In almost every show I am in, I hit that point where I can’t consciously remember the steps that are being taught. I just have to trust that my body will remember them as we go. Then later, when I am somewhere quiet, I can recall them and write it down so I know that I actually do know them. Aaaaannnnnddd… we have made it to that point!
So much to learn, so much learned, and so many different tweaks on the same routine have left my brain a big ball of jelly. I actually woke up early because I am not able to sleep thanks to the dances and songs going through my head and I can tell I have been moving in the bed a lot. My assumption is that I was trying to dance in bed, but I cannot confirm this.
I remember during the first shows that I had been cast in, I had so many questions about the right steps and as soon as we were done learning something I would begin chattering away. Usually, it was about the steps and if I had done them correctly or if I found them challenging. In any case, any time the choreographer or director wasn’t talking, I would be talking to someone.
Now, I look back and wonder, was I really asking the questions because I didn’t know? Or was I asking them to feed my ego because I wanted confirmation that I was right? OR was I asking because I wanted confirmation that others were wrong? Over time, I have learned that watching and not saying too much was the best way for me to pick up things. I will do what was asked and if they did it a different way than what they asked, I will just wait for the correction. There is already a lot of stuff going on and other people have questions so why not practice patience? And if it is a style issue, the choreographer would clean that in their runs of the numbers. Personally, I don’t think it is all that important when first learning the steps. The style is easier to get if the mechanics of the steps are in place. Again, that is just my thoughts. Since there isn’t much rehearsal time, I think everyone just wants to know everything right now. It’s a tough place to be in. But you can’t be get the right feel if you are tripping over your feet or your colleagues feet, so…
Having also been in the choreography position, I have found myself doing a step one way because that’s how I learned it but wanted a modified version of it in my work. However, thanks to muscle memory, the old way would win out. Then I would have to say, “Do as I say, not as I do, because as I do is not as I want.” I would get blank looks at first, but slowly the message melted in.
There is so much to this show, I am grateful that most of the blocking is simply standing there and being in the moments. Man, if I had to remember to do that stuff too, I think my head would ‘splode. There is a part of me that feels bad because I am trying to stay focused on the movements, that I have not made much contact with a lot of the other people. There are some that I don’t even know their real names! Oy!
Still they are a fun group, I just can’t focus on that part of it right now. If my leg holds up, I think this is going to be a great experience. But that’s a whole other story.
Only two weeks to go!
The Actorvist 