The Shape of Practice
Date of Award
5-2026
Document Type
MSU-Only 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
Derek Crescenti
Committee Member
Karen Love
Committee Member
Jessie DiMauro Marks
Abstract
The Shape of Practice is a dance film that investigates the architectures of movement as they unfold through training, physical engagement, and embodied memory. Rooted in improvisation and inquiry, the work emerges through sustained physical exploration, revealing patterns of effort, discipline, and adaptation over time. Preceding the primary film, the short work Muscle Memory functions as a framing study, tracing the direct translation of cross-training practices into performance contexts. The body is positioned as a site where movement practices accumulate and intersect, allowing technique, strength, and creativity to inform one another. Visual composition and framing shape how these processes are perceived, drawing attention to relationships between space, timing, and kinetic texture. Environments such as a gym, studio, construction site, train tracks, and Willow Grove function as catalysts for both physical challenge and aesthetic inquiry. Rather than presenting movement as spectacle, the film frames it as a form of inquiry.
File Format
MP4
Recommended Citation
Locklear, Marlayna, "The Shape of Practice" (2026). Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects. 1666.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/etd/1666
written thesis
This resource is available only to the Montclair State University community. Please log in with your NetID.
Comments
The performance video is restricted to the Montclair State University community but the PDF file of the thesis, which is located at the bottom of the screen, is available to anyone interested in reading it.