few things ahead of time aspires to be a long-term project in which Alexandra travels around the country (perhaps, eventually, around the world) to create solos on performers she admires in a 48-hour creative process. Inspired by previous rapid-fire artistic collaborations she’s participated in (like Harlem9’s 48 Hours In… play festival) and television competitions such as Project Runway, Alexandra is interested in how a limited creative timeframe can lead towards innovation and away from overthinking. While it’s misleading to say nothing is planned ahead of time (choreographers always have a rolodex of images, songs, and sensations to pull from), only a few details are set in stone before the 48-hour process begins: the performer, the location of the performance, and a commitment to “whatever happens, happens.”

Halie in MKE is the first iteration of this project and will be presented on July 19, 2025, through University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee’s dance department in a split-bill performance featuring Samuel Hanson’s MFA thesis project. BUY A TICKET HERE!

As of July 11, 2025, the impressions I’m carrying into this process include pink and green bubble wrap, my love for lounging by the water (whether it be beach or pool), kitsch, and Henry Mancini. Let’s see if any of these concepts make it into the piece…