Real-Life Communication
The ability to communicate with the body through each movement and
dance is crucial to a dancer's career. "The essence of dance is communication,"
says ballet dancer Meaghen Buckley-Pearson. "Any audience member who has truly
been moved by a performance will stress the importance of a dialog between
audience and dancer."
As ballet dancers prepare for their performances,
sweat, stress and muscle cramps accompany the long hours of practice each
day. Each move, each spin and gesture with their arms and legs is meant to
send a message to the audience.
"Dancers must use the language of movement
to speak to people, but they must also be able to communicate verbally, to
be understood and to understand the choreographer, teachers, partners and
fellow dancers," says Buckley-Pearson.
Now retired, you no longer perform
in ballets, but your experience and talents have granted you countless opportunities
to teach and direct top-level performances. You've just received a new script
and you have to help your dancers understand the mood they are to portray
in a particular scene.
In the script, a girl dreams she is walking
lost and scared through the clouds. She is excited to hear the voice of her
lost lover crying her name.
You expect the choreographer to come in
later that afternoon, but it is most important that you get across the emotions
and feelings that need to be communicated to the audience through the dance.
You'll
be making a brief speech in the morning about what you expect from their dance,
so take time now to prepare your speech.