When I performed for this show I felt as though for the
first time, I was expressing more of who I truly am. I performed in a very
varied programme, it included a baroque ballet (historical dance) Swan Lake pas
de deux (classical ballet) solo for The Little Mermaid (ballet in a mermaid
tail!), a dance as an ugly sister from Cinderella (doing ballet very badly) a
revival of The Pavlova Gavotte (aristocratic dancing) and an unusual piece
largely based upon gesture called The Medieval Kindle.
What was especially apparent to me was that I have become
very aware of my audience. There were times when certain pieces felt as though
they were not being received as well as others. I think this has a lot to do
with the situation in which the performance was taking place. It was in a town
hall, so the audience was very close and there were no stage lights to block
the audiences faces. In this context it seems to me that dances need to be
shared in a way which addresses people rather than the stage method where one’s
eye focus is only to the back of the auditorium. I like to address my audience
with a certain amount of eye contact when I am dancing in community settings.
Not all of the dances in this programme enabled that and at times I felt as
though the dancer/ audience connection was lost. People began shifting in their
seats and looking around. This was an important moment for my inquiry as I was considering different audiences and contexts within my own working environment and practice.
What was nice in this performance, was to show so many different aspects of
myself in so many different characters.
After the show with Michael Wall and Clare Wall
Hi Ann, it’s interesting to read about your awareness of the audience (although I’m sure they were enjoying it!) - perhaps you were just hyper aware? I don’t know about you but I often find it hard to feel the same levels of adrenaline when I am performing without stage lights… I think it’s to do with the atmosphere and excitement of ‘show conditions’ xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Izzy, Yes this is very true, it is possible that this inquiry is making me hyper aware. Yes it is very different without stage lights and being so close up, but strangely I can often feel more nervous. I think because without all of that you are so much more exposed! The audience sees everything! But it can impact the ability to feel that excitement I agree. xxx
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