Laboratory on Feedback in Artistic Processes 3

FeedbackTrust(>‘.‘)>Community
Zwoisy Mears-Clarke
26
In my artistic practice I receive feedback from different sources:
from mentors, colleagues (fellow choreographers or friends who
hate contemporary dance), strangers, and finally dramaturges associated
with the project. When thinking about feedback, without
a doubt I have to talk about trust. There are many types of trust at
work, as feedback necessitates interpersonal support. #danceisateameffort
First, there is trust in myself. As the choreographer, with every
single piece of feedback I receive, I understand that after listening
to it I can leave it where it is or take it on and make a change based
on it, whether or not it is the change the person giving the
feedback might have suggested. In the end it is up to me how the
work is moulded. I am the one who must stand and answer people’s
questions, comments, and concerns surrounding the work.
So as the artist, being the interruption between the feedback and
the artistic work is how I show support to myself and the work.
#beyourownphilosophy #artistatwork
I also invite mentors and specific colleagues to visit rehearsals.
The trust I place in my mentors comes from the fact that they
serve my artistic work as opposed to their own subjective desires,
which they put to the side. Simply put, their feedback pushes me
and my work in the direction they know I want it to go. That being
said, it still does not necessarily mean I incorporate all of their feedback.
They have seen over 15 year’s worth of artistic work more
than I have, and this wealth of knowledge is something that—I’m
glad to say—weaves into their feedback. Between the trust built
through their continual and considerate feedback and the offering