where the dance can be seen and then promoting the concert so that people will come to see it. Proceeds from modern dance concerts generally are not enough incentive to keep producing the concerts. But because those of us who love modern dance don’t dance for the money, we find ways of getting dance works produced.
The ORCA grant I received made it possible for me to spend hours, even days working on the dance I titled “I No Longer Tremble.” Not every dance takes so long choreograph. There are as many ways to make a dance as there are choreographers and dancers. However, making this dance took a while, partly because I had the funding to take a while. But in taking my time making this dance I was able to generate a work that reflected the images, ideas, and feelings generated by Susan Mitchell’s poem.
From the Journals of the Frog Prince takes on the form of journal entries written by the fairy tale Prince who was magically transformed from a frog. The journal entries reveal that the Prince has gotten over the excitement of having been kissed by the Princess and is now dealing with the realities of his transformation. He is now a Prince, but some of the same longings he had as a frog remain. Mitchell’s clever presentation brings up a variety of questions about identity and transformation. Is the Prince really a prince, or is he a frog? Which is the Prince’s true nature? Is there a true nature? Can a person be transformed, but have the same desires he or she had before the transformation? Are transformations eternal? All of these ideas about identity and transformation are concepts that people in the LDS community address directly or indirectly everyday. It was important for me to address these issues to an LDS community through my dance work.
“I No Longer Tremble.”, which is a line taken from Mitchell’s poem, was presented at a concert called Determinations held on August 7 & 8, 2004 in the Richards Building Dance Theatre on the BYU campus. The dance was well received, and I was pleased with the results. Like most dances, “I No Longer Tremble.” is now a living work and I am grateful to have been able to create the dance that was in me.