I was so excited to see the rarified art form of dressage musical freestyle featured in the New York Times because THIS IS WHAT I DO!
Like the designer interviewed, for me, the creation of my first musical freestyle began accidentally. I needed music crafted for my own exhibition ride at a breed inspection gala. The person helping me flaked out. How does the saying go? “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And here we are.
Dressage musical freestyle is a wonderful amalgamation of many talents. Where musical performance and equestrian pursuits combine. To do the job well (the design aspect) is time consuming, challenging, but exciting and fun too! You get to explore all musical genres and eras. I must also be an audio software pro (steep learning curve there) and incredibly patient to listen to phrasing over and over again to get it just right.
Having a great eye for what the horse and rider do well, really helps. My time learning equine anatomy and biomechanics comes in handy, and I’m sure to highlight that in the choreography. I also need to know the USDF, FEI and WDAA rules (which can change annually), so riders don’t get penalized. Things like taking too long to enter the arena once their music starts, doing movements that are not allowed for their level, or for being over the time limit.
Success in musical freestyles really depends on many performance factors like “How is my horse feeling today?” If both rider and designer have done their respective jobs, and work together, the musical freestyle is sure to be a hit! It’s a wonderful feeling!
Read the full article here: The Fancy Footwork of Dressage Freestyles – New York Times
