Introducing Sarah
It is my sincere honor and pleasure to introduce myself as Imagery’s Writer in Residence. Many of you may know me as a longtime Imagery collaborator and veteran of the SKETCH series, where I had the pleasure of participating in the creation and performance of boundary-pushing choreography from some of the foremost voices in contemporary ballet. I am excited to take on this new platform as I begin to open myself to new intersections with dance beyond the stage.
Sarah Cecilia Bukowski. Photo by Karina Furhman, 2017.
[ Image description: A young woman with bronze skin and short, dark hair is framed from the shoulders up. She looks into the camera and smiles, her head tilted at an angle. She wears a yellow tank top and poses in front of a light-colored, blurred outdoor backdrop. ]
As a lifelong dancer I am driven by creative and intellectual curiosity and a deeply held passion for movement as a universalizing expression of the human experience. At the same time, writing has followed me throughout my life as a personal practice and important reflective space for my nonverbal--or perhaps transverbal--work as a dancer. The intersection of dance and the written word can open up new avenues of understanding for artists and audiences alike, and it is at that fertile crossing of disciplines that we as a community can center and address the hard problems and pressing issues we face today.
Through this platform I, alongside Imagery’s artists and leadership, will endeavor to frame an ongoing conversation on the changing shape of ballet and its relationship to the world. The compound crises of the pandemic, racism, and climate change are very, very real and can no longer be avoided in the space of idealized beauty that ballet so often seeks to embody. From its inception Imagery has abided by a mission of creative inquiry and risk-taking in ballet, and Amy’s forward-thinking leadership and openness to change make for a truly outstanding support system and point of departure for fostering the potential of ballet’s future.
It is vital that we begin to articulate difficult questions, listen to stories and perspectives in our communities, and probe for solutions. Cultural equity, racial and social justice, and aesthetic value shifts encompass a broad base from which we will address smaller-scale issues specific to ballet as an art form and institution that is steeped in a problematic history and uncertain future. In my dancer’s heart I hold the faith that ballet can persevere and remain relevant to our changing world and it is my humble hope that this platform can contribute in meaningful ways to the revolution at hand.
Stay tuned for more!
Sarah