Prepare for a Performance
Posted by: Jozef Varga on 18.May.2010 22:07
Prepare for a performance
Think, Visualize, Practice
What it takes to prepare for a performance?
It’s a complex question of course it depends on the role and the ballet you are
about to dance. Many dancers have different ways and routines before performances.
In my opinion there are two important parts in preparing for a performance:
1st Is physical.
You need to get ready to accomplish all the technical difficulties that a performance
demands from you. The only way really to do it is to spend many hours in the studio and practice.
But practicing consciously is the only way to improve. You can repeat the steps a hundred times without making any progress and that brings me to the second part.
2nd Think and visualize.
I consider it at least 50% of a successful performance.
Think through what you want to accomplish on stage. The turns, the jumps, the pas de deux, musicality etc. Nothing happens without your mind giving the command.
The role.
Important is as well to prepare the role if there is one. Do not neglect this part because it’s very important no matter how many turns and jumps you do. Even if you are dancing an abstract ballet there are emotions and different ways to present yourself.
It can change your performance drastically!
Who you are? (example Count Albrecht, a royalty) Where do you live? (in a castle) How old are you? (young)
Did any similar circumstances happened to you? (I did fall in love and some important person from my family died) etc.
Any of those questions answered will help you approach a role and bring some of you as a person to it.
The executed gestures are important but not enough. Dancing from inside, using your emotions yet staying in the role is difficult and takes a lot of experience to achieve it. That is the reason that I like to watch mature dancers on stage.
Routines before a performance:
most people have them but everybody is different. It’s kind of a switch to "performance mode". I usually arrive to the theater in a specific time. Make up, warm up, coffee, costume (everything is scheduled in this order). I like to spend some time on stage before a performance, practice some steps get the feeling of the stage. I don’t like to rush anything. Last make up and hair re-touch and SHOWTIME.
Well I hope you liked those few words and give some feedback, tell us how YOU do it.
Copyright Jozef Varga
Images: Copyright Casey Herd, Blueray pick Giselle HNB Warner
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Robert Kellogg (19.May.2010) |
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