Identity in Motion.
Exploring psychology, identity, and growth through dance.
Identity in Motion is a self-choreographed dance project that explores the psychological principles that shape how we see ourselves, respond to others, and grow. Each piece begins with a psychology concept and brings it to life through movement, music, and personal reflection.
What happens when psychology becomes movement?
“Dance has always been a way for me to express what I’m thinking and feeling. Through this project, I combine my love for movement with my fascination with psychology to explore how we see ourselves, connect with others, and keep growing.”
- Julianna
FEATURED DANCEAnchor: Attachment & Letting Go
Self-Choreographed // “Anchor” by Novo Amor released in 2015
I see the title of this song, Anchor, as a metaphor for someone that keeps you from drifting. It describes holding so tightly onto someone who has already walked away in their own mind. Attachment theory presents itself here – becoming emotionally dependent on another person.
The day I choreographed this, I felt like something in the process really clicked for me. I moved through it quickly, and with much less hesitation than I had before. It felt like true dancing that came from my heart, rather than a series of movements I’d seen on other people and pieced together in a new pattern.
Authenticity vs. Performing the Self
Self-Choreographed // “You Stole the Show” by Sienna Spiro released in 2025
Sienna Spiro herself has talked about this song coming from her imagining a former person in her life appearing in her audience and fantasizing about what might happen. It brings up the concept of rumination – repeatedly thinking about an unresolved situation, replaying it mentally and imagining alternative outcomes.
But as someone who ruminates a lot, I’ve realized that nothing can change the past. I wanted to highlight that through this piece by bringing back the motif from the middle, symbolizing how no amount of thinking and analyzing will alter the life you’ve already lived.
Self-worth, external validation & belonging
Self-Choreographed // “Nobody” by Mitski released in 2018
In the second verse of the song, Mitski describes the feeling of being “big and small and big and small and still nobody wants me.” I tried to emulate the idea of vacillating between taking up space and shrinking yourself into a corner. The exhaustion of being thrown around between doing what you want and just trying to show up the way others want you to. Along that line, the song has an incredibly danceable sound to it. A way of saying “let’s dance anyway.” Us humans often behave externally in ways that don’t accurately reflect our internal emotional states.
Interdependence & Connection
Choreographed by Eden Stephens // “The Chain” appeared on Rumours in 1977
This song explores anger and betrayal by another person, but also an insistence that the relationship should not be broken. Attachment theory – an idea that involves psychological bonds that make separation difficult even when a relationship is painful. I see this song as a metaphor for a bond that has become part of someone’s sense of self. “Who am I without you?” That’s a very difficult question to face, and one that I didn’t want to for a long time.
This solo brought me back to jazz and opened my eyes to a whole new side of myself. I stepped into my confidence more than I ever had before. Before this solo, I had never won any awards. No scholarships, and no “best in category” titles, and I had become resigned to the idea that I never would. With ‘The Chain’ I began to see what I was truly capable of. I felt proud of the results I was getting from my performance and finally started recognizing my own talent. This boost in self-confidence also had me exploring more in the convention setting. I won my first scholarship from a competition, and I was over the moon. I’d lost all faith in myself as a dancer until this solo reintroduced me to my confidence.
Growth Isn’t Always Forward
Choreographed by Brielle Sydow // “Retrograde” from Blake’s 2013 album Overgrown
The title of this song, retrograde, refers to backward motion. An idea of regressing, moving backward instead of progressing. There’s a fascinating quality of watching someone become distant from themselves. Retreating into a world of their own, of emotional isolation. For a long time, I felt trapped inside a past version of myself who couldn’t bring herself to let go of things that she thought would last forever, even though they were quickly being stripped down in present time.
This solo introduced me to a new quality of performance and perception of dance. Before this solo, dance had simply been about doing the moves correctly and crossing my fingers that I would get a good score. With Retrograde I began to understand that dance was about telling a story and expressing yourself. That often times a performance packed with personal connection and strong emotions is more moving than one with perfect technique. For the first time, I was developing enough confidence in myself to connect to the lyrics and be vulnerable on stage. What I realized with this growth was that it feels incredibly fulfilling to put everything you have into a two-minute performance. To let your pent-up emotions pour from your heart and show on your face and leave the stage with a skinned knee every time because you were filled with so much adrenaline that you threw yourself across the marley flooring.
Shaped By Dance
Dancers, teachers, and choreographers shared with me how movement has shaped who they are.
