NEVERTHELESS,SHE PERSISTED
Directed by: Sandra Kaufmann
Choreography by: Sandra Kaufman, Amy Wilkinson, Mei Kuang-Chen, Raúl Casasola, Emily Carraccio, and Blakely White-McGuire
Performances: November 18-21, 2021
My other assignment this semester was serving as the Stage Manager for the dance concert, the annual mainstage produced by the dance department. I served as the SM for the dance concert last semester, and I was thrilled to continue being able to work with Sandra, Raúl, our theatre faculty, and some dance students from last year. The dance concert is a really cool opportunity to do something different and explore multiple avenues of stage and production management, and I am so grateful to have been able to continue my work as a stage manager on this production. I also wanted to be a mentor to Wency and other production staff working on this show, and I hope I was able to provide support to them and strengthen their own paths in stage management and beyond.
All photos on page credited to Emma Petersen Photography
Working on this show really made me learn and realize so much about myself. I had to run auditions, develop a communication with rehearsal assistants, check in with designers and choreographers about their needs throughout the process, communicate throughout to all the dancers, and prepare us to get into tech and performances, among many other stage management related things. This production showed me how much power I have in leading a process and being the one charge in a room, and I know that I will take these skills with me moving forward.
I was constantly in communication with dancers and production team members about COVID-19 protocols, inviting outside guests, rehearsal updates, tech and performance schedules, among many other things. The dance department had a different set of needs and understanding about how we organize our programming, so I learned a lot about how to really communicate clearly to people who know no idea about anything you are talking about. I also worked with guest choreographers and dancers, and this proved to be both be an incredible experience and a bit of a challenge. However, anything that came up during the process has only made me stronger and more confident in my leadership abilities.
I was very nervous for us to enter tech as this was the biggest technical dance concert the dance department has ever produced, and I did not want to cause any unnecessary stress in an already intense environment. I learned a lot about how the tech process works from an SM perspective, the type of energy that is needed to run a room, and how to deal with things that come at you on the fly. I felt as though this tech went smoothly overall, but there were some things that happened that made the process a bit more difficult than it needed to be. I was able to gain better problem-solving skills and understanding about what to do when something unexpected happens. I would not have been able to make it through this tech without the support of Wency and Olivia, two icons who made this entire show so smooth and seamless every day and night.
Overall, this show was a true joy to be a part of, I am in awe of how the dancers work and am happy I was able to bring their visions to life. I am proud of myself for growing as a stage manager and person and for sticking in my practices of kindness, respect, and patience with everyone involved. The dance concert will always have a special home in my heart and I am grateful to have crossed paths with so many outstanding artists and opportunities. I was really able to manifest and fine tune my skills and craft as a stage manager on this show and I cannot wait to see where I go in the future and beyond!