I recently was invited to have my choreography performed at a benefit concert. I say this like its no big deal, but it is. I am by no means am I an established choreographer. My choreography rarely exceeds a competition dance stage and a two minute time limit, but I love to choreograph. I like to take every advantage I have to practice. I created a piece for a student choreography show at Joffrey. After the show was when I had the chance to show it again at this benefit concert.
The night of the concert we learned we were second in the program. The girls got dressed and we were ready to roll. I went back stage gave the girls kisses and wished them good luck. I went and sat in the audience.
When I am playing the role "choreographer" and not "dancer" I find that the sitting in the audience the hardest part. When I am on stage I have control of what is going on. When I am in the audience I have to just sit. I hate sitting. Now the dancers in my piece happen to be some of my best friends in the program so I wasn't too worried about them, but I was worried about the technical aspect. Even though I heard our music playing before the show, I ironically sat with my ipod in my hand the entire time, worried that the music wouldn't play... little did I know what was to come.
The show started and my girls came out. The music started and I started to relax. The first minute of the piece was beautiful. Then my worst nightmare came true. The music stops. The dancers kept on dancing beautifully, as if nothing happened. I started sweating immediately. I look in my hand. I have the music! I turn around to see that sound booth is on a completely different floor. I am helpless. Just when I accept the fact that we are going to watch the remainder of my dance in 5 minutes of awkward silence...
The music starts again! Oh wait, this is the completely wrong part! They started it at the wrong spot.
The girls kept on going easily adjusting to the tempo change, like nothing happened.
At this point I have sweat though my tank top. The music restarted so late in the music that it ends.. they are in silence AGAIN!
Awesome. Now everyone in the audience is confused. I felt completely defeated. The dance is almost over. Thank God.
Nope, not over yet! As the dancers finish the very last movement of the dance, the sound booth RESTARTS the music. I turn to my friends who came to support and signal for them to clap!
Goodness gracious, put them out of their misery. I am still in shock that they pulled of the dance so beautifully with the musical disaster.
The rest of the show was beautiful. The benefit concert was to raise money for Autism. It was so inspiring. It reminded us all how incredibly lucky we are to be able to do what we love. At the end of the night everyone had completely forgotten what had happened earlier because at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. I was simply honored to be apart of such a wonderful cause.
On the train home I was standing with my costumes in hand. An incredibly attractive European man got up and offered me his seat. I was flattered and immediately took it as an ego boost. I mean I did put make up on today! Then I saw my reflection in the window. FAIL, Ashley. A 20 hour day and a musical fiasco later I came to the conclusion that I didn't receive the seat out for flattery... more like sympathy. Once again, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter.
