The choreographer, dancer, performance artist, Miguel Gutierrez announces on his website, “I make performances that are about things and are things themselves. The things they are about are big: how to live in the world, how to love, how to feel about being yourself. Probably the biggest question I make art about is why we are alive… I think that we are all powerful people.”

These are some inspiring words and thoughts on art from a wonderful choreographer. Miguel Gutierrez spent the early part of his career performing in San Francisco. Eventually, he returned to New York, because he wanted a better chance of becoming a great choreographer. New York City offered him this opportunity. I am glad we had the opportunity to meet him here and be part of a special Saturday movement workshop with him.

Gutierrez is one of the most affecting choreographers I had a chance to meet during these months of Dance TRaC. From him I learned that you have to be yourself, not what other people want you to be. I think that’s what being alive means.

One has to live everyday intensively, and be relaxed in order to do so. This is what Gutierrez attempted to share with us in his workshop. He taught us ways to relax, and forget about the distractions of the outside world. He helped us to tune into our bodies and into the people working with us.

We had a chance to interact with new people and come up with our own dances that we later performed during the session.

Watching others perform is different than performing. Individuals watching bring their unique backgrounds to the performances they see and the result can be many distinct and contrasting views.  But, there is no wrong or right answer. What we see and what we bring from our lives to a dance experience is important.

Dance is an important way to express who we are and how we feel. For me dance has become a path of bright light– a way to be a powerful person.