SECOND STORY REHEARSAL #5

August 23, 2016

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• The studio informs Jonathan that he may begin rehearsal at 9am, but a staff member will not be arriving until 9:30am to set up the sound system.  Jonathan decides that he will start rehearsal without music.
• However, while all the dancers arrive close to “on time,” they need the first half hour to decompress from the various challenging circumstances they are all dealing with.  Sharing their stories allows them to process these experiences and ultimately shift their focus to their work.
• Jonathan receives a call from the babysitter reporting that Eliza has injured her knee while playing with a toy.  Although she is unable to put weight on one leg, Jonathan and the babysitter determine that he can finish rehearsal, then take Eliza to the doctor.
• Jonathan starts the session with a modern class that leaves the dancers winded.  Lorena must attend to Sebastian’s needs and misses most of this part of the warm-up.
• Lorena then selects a song she loves and leads a quick “improv jam” so she can quickly warm-up.  Despite their fatigue, the dancers thoroughly enjoy the experience.  Jonathan accesses some energy reserves and realizes that this is a great way to get back in shape.  Participation in this “jam” session requires that he “let go of what it looks like and be a kid again.”
• Mandy then chooses a song she enjoys and takes over the jam session.
• Jonathan decides on a calmer musical choice to end the improvisation period.
• While Lorena feeds the baby, Jonathan and Mandy review Lorena’s choreography.  When Lorena joins them, she provides notes, makes changes, and tests out new ideas.
• Lorena’s choreography is typically very athletic and physically challenging.  While Jonathan’s work features similar athletic elements, his choreography generally has a lot of flow.  Therefore, he is not used to the level of physicality Lorena’s work demands.
• Jonathan finds he has to sit for a moment and watch while Mandy and Lorena work so he can catch his breath.  He provides verbal feedback, then eventually joins the dancers to work on the details of the phrase.
• Everyone is excited by the progress they make on Lorena’s piece.
• Like last week, Jonathan studied the video from the last session and made notes prior to this rehearsal.  Today he describes to Lorena and Mandy the changes he envisions will greatly enrich the piece.  He wants to add significant gestural detail; the very specific movements have a macabre quality and convey a poignant emotionality.  Jonathan believes the gestures add an important layer of sadness to the piece that is an outgrowth of slight changes in his original vision. 
• Initially, Jonathan was hesitant to share his new ideas, concerned that they would be viewed as “crazy.”  Yet, his gut kept insisting that he incorporate these elements into the piece.  Today he allows his gut to lead his decision-making without repeatedly questioning its wisdom.  After testing out his ideas with Mandy and Lorena, he is thrilled to discover that the choreography looks great – and that he is falling in love with this work.  This result helps affirm the importance of staying grounded in his core inclinations.  Moreover, in discussions with Sherri, Jonathan is reminded to identify and observe the moments when he makes negative attributions about his ideas.  Sherri points out that ideas simply exist – they are neither good nor bad, right or wrong.  They are merely raw material available to be tested/developed and later evaluated to determine whether they are in sync with your true needs and creative inclinations.
• Despite the physical and emotional challenges, Jonathan finds the rehearsal to be satisfying, productive, and fulfilling.