Kiera Scarlett Dance

Sundowning, also known as Sundown Syndrome, is a form of Alzheimer’s disease in which symptoms of Alzheimer’s increase and worsen later in the day, as the sun sets. These behavioral changes can include aggression and agitation, hallucinations and paranoia, and increased disorientation and confusion. The causes of these changes at this particular time of day are unknown to medical experts. Possible explanations include hormonal factors, reduced vision due to lower light levels, and tiredness or boredness. “Sundown” explores the effects that Sundown Syndrome has on both the patient and the family. When my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it had a difficult impact on me and my family. Alzheimer’s feels like you are losing somebody before they are truly gone. The nature of the disease is different for everybody who experiences it, both directly and indirectly. In my case, the disease progressed suddenly, with Sundowning becoming a major factor in her symptoms. Sundowning affects many aspects of life, both for the patient and the family. While I can only imagine what it would be like for the patient, I can speak to the direct impact this disease has had on my life. Sundowning limits the amount of time you have to spend with the patient, and Alzheimer’s in general drags out the grieving process in a deeply personal way. My grandmother was an extremely significant part of my life and has largely contributed to my growth into who I am today. Losing her two years ago has strongly impacted my entire life. While losing a loved one in any way is difficult, I feel as though it was harder to lose her to this disease, because I was losing her before she was actually gone. Creating this piece has become a part of my grieving process for my grandmother. To achieve the execution of my theme, I chose to examine the way Alzheimer’s affects different people. One movement motif that I carried throughout the piece is the scoop of the arm with a leg extension, and this is representative of the idea of reaching for someone who is not within reach. Another repeated movement is the collapse in the side with a slow roll up. This movement is indicative of loss, and the roll up demonstrates that life continues even after loss. I wanted to explore the family dynamic as it experiences loss and grief, especially to Alzheimer’s. I created this piece based on my own family dynamic as we slowly lost my grandmother over the course of three years. As I experienced the grief, I tended to detach myself from the immediate situation, in an attempt to make the loss easier. I wanted to portray this through the absence of relationships throughout the piece. My mother, however, was comfortable being open with her grieving process and showed how she needed a support system to get through the loss. This is portrayed through the use of both physical and emotional relationships as parallels to the absence of relationships. Through the creation of this piece, I have come to understand the nature of grief in a family, as well as realizing my individual grieving process. I have been able to slowly come to terms with the loss of my grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease, as well as becoming more educated about it. My hope for this piece is to use my platform as a way to express my emotions comfortably, and to impact the audience in a way that they can take with them into their individual lives and experiences. "Young Choreographers in Concert" 2018 "Sundown" Choreographed by Kiera Smith. Dedicated to my grandmother, Ethelmae. I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2018.

Music: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Smith, 2017.

Music: "Exception" by Token I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2019.

Music: "Hit The Road Jack" by Beau Monga I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2019.

Music: “Dear Mr. President” by P!NK I do not own the rights to the music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2018.

Music: "Petricor" by Ludovicio Einaudi I do not own rights to the music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2019

My self choreographed solo for the 2016 dance season. Dedicated to my grandmother and great grandmother. I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Music: “I Won’t Say That I’m Okay” by Front Porch Step Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2016.

Music: "To Build a Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra I do not own the rights to this music. No copyright intended. Original choreography by Kiera Scarlett, 2017