Thread: Getting students ready for a show

My rep group is quite used to performing, but I'm getting whole batches of first-timers ready for our student show next month.

I'm exhausted. It's not just the rehearsing, answering questions, getting costuming decisions made & resolved, etc. There's something more. Something about spending an hour with a group of women who are in high gear emotionally, who feel nervous and vulnerable. During class is tiring, but in a few short minutes after class it seems like five or six women asking simple questions leaves me feeling utterly spent...drained.

I've felt this way before, whenever I had a whole batch of new performers. I feel like they're feeding off my life force or something. Is that crazy? Do other teachers feel this weird phenomenon too?

No it is not crazy. I have felt it too with first-timers. These days the first timers are always mixed in with the more experienced people and it seems to create some kind of a calm factor. Also our student show is at the extremely low pressure end of the scale.

But strangely I feel it more when leading a troupe of dancers I'd consider to be my peers. Utterly drained exhausted and often feeling futile. I think maybe it's from having to be so positive and upbeat all the time, never admitting my own worries and trying to abate theirs ... when it's people who usually I'd be able to confide in.

it's not unusual, particularly if you tend towards being more empathic. Try a meditation before and after that has to do with grounding and centering, I like to think of a circular flow with the earth (I know it sounds hokey!) dumping out the negative energy I've collected and replacing it with cleansed energy.


After your done snorting, give it a try, it's VERY helpful when trying to get a bunch of newbies on stage. It also helps if you lead them in a brief meditation as it helps them to be more grounded and not so nervous.

I do the meditation thing too... also make sure I get time to myself to "dance it out" and exorcise that nervous energy that I easily pick up from others through lots of shimmies. I think you do actually relieve their anxiety with your support and empathy, and I agree with Kina and Jilyan that its very important firstly to be aware of this, and secondly to dispel it in the way that best works for you!
Jillanna

When I taught college and high school math I still felt the same thing. Especially right before tests (when they are essentially performing), ten-million questions, lots of stress....all they worry just wore me out. ,s::

Thank you! I'll stop wasting energy trying to figure out whether it's 'real' or not and start working on managing it, meditating a bit before and after.

(Kina, I didn't snort, I nodded vigorously!)

You're so right, when they're mixed together it's easier. This year I have a lot more classes and my experienced performers are isolated from the others, so I have several classes full of first-timers. Whew!

Yes, I totally hear you and understand. The part that I find most draining is the fact that they are so excited, they often ask questions then don't listen to the answers and end up asking again - or, one person will ask a question and then nobody else will listen and someone else asks the same question. I find nothing more draining than constantly repeating myself. I try to mitigate this by having a "first time performers" handout - but that doesn't really help too much. They're too excited to read.

Rather than just meditating by yourself, it might be cool to take the entire group through a breathing/relaxation exercise for 5 or 10 mins at the beginning or end of class (or rehearsal) It helps to calm THEM down so they can focus and not let the excitement take over. Helping them channel their energy will help you too! (oh wait - Kina already said that.) Well - it bears repeating. Our troupe does this and it is very helpful. It also helps to connect the group's energy and makes for a better performance.

Or, my usual quick stress remedy - martini.

Hey, haven't tried a martini!

I do the handout too. And now, when they e-mail & ask questions, I'm learning to say "Do you still have the handout I gave you? Do you need another copy?"

You're sooooo right about the not listening, WOW! They gather around in clumps and all want to talk at once and no one listens, often not even the one who asked the question.

I know it's just because they're nervous and excited, I don't hold it against them. As things get closer I may just lead them through more breathing/grounding exercises and try to teach them a few relaxation techniques.

Students are so annoying. I know, I've been one for a long time now!

LOL -- students are fun, I promise, but a big show makes them all get needy at once, right when the teacher is busier than ever coordinating the venue, ticket sales, costume ordering, guest dancers, etc. It's a crazy time!

Next year I'm delegating even more. Ummm, that would be easier if I had any staff, I guess.

We are needy. We want reassurance that we're doing well, that we don't look like jackasses out there. that people won't laugh. ..l;, ..l;, ..l;, and no amount of reassurance is enough!..c::

So, so, so true, that's really exactly what they need.

But then, since they feel so strongly about not looking foolish, wouldn't you think they might practice a bit??????


