Date of Award
1-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
College/School
College of the Arts
Department/Program
Theatre and Dance
Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair
Elizabeth McPherson
Committee Member
Apollinaire Scherr
Committee Member
Allen Maniker
Abstract
My experience as a dance maker is rooted in the following: use of space, interpersonal relationships, efforts in dynamics, psychology, and personal memory, all of which inform my thesis project. This thesis project specifically investigates the stages of psychosocial development as seen through the theories of psychologist Erik Erikson. It explores the emotional effect of these psychosocial stages on people, including conflicts and positive impacts. I demonstrate how these developmental stages can define a person's identity and how audience members, choreographers, and artists from various fields might be influenced by them. Weaving together my research and personal experiences in fine art history, somatics, and spatial psychophysiology, I built choreography supported by music, artwork, and specific movement ideas to reflect my vision of Erikson’s theory. The mission of this thesis project is to provoke conversations regarding physical space, age, and psychosocial developments in hope of sharing personal, scientific, social and culturally relevant associations with a larger audience. This project is a testament to my love of movement, music, art, and design, and is the physical embodiment of some of the most critical components of Erikson's theory.
File Format
Recommended Citation
Ilyin, Mikhail, "On the Way to Maturity" (2023). Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects. 1206.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/etd/1206