Wobbly Chair

.

Update: Last Tuesday (the 7th) was the "2nd Showing" for Ballet Showcase.

Normally, there are only two showings before the facutly in charge of the show selects which pieces will actually be performed.  However, since Bene (the Ballet Dept's intimidating, exacting, and rather upredictably unorthodox Chair) is the Artistic Director for this Showcase, there were three (rather inconveniently) scheduled showings.  Since the 2nd and 3rd showings were only 3 days apart (not enough time to make any significant changes) I asked my dancers if they would be alright with me missing the 2nd showing, so I wouldn't have to give up a whole day at work.  I was greatful for their understanding as I am, after all, a starving college student and need all the work I can get.  However, in this case not taking off work was a bigger mistake than I'd ever considered it would be.

After the first showing, Bene had put everyone in a "show order".  My piece, "Liberarse", was slated to close the show-- a decent spot to earn, if I do say so myself, and I was greatful Bene put such trust in the piece.  Showings are run in show order, so my piece was the last to be seen at the 2nd showing.  I suppose after 3 hours of sitting and watching all the other pieces, my dancers were rather cold, and I wasn't there to whip them in to shape or give them a pep talk or anything....whatever the reason, Bene was displeased with their performance (to say the least!) and minced no words in telling them so.  I heard from many eyewitnesses that she drilled them, in classic Bene fashion, through parts of the dance she thought weren't "latin" enough.  A few girls were actually pushed to tears. 

Now, it is not unusual (as anyone in the UT ballet scene knows) for Bene to make people cry, but all the same, it seemed inappropriate to me.  And for the sake of the girls, I was upset.  I feel that it's really my job as choreographer to rehearse my dancers, and it is Bene's job as AD to decide whether or not that's good enough.  If she wanted to take issue with anyone it should have been me. 

In any case, the next day a new show order was posted.  My piece had fallen from the honor of show closer to a non-descript place in the middle of the first act somewhere. (hmmmmgrumblemmm....)
Neither I or the dancers were able to get together between the last two showings to clean the piece (it is rather difficult to get 16 people's schedules to align), so we ran it through once before the final showing on the 10th and went into studio 40 crossing our fingers that she wouldn't cut it entirely.

At the opening of the piece the girls got off the music and all started dancing at different times...I ran to Bene and asked her if we could start over, but was denied.  The dancers kept going, energetically, if a bit nervously, moving their hips and striking their poses.  After it was all over Bene leaned forward in her chair stony faced and menacing and said "You girls have given me a problem,  it was too good!  It was so much better, that now I have got a problem".  Then she smiled really big, threw her hands up in the air and stated "It was wonderful! Thank you!"

The next day she had re-arranged the show order and we were back to the closing slot.  One lesson I've learned in grad. school (over and over...and over...)  is that you just never know with Bene.

Thanks girls for doing such a great job and conquering through adversity!!! ;)

The show is being performed at the Marriot Center for Dance at the U Sept 30-Oct 2.  Evening performances are at 7:30, and the Saturday Matinee is at 2:00.  Come if you can!!