(hmm, I'm thinking of a 'top 10 ways to make sure you look great out there' handout, with makeup & hair tips, and practice practice practice as the top three)

Originally Posted by Lauren_

So, so, so true, that's really exactly what they need.

But then, since they feel so strongly about not looking foolish, wouldn't you think they might practice a bit??????

Oh yes, my top all-time pet peeve when it comes to concerts. "But I don't know the choreography, I don't know what I'm doing, I don't know what comes next, rah rah rah" (insinuating that it's all my fault, perhaps?). Well, if you just took the time to (a) read the choreo notes I gave you, (b) listen to the music I gave you, (c) bring your video camera in and tape me performing the choreo as I offered and (d) bloody well practiced...after all that, you might do OK!!!! ..c::

(Back to ever-loving, encouraging and patient teacher mode now...

I keep typing stuff and then deleting it. I'm probably too stressed to be talking about pet peeves three weeks before a show!

I'm still just burning up over a silly thing that happened last year. Don't know why I can't just let it go. *cue yoga breathing*

Lauren,
Do you have a web site or a troupe discussion group? The troupe I belong to has a yahoo discussion group and it allows us to post documents for troupe members to read and download when they need it. It's pretty helpful and if you have to continue to copy and distribute things, it might be a good way to put all the info in one place.

Having a discussion group also makes it easy for people to just email the group with questions like, does anyone have a purple hip scarf I can borrow?, rather than bombarding the instructor.

Seriously Lauren - martini!

Okay, really seriously. I know you said you don't really have your more experienced students in close contact with the newbies, but perhaps you could delegate a "leader" of the newbies and maybe ask one of your more advanced students to be sort of a liason? That way the newbie students can go to the group leader with questions and that leader can go to one of your other students - or you - but at least you only have one person to deal with rather than 20.

As for practicing - yeah. Its tough. And I don't mind posting my thoughts here for all students to read! If you don't know the choreography and don't know the dance, it doesn't matter WHAT color your costume is, you're still going to look foolish. A tight, unified performance in rags will look infinitely better than a sloppy performance in co-ordinated costumes.

If it makes you feel better, you can just talk about what happened last year - maybe getting it out will help take away that residual stress?

Yup. Have a Yahoo group. Also have all my choreography notes online for my students, etc. It helps a lot, I'm not running near as many copies as I used to or dragging around all that paper!

My advanced students take advantage of the yahoo group, but I think the newer ones feel intimidated by the posts from the rep group members and such and just lurk.

And of course, many of them don't have internet, or don't really know how to use it.

Originally Posted by elljay

perhaps you could delegate a "leader" of the newbies and maybe ask one of your more advanced students to be sort of a liason?

That's a really good idea. Or maybe I 'm just not providing enough structured time for them to get their questions answered. Perhaps I'll spend a little time with the performers after class, have them SIT in their spots and go over the details, answer questions, etc.

As for practicing - yeah. Its tough. And I don't mind posting my thoughts here for all students to read! If you don't know the choreography and don't know the dance, it doesn't matter WHAT color your costume is, you're still going to look foolish. A tight, unified performance in rags will look infinitely better than a sloppy performance in co-ordinated costumes.

That's a brilliant statement! Now that I think of it, they're doing a lot better than last year, as far as knowing their stuff for the show. Even the noobs, so it must mean I'm doing a better job than I did last year! I think I've been more focused, certainly.

If it makes you feel better, you can just talk about what happened last year - maybe getting it out will help take away that residual stress?

Thanks, I tried, actually. But it all sounds so trivial when I try to tell it, and it comes out so long!

This doesn't help the stress you are feeling but I wanted to share what my wonderful teacher did once for me years ago. Just before my first solo performance I was a wreck, I could hardly breathe. She walked up to me - no words spoken and put her arms around me in a loving hug. No ordinary hug - after a second or two I was ready to be done but No, she just held me breathing slowly, calmly, for I don't know how long - 30 seconds or more. I slowly calmed down, began to breathe slowly and had a wonderful first performance. I will never forget that sharing of calm loving supportive energy and as a teacher now I will freely give the same to anyone who needs it. Thanks for letting me share a truly wonderful moment in my dance experience. To this day just remembering that moment can calm me.

Lauren,
Not sure if this is feasible, but the idea might be useful for future shows. Have you thought of having a "performance bootcamp." Maybe that name's too scary, but what I mean is setting aside a meeting or gathering where new performers can sit down and ask all the questions they need in one fell swoop. Maybe have yourself and a few seasoned performers there.

