(2) On Stage...

 Being backstage of my first show was an exhilarating experience where I felt my nerves wash away and a rush of adrenaline take over. The performance flew by and before I knew it we had finished the show. Every show felt faster and faster and the week flew by. The rush of being on stage gave me an extra boost and when watching back the footage I could see the collaborative energy between us dancers. 

Grove Theatre, Dunstable

Footage of Motum Perpetuum at Harlequin Theatre, Redhill

The first of our venues had lots of wing space however the backstage area was very slippery therefore extra care had to be taken when running off stage to avoid falling. This proved to be a challenge when larger groups are exiting as we needed to keep up the running pace to make sure everyone can get off stage whilst also avoiding potential accidents. 

On some of the other stages we had less wings which are the spaces available to exit and enter the stage, so we had to spend longer re-staging for smooth transitions, and in the studio performances we only had the upstage corners to exit and enter from but I feel we adapted well to these circumstances and didn’t let it affect the quality of the performance. Luckily, we didn’t have any injuries during the week, however, if we had we would re-block the piece to replace any injured dancers with covers and reorganise the corps so that it appeared similar to the original staging we planned. In circumstances such as these, it is important that as a dancer I know what parts I am to cover and that I have an understanding of the patterns and what others are doing around me, so when changes happen I am prepared to work with them. 

BTUK studio theatre

As a performer I am expected to present myself well, look after my body and perform to my best ability. I found the most challenging aspect of the week to be rest. To avoid injuries and to perform the best I can I must use my free time to rest and recover, however I struggle to sleep in the mornings so to overcome this I made sure to rest as best I could even if it was reading a book in bed or journaling my thoughts.

It is also important to maintain the intentions of the piece whilst performing it. Looking back through recent rehearsal footage and comparing it to the original videos. Asking myself questions, “have I matched the original movement or have I embellished it?” or “am I expressing the same emotions as I was originally?”. Some changes can be good changes but they must match the rest of the corps de ballet and they must follow the direction of the choreographer's vision.

BTUK studio theatre

To prepare for each performance we had a ballet class in the morning, and after tech (time for spacing, lighting and notes from previous performances) I did my hair and make-up and carried out a personal warm-up. During this time I would listen to classical music to bring myself into the right headspace and transition into the music of the pieces so I could think through the movements whilst I stretched. This is important to me as it makes me feel less anxious before going onto the stage to perform. Calmness helps with stability in the body ultimately leading to a stronger performance. In an article from Dance Magazine, it is suggested that meditation "can calm pre-performance jitters" which I believe to be true from my experience (Bauer, 2017).

Harlequin Theatre, Redhill

2022. Motum Perpetuum clip - Gwenaelle Poline Santos for BTUK2. [video] Available at: <https://youtu.be/XQex7Mw4KUs> [Accessed 26 April 2022].

Bauer, C., 2017. What Benefits Can Meditation Actually Offer Dancers?. [online] Dance Magazine. Available at: <https://www.dancemagazine.com/meditation-benefits-for-dancers/> [Accessed 7 June 2022].