When Does It End?
Choreographed by AnnaMaria DiPietropaolo
AnnaMaria DiPietropaolo (she/her) is originally from Northern Virginia, relocating to Vermont in 2013. She has a strong interest in the preservation and education of Black dance forms and their communities, as well as the relationship between dance and neurodivergence/mental illness, with the ultimate goal of making dance more accessible and inclusive to all by dismantling deeply rooted biases. She currently resides in central Vermont, working as an office manager and dancer/choreographer/instructor, and spends her spare time creating all different kinds of art.
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FROM THE CHOREOGRAPHER:
Like many Americans, I have become desensitized to the incredible amounts of gun violence that ravage our country. Then I read the story of 6-year-old William Cho, who lost both his parents and his brother in the massacre at the Allen Premium Outlets mall in Allen, Texas. Hearing William's story led me to the concept for this piece. Additionally, When Will It End? was staged during the weeks following the shooting in Lewiston, Maine - a place where I've spent weeks training and learning. Creating the work gave me a place to release the emotions I have surrounding gun violence in the United States.
We are taught that anger is a bad emotion. Still, feelings give us information, and anger keeps us from becoming apathetic to the horrific injustices in the world. We cannot let ourselves feel helpless when we hold so much power as a community, but we cannot know peace after tragedy without first grief and rage. When Will It End? was my chance to show the company that their anger has a place.
The dancers each chose a topic that made them feel enraged and used the piece to channel their anger through movement, pushing themselves to stay engaged with the issues they are passionate about. I see so much intelligence and drive in the younger generations, and I can't wait to see how they continue to use their voices to change the world for the better.
Like many Americans, I have become desensitized to the incredible amounts of gun violence that ravage our country. Then I read the story of 6-year-old William Cho, who lost both his parents and his brother in the massacre at the Allen Premium Outlets mall in Allen, Texas. Hearing William's story led me to the concept for this piece. Additionally, When Will It End? was staged during the weeks following the shooting in Lewiston, Maine - a place where I've spent weeks training and learning. Creating the work gave me a place to release the emotions I have surrounding gun violence in the United States.
We are taught that anger is a bad emotion. Still, feelings give us information, and anger keeps us from becoming apathetic to the horrific injustices in the world. We cannot let ourselves feel helpless when we hold so much power as a community, but we cannot know peace after tragedy without first grief and rage. When Will It End? was my chance to show the company that their anger has a place.
The dancers each chose a topic that made them feel enraged and used the piece to channel their anger through movement, pushing themselves to stay engaged with the issues they are passionate about. I see so much intelligence and drive in the younger generations, and I can't wait to see how they continue to use their voices to change the world for the better.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:
What are some healthy ways to manage your anger when you feel upset? Who is an adult in your life that you can talk to when you hear something that could be dangerous? What makes you angry, and what can you do with that passion to change the world for the better?
What are some healthy ways to manage your anger when you feel upset? Who is an adult in your life that you can talk to when you hear something that could be dangerous? What makes you angry, and what can you do with that passion to change the world for the better?
Teen Jazz Company performed When Will It End? at Montpelier Alive's 2024 Ice on Fire celebration.
The overarching themes in When Will It End? are grief, dissociation, anxiety, and anger.
This piece is in memory of those who lost their lives to gun violence.
This piece is in memory of those who lost their lives to gun violence.