I’d Like to Dance!
I’m a very shy and quiet person. Get me in my element, however, and suddenly I’m the most enthusiastic person in the room. As I’m only confident when I feel like I’m an expert, I sometimes become a bit of a jerk.
That’s why it’s fortunate, then, that a Broadway show turned out to be, well…not as much my element as I expected it would be. I was humbled before anyone could see too much of my bad side.
What really humbled me the most? The dancing. Oh boy, the dancing. I never called myself a dancer, but only now do I understand the extent to which I am not a dancer.
One of my lines in the show is “Broadway is a special place, full of very special people. People who can sing and dance, often at the same time.” I didn’t realize that was actually said in the script when, shortly after my audition, I told everyone, “There’s no way I’ll get a part. I can’t sing and dance at the same time!”
Needless to say, the first day of choreography was immensely stressful. As was the second day. I just didn’t understand how it was done. My brain can’t make my feet do that, I said to myself. Surely a human body can’t do that many dance steps in the space of two measures, I thought. I didn’t ever consider giving up, though. I finish what I start (it’s a terrible vice).
Eventually, I was able to at least remember all of the steps…mostly. Kind of. And I realized that, with a decent approximation of what I’m supposed to do, and, more importantly, enthusiasm, I can get away with not being a perfect dancer. As a perfectionist, it was a hard thing to accept. But I can make my peace, and overall, I’m extremely satisfied with how rehearsal has been going.
People often tell me I should be a performer, and I believe that about myself. Among a group of performers such as this, it’s clear I have a lot to learn. I don’t like having no idea what I’m doing, but I like who I become when I’m reminded that there’s still so much I haven’t discovered.