THE MOVEMENTS OF LIFE

Sarah Tedeschi, (23), Dancer, USA.

She has been dancing since she was 4 years of age, and grew up dancing in a pre-professional ballet company. Now as part of Hillsong College in Sydney Australia, Sarah oversees all production of dance performances for college services, and for their ‘The Studio’ Youtube Channel. As far as she can remember, she has always been dancing. 

"I see dance as my creative outlet. It’s a way of expression, diving deep into how we see the world, and I think that is what moves people."

What made you start dancing and what keeps you doing it? 

I grew up in a pre-professional ballet company, which was a bit of a struggle. I always loved ballet, but the ballet industry definitely has its positives and negatives. My dance instructors would say things along the lines of, “You don’t have what it takes to be a professional dancer, so you should quit now”. The reason why I kept dancing is because that’s not what it was about for me. Dance was more than a career, it was a creative outlet, a way of expressing feelings and emotions. Coming to college also showed me there was a healthy way to do dance.

"I think we have dance and movement to be able to express the most deep, intense emotions of our life through it."

What is the most memorable project/piece you have worked on and why?

Creating a solo piece that came from a place of deep suffering and deep pain - a place where I had never gone before in dance, was probably the most memorable project that I have worked on. I’m passionate about creating art that’s real. This piece was honest about the process of grief, a journey that doesn’t often have words to express it. I think we have dance and movement to be able to express the most deep, intense emotions of our life through it.

Sarah Tedeschi - A Grief Observed by The Studios at Hillsong College

A Grief Observed is movement based piece off the writings C.S. Lewis as well as composite of journal entries that were personally written after the loss of a spouse. The basis of the movement is to illustrate the daily cycle of grief that one may experience.

"Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape.” - C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

How do you see your art drawing others closer to God?

I see dance as my creative outlet. It’s a way of expression, diving deep into how we see the world, and I think that is what moves people. I would love to see that people have known and seen God more from watching dance and movement. I believe that art is a gift from God. It's fun because we can always grow in our art, but I believe the arts were created to stir people and stir them closer to God. I see dance as a way of worship. 

"I allow the Holy Spirit to have a huge part in my creativity and I want Him to create with me."

What are your main sources of inspiration? 

Humans - particularly taking what is ordinary or pedestrian or familiar and creating a dance out of it. The college in the States I attended was all about breaking the mould of dance by making pedestrian movements and turning it into dance.

Emotions/feelings - this is something I'm super passionate about. Sometimes when watching something, you don’t know or can’t put into words how it has moved you. But it has made a definite impact, you feel it. You may never be able to explain or portray it with words but you now know that feeling, and are therefore able to express it in your art.

And of course, God - God is perfect. And if God is perfect, and he is the creator of dance, he is the BEST dancer to ever exist. He is the best painter, the best photographer. He’s the best at any form of artistic expression! If I am creating something and he’s the ultimate creator why would I not go to Him in the creative process? I allow the Holy Spirit to have a huge part in my creativity and I want Him to create with me.

What does the creative process look like?

I want God and the Holy Spirit to create with me. This can look like praying before I start creating, but not just “Dear God, help me to create this dance, Amen.” But actually getting on my hands and knees and saying “God, I am your vessel, you are actually the choreographer of this. Move me. Give me the movements.” And I’ll ask and involve him in each movement, from the start to when I’m finished for the night. And I also know that God trusts me in the process as well as I am trusting Him.

How could your art be used to help in times of crisis?

As a dancer, it’s great when you feel you want to share something and you have something to offer with this gift of dance, to see God, feel God and feel joy. At the moment my team and I are creating dance film content that’s positive, worship-related and overall FUN stuff to uplift in this time. As dancers, we are worship leaders in our own way. We have the ability to put the focus back on God and point people to Him in this time, and we need more of that.

Survivor Destinys Child - by The Studios at Hillsong College

Check out more of Sarah's work on:

Instagram @twhitetinydancer