Moon Ribas: Choreography MA graduate
Choreography graduate, Moon Ribas, first heard about the College at home in Spain, from her best friend who was studying here: "He told me I had to go and see how it was, that it was an amazing place to study."
Now embarking on a successful career in choreography that already includes a performance in Zagreb and another planned for Barcelona, Moon is full of praise for the College's unique approach, which helped kick-start her career.
"Everyone is encouraged to find their own way of working; their own voice and identity," she says. "It's not about everyone being the same and learning the same techniques, but more about expression. It's important to practise your technique, and learn about the context and the theories, but the College also encourages you to experiment."
Although Moon had some experience of theatre before coming to study at Dartington, she hadn't done any choreography before. "Everything to do with dance and choreography, I learnt there," she says. The close relationship between subject areas was a big plus for her, as she explains: "I like to do choreography with very visual and theatrical effects. I learnt to combine the two at the College. Although my degree was in Choreography, it was fantastic having such a good Theatre department on campus. It's a great place to combine all the elements that you're interested in. All the resources are there so you can sculpt your practice in the direction that interests you the most."
The College's collaborative environment prepared her well for the work she's doing now: a project focusing on the colour and movement of European cities with fellow Dartington alumnus, Neil Harbisson (Music Composition), as well as another collaboration with a Spanish visual artist on some dance films. "I did a module in dance film on my course and really enjoyed it, so it's something I am continuing to explore," she says.
The practical aspects of the course have also been invaluable in helping Moon produce and promote her own performances: "You have to learn about everything: the music, the lights, everything that a performance entails. If you want people to come and see you, you also have to market it - manage the whole process. But the most useful thing I learnt was to realise my potential; see what I was capable of doing. It's about being unique, being brave and believing in yourself. That gave me lots of confidence in the work I'm doing now."
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