Better Day!

January 29, 2014

DAY 3: Bigger Crowd

Today was such a great day! Not only was the stage flooded with people, but we got so much done today! I finally got to the point where I got the girls (chorus and angels) and guys (sailors) to finally dance together. What really impressed my with that was that not one of the groups were nervous about dancing with the other person. I think it has to do something with the guys and girls all being a part of show choir meaning that they have good chemistry with each other. It was wonderful seeing that they worked with each other so well.

Another good aspect of the day was that I had a stage full a guys! I had 10 today, usually have 5 or less. Seeing more guys made me super pumped to teach them more things and to see what these guys were made of. I have a guy who is in charge, kind of my male captain, who taught the new guys the moves while I taught the girls their new parts. It is nice that people keep coming, but it is also kind of frustrating because then things need to be retaught which does set back my choreography. That is why I think that it is a smart idea to have a captain with the males and females. Regardless of the men who did not know the moves beforehand had an easy enough time learning the moves. I turned to my male captain to take charge and help teach them.

A mile stone that we made in choreography today was that we started dancing the big dance number. I made sure that I had female dancers for this part because I wanted to add a bit of complexity to the moves and I wanted girls who could pick them up quick. The moves were really fun, energetic, and will definitely get the audiences attention and draw them in even more to the musical.

So all in all, it's been only the third day of rehearsal and we are almost done with the biggest number in the whole musical! Almost done!

Day 2: Anything Goes

January 24, 2014

DAY 2: "Anything Goes" and Went Well

Well, today is my second day working with the high schools kids with the choreography for the musical "Anything Goes." Today couldn't have gone any better. I finally had the boys that I needed for the sailors! I was too excited and nervous about teaching these young men how to tap dance! Let me tell you, for learning on their first day, they were not terrible! I was actually impressed! They got the movements down stat and I was able to teach the all I wanted them to learn that day. I have 5 boys so far and I am aiming at getting 10 so I have a good crew of dancing little sailors! The only move that they need the most work on is the entrance onto the stage, but that is because it is a move completely out of their element because these guys have never been exposed to the level of tap as some of the girls. That can be easily taken care.

I had the idea that if some of the cast is not comfortable with doing some of the tap moves, I will have them wearing their show choir shoes while some of the higher level tap dancers wear their tap shoes and they mask the sound of the other dancers. That way it looks like they are tapping out the moves, but really only dancing the movements.

Other than that, we got choreography all the way done until the big dance scene where there is nothing but partner dancing and tapping so it will be something of an adventure for everyone in this situation.

Day 1: First Rehearsal of "Anything Goes"

January 20, 2014

DAY 1: "Anything Goes" Choreography

So, today was my first day at Marshalltown High School being the choreographer for the musical "Anything Goes." I got the opportunity from my friend, Joe Smith, about him needing a choreographer for a musical that he was co-directing. This is a dream come true, in my eyes. So, I finally got in touch with the director, Rebecca Erickson, about her wanting me to be the main choreographer. Getting this opportunity literally means everything to me because all I have ever wanted to do was for people to see my work on stage. My first day is nothing but good vibes and adventurous.

My first day was great. Meeting the director and the cast was something I could not explain. The cast is going to be my little experiments and my portraying characters of what my dance is showing. They are such sweet and cooperative kids. The fun fact is that I am only about 2 or 3 years older than a good amount of the kids, so they respect me in a way that is different than a person who is about 20 years older than them giving them direction. What was a big surprise to me was that at least 3/4 of the chorus, angels, and sailors are show choir members and they pick up on moves rather easily. Which makes my work a whole lot easier. Now its time for the choreography to begin.

My tactic with choreographing is to make the moves simple enough but have them be showy as well. Jazz hands and flashy hand movements are things that make the audience pay attention to and also something that every single member of the cast will be able to do. I have not touched the tap choreography yet and I know that will be an adventure. Let the games begin!

Dell Arte: Week 10

Well, week ten was wrapped up awhile ago and our task was Dramatic Acrobatics and to present our finished mask on Tuesday.

Mask went well.  We got up and played around in them.  As the playing commenced, all of us realized that the masks became much more alive if their movements were exaggerated and large.  This allowed the actions to be clear and precise. When the masks were following an action or need they became alive as well. Aimless wandering has no value whatsoever.

Dramatic Acrobatics was a p-lab that I thoroughly enjoyed.  We divided in groups of 5-8. The group I was in had 8.  We worked on this p-lab for two weeks.  The task that at hand was that we develop a movement piece without text.  Music is possible.  The movement is only to be used with what we already have learned in our repertory, no new "tricks" were to be learned specifically for this piece.  This was a challenge for our group because we had some skilled acrobats and circus artists and it was easy to fall back into them to develop a piece.  BUT we came back to the task and it was all good.

Once we had a pieces of movement put together, the technical stuff was in much need of some TLC.  To make these movements mean something, the quality of the movement had to be looked at and verbs such as push and pull were applied.  As well as where our eyes were looking.  Once our eyes looked at each other, the piece instantly became more interesting.  Eyes people, it's where it's at!  

This was my favorite p-lab we did in the first ten weeks.  Because it brought everything we have been working on into a piece, breath, acrobatics, second-circle work, playing with the music, etc.  I loved the idea that this piece was NOT to tell a story, NO NARRATIVE.  That through our physical movements, it is possible that the audience is inspired by a movement they see that reminded them of something in their life, an image, a feeling, whatever.  But that the audience is alive in the movement as much as you are.  That it doesn't matter how we feel in the piece, that our simply being present, breathing, and eye contact is all that is needed to pair the movement to inspire.

This was a good close for me for the end of the first 10 weeks.  I left feeling more confident and ready for the journey ahead.