Walking in on the first day of rehearsal, I expected that preparing for the show would be easy because I already knew the dances and the director’s expectations. I believed that everyone else had as much confident as me. I hoped I could go to rehearsal, follow instructions the director and choreographer gave, then leave.
Once I arrive to the first dance rehearsal, I lost all the excitement I had anticipated. I hated how every rehearsal finished late. No matter what, at least one person was missing from each rehearsal. As a result, a small group of people that would ruin the show because they didn’t know their blocking, lines, and choreography. To make rehearsals more unbearable, some people seemed unable to comprehend the choreographer’s instructions.
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Even though I knew that some people had missed rehearsals or couldn’t dance well, I believed that the choreography was simple enough that missing one or two rehearsals wouldn’t matter-- they could catch up with the group quickly and easily. I hadn’t realized that I was being arrogant and ignorant of the fact that people do not have the same background that I have with learning and retaining choreography quickly.
Since I couldn’t tolerate the rehearsal pace, I was initially reluctant to dedicate my time to go through choreography step-by-step just for people who hadn’t made rehearsal a priority. But since I wanted the show to look professional, and because I can teach others well, I decided that I would allow myself to dedicate time to help those who needed it.
I actually enjoyed leading rehearsals. When I humbled myself and imagined being someone who isn’t familiar with the choreography, I understood that remembering choreography can be challenging when dance hasn’t been done periodically. Being less uptight made me approachable as a resource for those who needed help. When I saw that someone’s placement was off or someone danced sloppily, I didn’t call that person out on the minor inaccuracy, even though I am a