Love Poems to God: The contemplative artistry of Dianne McIntyre

Modern dance choreographer Dianne McIntyre has been creating dance for film, and concert and theatre stages since the early 1970s. Much of her work brings together a modern dance vocabulary, and African American movement and music to convey universal messages. A major reason that diverse peoples respond so favourably to McIntyre’s choreography is the contemplative practices that undergird her artistry. This article explores McIntyre as an artist who draws on eastern and western spiritual and cultural traditions to create dances that offer transcendent experiences to both audience members and performers. Through her use of improvisation (which can been viewed as a contemplative practice), her incorporation of spiritual themes, and the energy she brings as an individual and as an artist, McIntyre – a long-time meditator – captures mystical elements that empower people to recognize their own greatness, and work to make the world a better place.