Behind The Curtains

“Softly, deftly music shall surround you

Feel it, hear it closing in around you” -The Phantom of the Opera

The stage can be a terrifying but a beautiful place. The thrill, the anticipation, and the adrenaline of performing. Whether it’s, performing a piece of music, singing, or dancing. While the stage might not be everyone’s happy place, it can be a source of refuge or comfort for those who are passionate about performing. Though the stage can be really comforting, it can be also very unpredictable and nerve wrecking. When there’s multiple shows or performances, there are almost always some kind of positive or negative expectation. The negative or anxiety inducing thoughts could possibly consist of injuring yourself on or off stage, a prop or costume piece goes missing and much more. But the positive can be the audience receiving a certain part very well and applauding the performer’s job.

There is the actual performing and doing of a show, but then there’s the behind the scenes which can be just as or even more so scary than the actual performance. The performing arts industry can be a very hard place to thrive, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It can be an extremely toxic environment. Body image, an individual’s performance, competition, any form of comparison, selfish and rude personalities and much more. But if one finds a solid and decent group of people, it can be a great thing to look forward to.

While I just listed all of these negative aspects of performing, there’s also a bigger picture to it. Performing on a stage shows people that you have worked hard on it. Specifically dance, it has significantly changed over the decades. The view I have on dance, and specifically ballet, is that dance can be a form of worship. While it may sound a little strange, it can be somewhat easily broken down like so: if one has a passion for dance, and they enjoy doing it, they can appreciate the body that was given to them by God. God gave them the talent and the ability to dance, and they use the talent and ability with hard work and perseverance.

And there’s also the encouragement that audience members can give the performer. Whether it’s applause, laughs, or cheers. It gives a boost of energy, of adrenaline, and it gives the performer a feeling of accomplishment. Though it’s beyond nerve-wracking, performing can give an overwhelming feeling of happiness.

People often wonder what it is about performing that makes some people gravitate towards the arts. Personally, as a person who has danced for ten years, and has done plays for about five years, it’s the feeling that you get that you accomplished something. Or being able to express emotions through movement. It’s a beautiful feeling of nerves, and adrenaline, emotions that can run through your body, your mind, and your soul.

In conclusion, the stage is not a place for the faint of heart. It takes a lot to tolerate constructive and deconstructive criticism, remember lines, stage directions, movements, costume changes, and props. The process it takes to get from rehearsals to the stage can be pleasant or unpleasant, but according to Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”