This project was about listening deeply and revealing what was already present. From the very first session, the music grew directly out of the dancers’ breath, footsteps, gestures, stories, and collective presence. Rather than imposing sound, I worked towards allowing the music to become part of the ecology of the room — observing, witnessing, and giving voice to what was already unfolding.

Working in this way significantly developed me as a composer. By setting aside conventional composition methods and committing to live improvisation, graphic scores, and sustained responsiveness, I was challenged to trust my instincts more fully and to compose in real time with great care and sensitivity. The process strengthened my listening skills enormously — not only musically, but physically and emotionally — and deepened my ability to respond to subtle shifts in energy, intention, and movement.

The four movements emerged organically, shaped by glacial imagery, memory, touch, joy, and the dancers’ accumulated life experience. One moment that stayed with me was calculating the combined age of the group — over a thousand years — which became a powerful metaphor for the work: layers of time, pressure, tenderness, strength, and resilience embodied in sound and motion. Translating these ideas into musical structures expanded my compositional vocabulary and strengthened my ability to work across disciplines.

This collaboration has profoundly influenced my practice. It has sharpened my skills in cocreation, deepened my confidence in working with open forms, and reinforced the value of humility and care within collaborative composition. Making this work with CAIN was an experience of profound connection, where music, movement, and presence acted as one — and it has fundamentally reshaped how I approach composing for and with others.