Scenario:
You have been practicing for 6 hours in a hot gym. Your sick
of wearing a smelly leotard for rehearsal, and you have
homework. Your feet hurt and your chops are burned from the 40
minutes of roll progressions you’ve been playing to fix the
feature in the closer, and it’s time for a “run-through” of
your entire program. Your mind is overloaded with new staging,
musical and dance-movement responsibilities you’re not yet
trained to fully understand. Your instructor says, “Hey guys,…
just perform and have fun”!
That instruction is fine as long as we all know what it means
to perform and have fun. In order to better understand this
direction we have to first know what performance is.
Performance is different things to different people, but I
hope that I can give you an idea of what you can do to enhance
the performance experience for yourself and the audience.
Read the definition below from Webster’s Online:
Main Entry:
per•form
Pronunciation:
p&(r)-'form
Function:
verb
Etymology:
Middle English, from
Anglo-French performer, alteration of Old French perfournir, from
per- thoroughly (from Latin) + fournir
to complete -- more at FURNISH transitive senses
1 : to adhere
to the terms of : FULFILL <perform a contract>
2 :CARRY OUT,
DO
3
a
: to do in
a formal manner or according to prescribed ritual
b
: to give a rendition of :
PRESENT intransitive senses
1 : to carry
out an action or pattern of behavior :
ACT, FUNCTION 2 : to give a performance :
PLAY
Even Webster’s misses the boat on what performing is as it
relates to this activity
Now don’t get me wrong, by definition of the word Webster’s is
right on, but think of performance in relative terms to what
it is we do in this activity. What is performing? How do I do
it? When is it good or bad? All these questions are valid and
hopefully this article will help you answer them.
First of all let’s rename performance so that it is in a term
that is more easily grasped and leaves less room for
interpretation. Everyday we communicate with people; via
email, verbally, cell phone, IM, non-verbally… etc. We all
know how to communicate, in fact as an instructor I know that
most of you are profoundly gifted in verbal communication at
the most inappropriate times. So, “communicate” is the term we
will use to better understand what good performance is.
Pageantry Art performance and the effectiveness of it relies
completely on human communication. Music on the sheet is just
music. Staging is just staging. Music and staging put together
and given life is performance. You the communicator give it
life.
Here is a simple list of questions to ensure you are able to
communicate at the highest level possible:
What’s the message? (mood, story, idea etc.) Who is the audience? (who is viewing this performance) What is the medium (instrument, movement) in which I
will deliver the message?
The above are basic essentials of effective human
communication, but how does it relate to our activity? You
must be aware of these three above items and use them through
the list of items below to create a strong communication that
can be enjoyed by both you and the audience.
Positive stage image - good posture, hair and make-up,
costume, instrument and general presence while on stage are
composed in a way that creates interest and a relationship
with the audience.
Audience-performer line - where is the audience? Where
am I? Be aware and don’t close the lines of communication.
Traditionally we communicate with the front of our bodies. Be
aware and don’t break that line of (obviously if your staged
to face back field then this won’t apply to those moments) Our
activity asks a great deal from each performer and the
communication changes constantly, but we must continue to have
contact with the audience member.
Project personality - have personality. It’s easy for
the audience to connect with you as a performer when you can
quickly communicate your personality within your ensemble.
Work the venue - Lets face it, were challenged by our
venue. Whether it be football field, gymnasium or auditorium
we have to imagine ourselves on stage at the Lincoln Center
every time we enter the performance area. Take advantage of
the opportunity to be in front of people and learn to relax
and enjoy being out there.
Expression - Avoid the dogmatic approach to your
performance. Let the music and movement communicate through
you and your expression of it. Don’t let muscle memory take
over too much and have a flat, less-than-exciting performance.
It’s important to understand the need to connect with the
audience. To COMMUNICATE! All of the above items can help you
to better understand how to prepare and ultimately be more
aware of what performance is.
The audience is there to be entertained, not embarrassed for
you. Give them a show they'll remember and will want to see
and hear again. Most of all enjoy what you are doing. Stop
being apprehensive and find the real meaning of performance.
So, the next time your instructor tells you to perform, just
agree and do your best to communicate with the audience. There
is no better feeling than truly sensing from audible and
visual response that you were an effective and affective
communicator with your audience. Take advantage of the
opportunity to “just communicate and have fun!”Exercises & Ideas to
maximize communication Exercises
• Study video of you playing– make
sure you look the way you want to look.
• Perform at home for friends and family– practice being in
front of people)
• Watch performances with awareness to the details of the
communication
• Play in the mirror– check it out
Ideas
• Check with local Universities to
enroll in summer theatre workshops
• Take private lessons to make you more confident in your
personal performance
• Play in a recital
• Take piano lessons
• Go to university level performances and recitals.
Ultimately the more performances you can be a part of
either as a performer or audience member will help you better
understand good performance.
Tim Keller is a graduate of Indiana State
University where he studied Communications/Public
Relations. Most recently Tim has furthered his
education at Indiana University Bloomington in Speech
& Theatre Education. Tim marched three seasons with
the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps and is currently
involved as a show designer for IPA member programs.
Tim is employed as a Creative Marketing Director by
the City of Bloomington’s tourism entity, the BMCCVB.
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