Dougie Robbins

I set out to tell stories. As a dancer in Musical Theater, I fell in love with the understanding that dance existed to propel a story, and that dance has to exist within a setting in order to accomplish that end. The story I want to tell provides inspiraton for me to move. I learned this as a student of at SUNY Cortland, where my instructors balanced an emphasis on technique with a respect and excitement for the history of Theater Dance as well, studying and incorporating the techniques and popular social dances which give Theater Dance the style that we see today. Music is the main inspiration for my movement- as I listen to music I see flashes of what are almost short films, in mind’s eye. I’ll see a short phrase, a few steps, or even a pose, as detailed as if it were in front of me. Somtimes, I will even see a fully costumed person, completely realized on the stage in my minds eye- and that can create an idea for an entire piece. These images serve as guideposts for my work, my job is to connect the dots between these moments of certainty. Music serves as more than inspiration- it provides setting, dialogue, narrative and direction to create a multifaceted performance for the audience. Music, minimal prop and set pieces, lighting and costume are all facets of the same piece. An American theatre dance choreographer with my roots in Jack Cole, I am inspired by the versatile body of theater dance that I have had the pleasure to experience for myself. My work has been inspired by dancing the choreography of Cole, Robbins, Fosse and Bennet. This experience cemented my belief that Theatre Dance is born out of a wide variety of popular American Dance styles; such as, but not limited to, Charleston and Lindy, while being grounded in jazz technique. I believe dance makes an impact when it is a story told by characters that the audience comes to know and care about. With this in mind, I build characters who follow a story told through a linear plot line, allowing the audience to easily access the story. The subjects of my work are human beings, a group of people sharing a night listening to music in a jazz club, a community of restless teenagers hanging out by the pier….I tell stories about everyday people, living everyday lives, but through dance I find the beauty in common, relatable, human experience.