After performing in numerous shows at the Orpheum Theatre and Ballet Memphis, Anaum Showkat ‘20 decided she wanted to put her creative skills through a choreographer’s perspective. When Anaum accepted the position, she realized the creation aligned perfectly with the characteristics of CAS, the Creativity, Activity and Service project all juniors and seniors are required to complete.
“In my classes at Lausanne, we discussed the topic of perspectives and how a single thing can be viewed from a multitude of different viewpoints,” said Showkat. “This class further helped my understanding of the concept of perspectives and allowed me to better visualize the viewpoints of each character that I wanted to portray in my piece.”
That led the Lausanne Junior to produce “Perspectives,” a performance for Ballet Memphis that takes the stage Nov. 9 through Nov. 12. The show consists of six different pieces, and Anaum has been given full creative control with the performance.
“I decided to create a piece that describes three different perspectives of a young girl in the modern world,” said Showkat. “The first perspective is how she views herself, the second perspective shows how the girl is seen by others, and the third perspective is how she wants to be seen by others. The message I want to portray through my piece is that beauty comes in many forms and confidence is the first step in achieving that.”
For the Creativity portion of her CAS project, Anaum had to put different pieces of the performance together to complete show. The Activity part of the CAS required physical exertion in and out of the studio by producing and directing the performance. Through the creation of the performance, Anaum is contributing to the Memphis Art community and her dance studio, which ties into the service requirement.
Through the IB Programme, Anaum said she developed new time-management skills that helped her during rehearsals, and in her Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class, which is a part of the IB, she discussed topics that helped her learn new perspectives.
“Producing a piece in this show at Ballet Memphis was definitely one of the greatest challenges I’ve ever faced, as I had to create choreography that would best suit each dancer and what she represents, as well as determine which piece of music and lighting fits each part,” said Showkat. “However, as the final week of rehearsals approaches, I realize how much I will miss the endless hours of thought and planning I have put into this piece.”
Reserve tickets to this weekend’s performances of Perspectives by clicking here.