What I've Learned Thus Far at ADF

How do I begin...well, I suppose I could say that ADF is giving the biggest emotional/physical ass kicking I've ever had. They start you out with this preview week that is so exciting but at the same time so rigorous. And, everyone is so excited to be there that on that first day everyone, including myself of course, is putting their all into it. Then when it gets to audition time, everyone's still putting their all into it...no, it's more than their all...it's unexplainable really. Everyone's eyes have this hunger for dance; everyone wants the part as much as the person standing next to them. It's so hard to get noticed because everyone is trying just as hard as you. You can't really see the choreographer because everyone is crowded behind them. So, your not sure exactly what their choreography should look like. All you've got is a rough estimate of what it is. All that being said, learning the choreography is hard, but not impossible. Impressing the auditioners on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. It's a race to get to the front, and if your in the back, you better hope you look damn good. Sometimes, I steal a glance at the auditioners, and they are looking in the opposite direction of me, and I think, "God damn it, look over here! Look at me! Do you see me?"

So, what is it that I'm taking away from these past few days of rigorous work? Well, I need to get better at auditioning. I need to push my way to the front. Let the choreographer know that I'm there. I need to be present when I'm doing the choreography. It doesn't need to be so perfect. I think they'd rather see a presence than an automaton going through the motions. But there's something bigger than all of this that I've learned. And that is, that I need to be working to my fullest potential everytime I step foot into a dance classroom, rehearsal or performance. I need to be running at maximum capacity all of the time. There needs to be sweat running down my body, my muscles need to hurt the next day because I've pushed them past their limitations. There cannot be a moment when I think to myself, "I've got this". There will be no more going through the motions because there are people out there who are far better than me because they are always pushing themselves to the next level. If I'm going to go to these auditions and have a shot at getting in, then I need to be the best that it possible for me.

I usually like to keep my blogs light...comical almost...I have witnessed some hilarious things here at ADF, but I shall have to save those things for another time, another blog.