5 Tips to Work Successfully with Artists

By Lakshmi Sunder

​Earlier this month, I was charged with choreographing a dance set to a poem I had written. This may not sound terribly exciting, but as someone whose “dancing” consists of cat-walking to TikTok songs at 3 a.m. and doing fake interpretative dances in the school hallway, choreographing a dance was rocket science. Like all writing, I had to transform my vision into a fathomable work of art. But this time, I was a rookie who couldn’t use similes or sensory details to get my point across to dance vets. 

Here’s to hoping you can learn from my blunders if you ever find yourself working with an artist from another medium. Whether the artist is a painter, a singer, an actor, or, in my case, a dancer—these five tips can get you through:

1. Conquer the Embarrassment. Me, telling professional dancers to, “collapse into fetus” or execute those “walky-walkies on arms” was laughable. I had to remind myself of the mission the other artist and I shared. For each of us, that might require finding an awkward common language between stanzas and song lyrics or playwriting and paint. You’ll laugh about it later.

2. Learn the lingo.  Try to learn some medium-specific language to save time and show that you really are putting effort into the collaboration. For me, this meant learning the ten fundamental movements of modern dance and incorporating those movements into my choreography that went line by line (and often word by word) with my poem.
 
3. Be Organized and Prepared. It can be hard to predict what, for example, an actor performing your script might need to bring your story to life. The best thing to do in this situation is to be prepared with all the materials you have related to your piece. For me, this meant creating a shared master Google Drive that included my poem, the choreography, an audio recording of the poem, and a past video of the piece being performed. I was even prepared to relocate in case the space we needed to practice in was unavailable. 

4. Share the Trust. Admit to yourself that your vision for the work may not be entirely feasible. It’s okay to let go of some of your initial plans and be receptive to advice from the artist(s) you’re collaborating with, who probably know more about their medium than you do. For me, this meant being open to choreography changes or asking for advice. At the same time, know what aspects of your show you are unwilling to alter. 

5. Express Gratitude. The dancers I worked with made pirouettes from poetry. Throughout our partnership, I made sure to thank the dancers for taking the time to amplify my creative voice. Even if the other artists are required to work with you or are benefiting from it, cultivate a relationship with a foundation of appreciation and trust. Once the project is over, consider writing a personal thank you note, or having flowers. This could encourage future productions full of promise.