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Dance has taught me that consistency helps promote growth, and that if I do want to see specific changes (in myself or my students) it’s best to make a plan for it. Dance has definitely changed the way I approach failure as well. Not succeeding at something in a moment isn’t the permanent end of a situation. It’s just showing us what we can/need to work on.
Thomas Phelan is a multi-disciplinary performing artist based in Seattle, WA. Along with performing, Phelan immensely enjoys opportunities to teach and choreograph for dancers and performers of all ages and skill levels. He’s been teaching at Elizabeth’s Dance Dimensions for over 10 years, where he instructed me in intermediate and advanced ballet techniques.
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Definitely. I luckily have a much more forgiving idea of success now. However, while I do think this mindset naturally comes with age, it would be wrong of me to say it was natural. My relationship with progress is always changing, and I hope it always will!
At first, I believed that success was the only way to progress. Traditional education and the competitive dance scene are really good at teaching discipline, hard work, and respect for the art - but they emphasize short term wins. I ended up addicted to achievement, as that is what I spent the first 18 years of my life being trained to do. Do X, Y, Z and you’ll get a scholarship, an A+, congratulations from your peers…
“Winning” isn’t as easy in the everyday though. There is no clear goal, no clear steps to success. It’s just you, the skills you’ve spent the last 2 decades developing, and endless doors to open. Sure, there are key steps you can follow if you have a clear and standard goal, but that is a rarity in itself! I struggled to know what it was that I really wanted, let alone how to get there! The guilt of not having a “plan” used to eat at me. Now, I’ve realized that a plan is pointless for me anyways.
It’s been the people I’ve met, the “crazy” chances I took, the “successes” that weren’t as amazing as I thought they would be, and the “failures” that I’ve stumbled through that have really changed my perspective. An award is great! It feels nice to be recognized, but it was every step towards that award that was really the best part. Whether it be rehearsals, dinner after a show, laughter together after a fall, sleepovers in a new city, tears together after a rough day, or heartbreak at an audition, it’s been those little moments that have actually stuck with me.
A life filled with things to try and people to meet? THAT is what I call success! Progress is forever and is what happens when you get out there and live.
Brielle Sydow (she/her) trained, taught, and choreographed at Elizabeth’s Dance Dimensions, where she assisted and later choreographed for me. Now based in New York City, Brielle works in marketing while performing professionally.
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The dancers I teach have taught me that growth happens in a steady, safe, and positive environment. While my classes tend to be high energy with high expectations, I find my dancers trust in my professionalism and are willing to give their all every time they walk into my classroom due to their prior knowledge of my expectations. This ultimately allows them to know what is expected of them, they push themselves, but also know they are supported 100% of the way in their efforts.
Landon Spurbeck is a Professional Division Dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet. He’s been dancing for 18 years beginning training at Allegro Performing Arts Academy in Kent, WA, alongside additional training at the University of Southern California and summer intensives at Pacific Northwest Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. He also teaches at Elizabeth’s Dance Dimensions in Kirkland, WA.
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I was a very expressive child who felt everything deeply, which often manifested as overwhelming anxiety.
The art of dance, as well as my life long mentor Ms. Liz, changed my life by creating a safe space where I could process those emotions through movement. I learned to live in the moment by focusing on movement, music, and storytelling, not my stress.The competitive world of dance added a whole new layer of growth to my experience. Having to deal with the constant highs and lows of auditions, placements, adjudications and peer pressures was an emotional rollercoaster to say the least.
Through the wins and losses, I learned a vital lesson: my self-worth wasn't tied to a trophy or a judge's score, but to my personal growth and effort.
Today, I feel that makes me deeply grounded. I carry an inner security that allows me to celebrate achievements with humility and face life's inevitable lows with grace and a steady perspective.Eden Stephens grew up dancing at Elizabeth’s Dance Dimensions and later returned as an instructor and choreographer. She has taught me for nearly 10 years and has choreographed several of my jazz solos.
“ My relationship with progress is always changing, and I hope it always will!”
-Brielle Sydow
“ Not succeeding at something in a moment isn’t the permanent end of a situation.”
-Thomas Phelan
“Through the wins and losses, I learned a vital lesson: my self-worth wasn't tied to a trophy or a judge's score, but to my personal growth and effort.”
-Eden Stephens
“The dancers I teach have taught me that growth happens in a steady, safe, and positive environment.”
-Landon Spurbeck
ABOUT THE CREATORJulianna George
I have been dancing since I was in the 4th grade and now I am a high school senior. After years of training and competing, I became interested in the ways psychology shapes a dancer’s experiences, from comparison and confidence to motivation, identity, and growth. Identity in Motion brings those interests together through original choreography and personal reflection.
