Sabina Smith-Moreland began dancing before she was out of diapers.
“She was dancing before she could walk,” said her mom Audrey.
The Orcas High School senior has been selected as one of four choreographers from Seattle Theater Group’s Young Choreographer’s Lab to have her work performed by a group of auditioned dancers. Her piece is based on George Orwell’s book “1984.”
“I read the book and became infatuated,” Smith-Moreland said.
The dance is centered around the novel’s main characters, Julia and Winston. “Big Brother” is portrayed by a set of large, white headphones. She describes it as “crazy and weird” dancing.
“It’s really weird and uncomfortable, but also hopeful,” Smith-Moreland said. “The Young Choreographer’s Lab taught us that when you think of a dance, you don’t label it with a genre. But I guess I would say it is modern, since that’s such a broad genre.”
The showing of the four choreographic pieces will be at Velocity Dance Center on Seattle’s Capitol Hill on May 15, 2011. Auditions for the four pieces will be held Saturday, Jan. 29 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Velocity Dance Center.
Young Choreographer’s Lab is for teens interested in learning choreography tools and concepts through short movement studies. This past fall, Smith-Moreland was one of 18 young artists who met once a week for eight weeks of choreography workshops under the mentorship of leading Seattle choreographers.
Smith-Moreland began attending the Cornish College Preparatory Dance program in Seattle while in kindergarten. She studied ballet until moving to Orcas in the sixth grade. Her dancing horizon was broadened by choreographer Anthony Manuel, who introduced her to hip hop, jazz, and modern.
Smith-Moreland has appeared in numerous Orcas productions, including Orcas Center’s “Beauty and The Beast,” “Island Inspiration All Stars” 2006 to 2009 dance productions, “The Fantastiks!” and more. She has also attended Seattle Theater Group’s “DANCE This” camps and intensives.
Manuel has since moved off the island, so Smith-Moreland receives dance instruction in Seattle. She also teaches herself new moves by watching YouTube videos. She is currently working on a piece for the high school cheerleaders.
Smith-Moreland says she plans to pursue dance after high school and “see where it takes me.” She is finishing her application to Reed College in Portland, Ore.
“There is a phenomenon that happens when you really get into the dance,” Smith-Moreland said. “You feel completely and totally elated. And you become addicted to the release of endorphins.”
