By Laura
Have you had the chance to
perform in front of an audience yet? If
so, you've probably realized that there is much more happening behind the
scenes than first thought. Those few
precious minutes we have on stage or on the dance floor are a
tip-of-the-iceberg display of all the amassed effort we spent leading up to
that moment; from countless hours of practice, to careful thought devoted to
every detail of our appearance. In the
years I've spent performing, I have quickly learned that there are fundamental
differences between performing as a soloist versus performing within a group.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and a good dancer should be aware
of these characteristics so that he/she can dance beautifully and appropriately
in either situation.
The greatest advantage to
performing on your own is that no matter what happens, as long as you dance
with conviction, the audience will accept it as part of the show. If you forget
the choreography or didn't do a move quite right, no one would know. And here's a secret; even your teacher likely
wouldn't notice because she'd be too busy enjoying you! Moreover, soloists get to shine and embellish
choreography with their emotional interpretation; perhaps they feel like
closing their eyes during a shimmy, or are inspired to look up at the heavens
while the nay (flute) plays. Or maybe
they don't even want a choreography and wish to use their instincts by
improvising! For some dancers, this is a
frightening thought, while for others, it is what they favor because it feels
more natural and organic. Either way, it
can only be done when performing solo, so it's a great opportunity to test your
skills and really focus on yourself. The only notable disadvantage to a solo
performance is that if you are not yet fully comfortable performing, it can make
one feel small, vulnerable and exposed.
Having all eyes on you is understandably a little nerve wracking! But I know from experience that it does go
away the more you do it, so it can only get better!
In contrast, performing
alongside other dancers can ease the pressure of being under the
spotlight. There is strength in numbers,
and the bigger size of a group adds an extra dimension to the performance. You also get to bond with your dance sisters,
relate to each other and encourage one another.
This camaraderie boosts self confidence and reinforces everyone's sense
of support and togetherness. However, this comes at a small price: Group
dancing is less forgiving of mistakes because they are more noticeable to
spectators. The biggest challenge is to
match your peers in every way you can. A
soloist gets to be in control of how they look and what they dance, but
performing with others means everyone must agree, or at least compromise on
costuming, music, and choreography. Practices will be different, too, as
drilling on your own will no longer suffice.
Group rehearsals are essential so that dancers can watch each other and
conform to one another's styles. We must
remember that we are not trying to stand out alone, but as a united entity;
still shining as individuals but also as a team. The goal is to be as accurate
and in sync as possible, which requires exceptional peripheral vision and
spatial awareness. I learned that very quickly when I joined BellyUp's Ala Nar
Dance Ensemble! I was introduced to a whole new level of group performing and I
came to appreciate just how difficult it is to be synchronized... right down to
where you're gazing! The amount of
drilling and practice that goes into it is ongoing and endless, and I think I
have grown tremendously as a dancer because of that.
Performing as a soloist and in
a group has its challenges, and having danced many times in both scenarios has
really opened my eyes to the benefits of each.
Either way, it's just so much fun!
Every live performance, whether it is one dancer or many, is a
one-of-a-kind cocktail of both, planned and spur-of-the-moment elements, and
this is what makes each show so unique, pleasing to watch, and very rewarding
to be part of!