You could do a brief presentation on things like what to pack, how to prepare, dealing with stage fright, performance etiquette, and then take questions. That way, everyone hears the question (since they likely all have similar ones), and everyone hears the answer.

Good thinking! The baby beginners who are performing together have a special meeting tomorrow to talk about costuming & rehearse together (they're coming from different classes) so I'll allow extra time to really guide them through the process.

I haven't done that with the level II students because they're all in the same class, but OTOH I don't like to spend too much classtime on performance issues because not everyone is performing. I should definitely make time for them too.

I guess I'd forgotten what it's like to be a total noob, and not have a clear picture of what it'll all be like, and be nervous. I need to make time for that.

Thanks, everyone!

Originally Posted by Surida

To this day just remembering that moment can calm me.

I'll bet it does -- what a beautiful story!

As a teacher, of course, you have to be careful -- some people don't like to be touched at all. But I'm sure close observation would show the difference!

We did a sheet for our troupe not that long ago, to make sure that everything was covered regarding theater etiquette, dancing etiquette, timeliness, make-up tips, etc...if anyone would like a copy I have it on my comp....thing is, despite emailing it to the whole troupe and handing out copies at dress (which were largely left behind for me to clean up afterwards....sigh) there were still some of the same questions; I have to say there was some fear before the show, but it worked out fantastically, even with the huge numbers (half new dancers too) involved. It also made it a lot easier for all the choreographers to say "well this has been addressed, everyone knows it has, and I can't stress about it anymore and can just enjoy the performance"...I'm in total agreement on the not listening part, drives me nuts. But in the end, after lots of repetition, usually it sinks in somehow. Just remember that there's only so much you can do as a leader; know that you've done your part in preparation and that you've been thorough and organized, and that it's out of your hands now and that 99% of the time all will be fine. if not, there is always that martini! ;)

I've taught middle school for the past 21 years. I come home everyday exhausted and drained. It's a teacher/leader thing. Have you thought about taking a short break from dance (a week or two) after the show? School breaks and summers off are what keeps teachers sane.

My teacher often has special weekend classes at the little studio under her house (this is separate from the weekly classes) for those that wish to perform the class choreography at an upcoming event.

In addition to answering questions and dealing with nerves, it helps her to know who is really serious about performing and who might flake out. Generally, the flakers won't come to a special meeting - and if they don't come, they don't perform.

Originally Posted by rassicahl

I've taught middle school for the past 21 years. I come home everyday exhausted and drained. It's a teacher/leader thing. Have you thought about taking a short break from dance (a week or two) after the show? School breaks and summers off are what keeps teachers sane.

Boy, I wish I could do that! I teach about 11 classes a week (yoga and BD) -- plus, lately, three or four hours of special practice sessions for the various classes. Burnout is a real danger.

Durned kids want to eat *every* day.

Our troop assigns a senior member to a newbie. This member acts as a performance coach for the first show. (The newbie is advised to call their assigned person with questions, mine did a mini-boot camp for me at her home with dinner, help calm nerves the day of show, etc) It really helps the newbies bond with the rest of the troop! Now that senior troop member is my dance partner!!!!

Whoah, Beth, that's awesome! I wonder if my senior dancers would be willing to do this? I'll bet they would.

But...there are 13 lower level dancers in the show, who've never performed before. I have 9 level 4 students (7 of whom are in the repertory group). So I'd be asking some of them to mentor 2 noobs, plus some of them are in 4 or 5 group dances, plus they're working on their own solos (and a few of them are first-time soloists and pretty nervous themselves). Would it be too much to ask of them?

Or maybe I could just do it with the new soloists next year, assign them to a more experienced classmate. My daughter, bless her little heart, offered unlimited advice & choreo assistance and worked with some of the new soloists this year, so that worked out similar to what you're describing. But spreading it around might be better.

How nice that is!

Originally Posted by bethsoren

Our troop assigns a senior member to a newbie. This member acts as a performance coach for the first show. (The newbie is advised to call their assigned person with questions, mine did a mini-boot camp for me at her home with dinner, help calm nerves the day of show, etc) It really helps the newbies bond with the rest of the troop! New senior troop member is now my dance partner!!!!