Gotta be real: finding and thriving in your artistic community

This article could also be titled "a meditation on marrying dance, writing, and inspiration." There's so much I want to say about the creative process and collaborating with other artists in my life across mediums. Instead of spiraling from topic to topic and anecdote to case study, I'll hone in one specific moment in time. That inspired day last fall when I woke up at 7am on a Sunday to dance a one-shot music video for the band Apollo Sonders.Editor's disclosure: I'm friends with the band. The concept was simple: I (Dinah/me/the dancer) would be the imaginary manifestation of lead singer Gabrielle Richa's emotional struggle. The dancing would be a daydream of release.During this musical daydream, the members of the band would meander in and out of the frame. Only the lead singer (who honestly could pass for my cousin or sister) would be able to see me; her vision come to life out loud. I have to pause in this moment to give it up for drummer Ricky Joyce who's acting skills really brought the shoot to life. That phone call feels viscerally real! (After all, you gotta be real, amirite?)In preparation for the shoot I listened to the song on repeat for nearly two weeks. Studying the shot list and storyboard the band's killer bassist and booking manager, Nick Geremia, came up with, made the electricity start pinging in my brain. This original song is excellent. It's a study in over-analyzation and our generation's (re: late-Millennials) borderline OCD mental patterns. The concept lent itself easily to a more pedestrian style of dance. Nothing too choreographed, minimal clean lines, a lot of swaying and hair pulling and half-running and fumbling and falling. The universal themes are gentle reminders of the inevitabilities of life. Everyone questions themselves. We are all fallible.Even in memory (and another bout of repeat listening as I write this post), the creative energy is flowing through me.The equation for creative explosion is simple to understand.Songwriting + musical composition + video art direction + dance choreography = a resonant and beautiful music videoWhatever your creative outlet is, it's necessary in life. Think about it; for some people it's woodworking, knitting, even probability with sporting event outcomes. For me, it just so happens to be writing and dance. Without a way to express ourselves beyond words and beyond the quotidian, we would be spiritually motionless. And our lives would be dry monochromatic blips in the realm of existence.The "Gotta Be Real" shoot let me be myself while also channeling the inner turmoil of another's art. Above all else, it was fun. The heartstrings tug a little when you first hear the beautiful piano accompaniment. When the bridge hits you and Laura Cancio (guitarist/keyboardist/backup singer/multitalented queen of my heart) lends her deep honey vocals, the floodgates opens. Quite literally. If you're in the midst of any kind of inner turmoil (and aren't we all always a little bit mixed up in that state), it hits you in the feels.You might be asking yourself how I even know this band? Laura is a very close friend. We used to work together (many moons ago), we both live in Jersey City, and we're both creatively charged 90% of the time. Basically, I love her and when she asked me to dance in the music video it was a damn dream come true.Today is Valentine's Day, or as they say in many school districts around the country (and probably world) and specifically at the school my partner teaches at, Friendship Day. There's no more fitting day to share the love and friendship that forms when creative minds find each other and make art. Inspiration is a multitudinous street. If we're lucky enough in this life, we'll get to dance in that start as much as possible.If you're in the tristate (and a little bit beyond) region, Apollo Sonders plays often at some of the most fun venues around New York and New Jersey. Check out their upcoming shows on March 27 in Jersey City and April 24 in Philadelphia. You might see a surprise guest and impromptu performance of "Gotta Be Real"... like this one back in January:[wpvideo SWRjTsmm]Enough teasing you all. Here's the full video for "Gotta Be Real" by Apollo Sonders featuring choreography and dance by me, Dinah Alobeid.Happy listening/watching![youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf_UmpghhXc&w=560&h=315]About Apollo Sonders:Hailing from Jersey City, NJ, Apollo Sonders is a four-piece ensemble playing a heartfelt mixture of soul, modern r&b and indie pop-rock. Bassist Nick Geremia formed the band with lead singer Gabrielle Richa and keyboard/guitarist Laura Cancio in July 2017, and a few short months later, drummer Ricky Joyce joined to complete the band. Drawing from influences ranging from Amy Winehouse to Lake Street Dive, Apollo Sonders blends the musical tastes of each member together to create a unique, powerful sound. 

(Featured photo of sunrise in Jersey City's Liberty State Park by Jonathan Roger on Unsplash)