One by One

Oomph. Not sure if I already said this but yesterday was a rough day at rehearsal where the choreographer chose to leave rehearsal for the remainder of the day because of frustration with the piece not looking the way she wanted it to on the dancers. Today she came back in and asked we each perform the whole 15 minute piece one by one. One at a time, to prove if you know your choreography, know your counts, know your ish. Mind you, I just began to learn this routine on Friday so I was shaking in my boots. I performed last out of 12 girls so I could have some extra time to learn some pieces that I was missing by watching the others go before me. I actually was really surprised with myself by the end of it. I was forced to concentrate harder and to give my 200% because I know if I didn't I wouldn't be given the chance to perform with the company members in the show coming up beginning of July called "Azishe". This exercise that the choreographer had us doing was practically an audition, and we suspected that dancers would be cut from the piece because threats of doing so were made previously. So I had no choice but to give it my all and I gave the choreographer all the material I had learned and was appreciated by her and the fellow dancers for putting myself out on the line like that. "Azishe" is a totally different dance style from what I had been training in for the past four years. Some things remain the same, but technique must be thrown out the window to really capture the grounded-ness and effortless fluidity of the intended choreography. I do feel good that I've managed to learn such a hard and long piece in just under a week and now I get to share the stage at Artscape Theatre with Jazzart and perform in "Azishe" in a couple of weeks. Go big or go home, right?

If you want to check out the website where they are posting details on the performance click here http://www.artscape.co.za/show/jazzart-s-azishe/698/

Big hugs, 
 -Maria ... (The new name I was given by Jazzart today)