It was time to introduce Kerry Nichols. Remember Kerry from my classes last year? She’s a big personality in a tiny woman, charismatic and encouraging – yet terribly nerve-racking to face – and overarching mentor to the ReFRESH programme.
An early beginning, this day was where everything began to transform. This is the point in the process that cannot be clinically analysed, and perhaps is the key to discovering what is it that keeps dancers dancing (shame there are no words to articulate it, eh?). It’s the point where you feel as though you “drop into” the movement – where the movement no longer dictates your thoughts but allows you the room to develop things in your mind – overlay ideas, feelings, perceptions encouraging a far more engaging performance. A performance lacking in this element will be one seeming very technical/clinical and generally lacking in engagement. There is no way of saying when this stupendous moment will occur through the rehearsal process, there is always the hope that it’ll just happen with enough effort and rehearsal.
Kerry’s advice was to talk. To see what is is that those in the group feel, hear and experience while performing. If we can broaden our image of what’s happening, be inspired by one another and connected in a conceptual way, perhaps there is a grounding that we can accomplish to brings ourselves together as a company. Already, in the space of a run though, things have shifted. It’s rough, and it’s raw, and we’re not there yet, but the magic has happened.
With Kerry’s positivity and Laura’s encouragement, this next Thursday should be something to look forward to!