Nerding Out: A Character Study I Didn’t Expect to Love
This week, I want to take a moment to reflect on one character in particular from my Artistic Experiment, the Nerd. Honestly, going into this project, I did not expect the Nerd to become the standout for me, but as the process unfolded, something about his journey really stayed with me.
The Nerd is the first character we meet in the video. He has curly brown hair, oversized glasses, a white button-up shirt, and red suspenders. He is sitting at his desk, scrolling through social media, bored. His first line is simple: “Boring…boring.”
Right away, we get the sense that he is disinterested and disconnected, but when the Happy Virus suddenly appears in the center screen, everything starts to shift.
At first, the Nerd is caught off guard, he thinks, “Who is he talking to? Me?” He shakes his head no when asked if he is ready to dance. But then…it starts. Subtly. Without even realizing it, the Nerd’s head begins to move to the beat. There is this delightful tension between his mind and body, he is caught by the beat, and his body is already dancing. That inner conflict becomes part of the fun.
What I loved most about discovering this character was how he moved with a rhythm all his own. His quirks translated into the choreography, he did not always hit the moves the way the Happy Virus is doing them, but instead he found ways to make the movement feel his. When he danced in unison with the others, you could still see his individuality shining through.
Eventually, we see him fully transformed, freestyling in a dance studio, laughing while still seated at his desk, and joyfully grooving alongside the Happy Virus and the Cool Guy. He even gets a little solo moment near the end, which was so much fun to perform and rewatch. There’s something about his joy that feels innate. We witnessed him work through something internally and come out freer on the other side.
While performing as the Nerd, I felt myself tapping into something incredibly playful and imaginative. His awkwardness gave me permission to move differently, less polished, more exploratory. I think that’s why I enjoyed dancing as the Nerd character the most. There was something liberating about letting go of the usual “cool” or technical way of dancing and just allowing this quirky energy to take over.
Watching him again, actually reminds me of a character Martin Lawrence plays in Blue Streak – quirky, humorous, and fun.
Watching the final video back, I find myself smiling every time the Nerd is on screen. It is not just the way he moves, it is his transformation, his unexpected confidence, his ability to surprise both himself and the audience. As someone who usually choreographs and performs with intention and polish, this character reminded me of the joy in loosening up and letting things be a little weird, a little unpredictable.
This was more than just a role I played; it became a character I got to meet. And honestly, I loved every second of it. He might just be my favorite in the whole project.
Here are a video of the Nerd in action (see his ending solo below). Notice his uniqueness as he dances the same choreography of the other two.
This process continues to surprise me, in the best way. And the Nerd? He reminded me that sometimes, the most powerful transformations come from the most unexpected places.
Stay tuned. More reflections coming soon.
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