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Dance studio show today (yesterday, whatever). Which means I spent a goodly amount of time at the theatre Friday night to help build and move in, and then got to the theatre at 9am this morning (Saturday, yesterday, fuck, whatever) for rehearsal and then two shows this afternoon/evening. Yesterday afternoon. The show itself ran LONG for one of these - two hours and fifteen minutes (no interval).
This year there was one senior - and this is her last show. They asked what she'd like to do and she suggested "Mary Poppins." So it was all flying kites, votes for women, and spoonfuls of sugar. Several of the kids have absolutely no stage presence, and I worried that most of them would never be heard in the audience the way they were softly speaking. The difference in volume between the rehearsal and the first performance was astounding. I didn't think some of the girls had t in them. The one weak spot was the girl playing Bert. She was hopelessly outstripped in both acting and dancing by most of the rest of the cast, but in her defense, she got the part two weeks ago when the original Bert had to drop out. So kudos to her for coming as far as she did (and she kept up pretty well in the dancing part) in very little time!
And the performing arts school is still very new, although growing yearly. One of the girls who graduated last year, and this year's senior girl I've watched dance for the last eight or so years. And in the hordes of little girls going through the schools I've teched for, I remember these two, and a couple of others. By name, even. These are the dancers who you can pick out of any group just by how good they are. And I'm not talking just "good by comparison" either. I'm saying these girls are *good* - dedicated, multiple classes a week, student teacher good at what they in regards to dance. I've seen them do everything from be a candy cane in Nutcracker, to Clara in Nutcracker, to Snow Fairy, to Dew Drop Fairy, to Sugar Plum Fairy. I've seen them dance various roles in various shows over the years. And there are two or three younger girls that I expect I will be able to pick out for years to come just given how they are onstage *now* - how they draw your attention in any number they are a part of.
But strike went smoothly - and done in about forty minutes. Then they took me to dinner. Got home after 11:00pm. And am planning to sleep sleep sleep, but can't quite manage it yet - still a little wound. So I am spending some time online before trying to sleep again.
Well, I am feeling now calm enough I might be able to sleep - so g'night all.
This year there was one senior - and this is her last show. They asked what she'd like to do and she suggested "Mary Poppins." So it was all flying kites, votes for women, and spoonfuls of sugar. Several of the kids have absolutely no stage presence, and I worried that most of them would never be heard in the audience the way they were softly speaking. The difference in volume between the rehearsal and the first performance was astounding. I didn't think some of the girls had t in them. The one weak spot was the girl playing Bert. She was hopelessly outstripped in both acting and dancing by most of the rest of the cast, but in her defense, she got the part two weeks ago when the original Bert had to drop out. So kudos to her for coming as far as she did (and she kept up pretty well in the dancing part) in very little time!
And the performing arts school is still very new, although growing yearly. One of the girls who graduated last year, and this year's senior girl I've watched dance for the last eight or so years. And in the hordes of little girls going through the schools I've teched for, I remember these two, and a couple of others. By name, even. These are the dancers who you can pick out of any group just by how good they are. And I'm not talking just "good by comparison" either. I'm saying these girls are *good* - dedicated, multiple classes a week, student teacher good at what they in regards to dance. I've seen them do everything from be a candy cane in Nutcracker, to Clara in Nutcracker, to Snow Fairy, to Dew Drop Fairy, to Sugar Plum Fairy. I've seen them dance various roles in various shows over the years. And there are two or three younger girls that I expect I will be able to pick out for years to come just given how they are onstage *now* - how they draw your attention in any number they are a part of.
But strike went smoothly - and done in about forty minutes. Then they took me to dinner. Got home after 11:00pm. And am planning to sleep sleep sleep, but can't quite manage it yet - still a little wound. So I am spending some time online before trying to sleep again.
Well, I am feeling now calm enough I might be able to sleep - so g'night all.
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