Monster ballet How does a choreographer create a dance? For one Bangor artist, Goya’s etching and Finnish music inspired a power-packed lesson in human frailty.

Keith Robinson likes athletic dance. He likes elegance and strength. As a choreographer, he likes to make viewers sit up in their seats. Robinson sat up, too, when he heard “Insomnia,” a dreamy, restless orchestral piece by Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. Liner notes for the recording led him to Francisco Goya’s etching “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.” The work, which depicts the artist in a deep and troubled slumber, grew out of Goya’s own illness, as well as his criticisms of Spanish politics and religion. Bats, cats and owls flutter around the sleeping image, presumably rising from his nightmares. When Robinson saw the piece, he was hooked. He began working on a choreography featuring the nocturnal creatures and their insinuation into the artist’s inner world. From there, he developed steps and relayed them to the 17 dancers he cast in the piece. “I watch the dancers grow in it,” said Robinson, “and that’s exciting for me as a choreographer.” How an artist develops a work can be a mystery. Where does art come from? How do artists channel their creativity? Recently, at the studios of River City Dance in Bangor, Robinson broke down his process during a rehearsal of “The Sleep of Reason,” which will be presented as part of the Robinson Ballet’s Annual Dance Performance at 7 p.m. April 29 and 2 p.m. April 30 at the Grand Auditorium, and 7 p.m. May 12 and 13 in Hauck Auditorium at the University of Maine. The sleep of reason may produce monsters, but Robinson hopes his work of art will produce insights – for his dancers, for the audience and maybe even for himself.