djungelstorken.blogg.se

Gymnasiearbete-Presentation of our work

I have together with my class and teachers told the story "Djungelboken" in a modernized piece written by Alexander Mørk-Eidem and directed by Lena Oskarsson.

We started working early after Christmas and have worked hard with it until the premiere that was April 28th.

In a class of half actor and half dancers, and with the play arranged a bit like a musical with theater and music, we had dance instead of singing.

We students did the most of the work ourselves, with the support of the teachers. So to organize it all up we divided ourselves into working groups; marketing, costume, makeup, scenography and multimedia.

I myself am a dancer and unlike some other dancers, I had no lines, but were still on stage and acted as a walker-on. I also helped with the scene changes (like moving things, or brought in and out things from the stage).

I have been choreographing a lot of dance together with my classmates, but I have also learned a lot of choreography of students and teachers. The mix of teaching and learning has been exciting and fun. The most fun must have been to come with ideas with everyone and create the steps, expressions and feelings of all dances.

We all worked hard to get ready on time and ended up with a play we proudly wanted to show up.

I worked in the multimedia group, who was in charge of a lot of music, audio and visual effects.

Multimedia has -just like the other groups- the complicated system which involves first coming up with ideas that everyone in the group will agree upon and then to be approved by the responsible teacher for the working group… in order to go on to Lena (the director)and see if it goes with her image of how the play should look and sound and get her approval as well. If not, you have start all over again, but often you’re able to find compromises and could change things so things to fit more in the overall picture.

My part in the multimedia has been trying to make the group make it so the contact between teachers and the multimedia group is good and that we always think in the same track all the time, to prevent anyone's work you’ve been working on for days being rejected.

A very difficult part of the entire production work has been cooperation, no one can deny it. Everyone in the ensemble are all so dependent on each other and someone missing can make hours (and sometimes days) become ineffective and without leading anywhere. Stress and pressure makes people easily irritated and extra sensitive, leading to unnecessary conflicts and even more stress. That's why I've worked hard to have as good tone as possible for everyone. Pep behind the scene and saying that it's okay to make mistakes is something that is very much appreciated. Trying not to be nasty when someone has a bad attitude. For all that matters, this is an exhausting time for everyone, not just for oneself, and we’re all striving for the same goal, although it may be easy to forget at times.

For someone who has stage frights, the premiere is like having a giant spider hanging above you just waiting to jump down and swallow you, at least in my case. And let me just say I'm not a fan of spiders. At all.

It takes a lot of to get me up on stage and to dare to deliver.  Dance is probably the only thing that could get me up there. Simply because I love dancing, and while it's difficult just before going onstage, I also love dancing for the audience. You want to show what you can do and give it all. And after months of training hard, it's so nice to be in the spotlight and just deliver. Deliver and see how it’s received by the audience. It also gives the dance a different meaning. Before it's a lot about oneself, having fun (of course) but also a lot of training andrehearsed facial expressions. But if there is some people looking it gets so much less rehearsed, more spontaneous and genuine, and you can give it that little extra that you couldn’t really do in front of the mirrors. You dare to play more on stage and even find a character.
Now afterwards it feels a bit empty, I mean, when was the last time we could sleep past 6am? And all of a sudden you don’t have tons of things to do, you almost get bored.
But it’s a relief as well, we did it!