As dance studios around the country wind down from Nutcracker mayhem, we are just gearing up for our annual FAITH Project performance. This year, students will be performing the elaborate and intricate story of Shakespeare's a Midsummer Night's Dream in our production: A Midsummer's Eve. We are excited to welcome our tiniest dancers into the company this year to play the bugs of Oberon's Kingdom.
I am learning an inevitable truth from my students during this process, not just the youngest dancers, but from our junior and senior company as well. An inevitable truth that I have fought tooth and nail since I started teaching. No matter how intricate a storyline, no matter how funny a character, or how fun the choreography, no matter how beautiful the music or how demanding the technique, no aspect of dancing on stage replaces the excitement of a sparkly costume. Nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I've never denied the magic of a beautiful costume - but if we're not able to use our dancing to feel like Titania herself, than no amount of tulle and glitter is going to help.
The costume should be the sprinkles, on the icing, on the cake. And yet I can't get through a single rehearsal with my junior company without at least 10 questions about trying on costumes, or trading costumes, or which costumes, or quick changed costumes, oh and make up. "Will there be glitter?"
With all of the corrections and comments and pointers and changes I give during any given rehearsal- I cannot imagine how there is any room in their minds for costumes at all. I worked with a nine year old student for at least 15 minutes on perfecting the difference between en dehor and en dedans piruoette. The end result? "Can I trade for the blue dress?"...
At least the senior company has learned to pretend to not care.
I am learning an inevitable truth from my students during this process, not just the youngest dancers, but from our junior and senior company as well. An inevitable truth that I have fought tooth and nail since I started teaching. No matter how intricate a storyline, no matter how funny a character, or how fun the choreography, no matter how beautiful the music or how demanding the technique, no aspect of dancing on stage replaces the excitement of a sparkly costume. Nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I've never denied the magic of a beautiful costume - but if we're not able to use our dancing to feel like Titania herself, than no amount of tulle and glitter is going to help.
The costume should be the sprinkles, on the icing, on the cake. And yet I can't get through a single rehearsal with my junior company without at least 10 questions about trying on costumes, or trading costumes, or which costumes, or quick changed costumes, oh and make up. "Will there be glitter?"
With all of the corrections and comments and pointers and changes I give during any given rehearsal- I cannot imagine how there is any room in their minds for costumes at all. I worked with a nine year old student for at least 15 minutes on perfecting the difference between en dehor and en dedans piruoette. The end result? "Can I trade for the blue dress?"...
At least the senior company has learned to pretend to not care.
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