RHYTHM AND MOVEMENT

After Pn Ju gave briefing on the minor performance, I was so anxious this performance. To be very honest, I’m not into dancing at all, and moreover I can’t even dance at all. I can tolerate acting and singing (though it may be pretty disastrous to others listening to my singing), but surely not dancing since I believed that I don’t have the kinesthetic intelligence in me.

On the first meeting at “bilik tayangan”, we were discussing on the songs and materials to use, the uniform attire to wear and the theme to convey. I didn’t really involve in the selection of songs since I did not have any idea at all how to use the song and to actually move the body according to the song. This was the first time I involved in dancing.

At first, my group discussed on the material to use during the performance, they had selected ribbons, caps, paper fans and scarf. Later, all of us listen to songs that we have in mind that relate to our theme from slow music to a happy music depicting the slow movement of serious mood to happier movement of cheerful mood. In addition, I had suggested the costume to wear; black shirt and trousers with pink scarf to show the feminine side of us. Our meeting ended after selecting the songs. Hidayah voluntarily wanted to come out with steps and all of us agreed and confident with her since she is a good dancer.

For our next meeting, we were asked to bring 2 white scarfs and we started our first practice. The major difficulties that our group faced was to relate the beat to with the movement as most of our group members did not have the background or experience in dancing. It was difficult to remember the steps for the dance as it is our first dance practice. We spend some time to listen to the rhythm of the music to overcome this problem and we can’t actually hear and differentiate when certain beats changed and made it so difficult for us to move and follow the rhythm.

During the first part of practices all of us seem to be so fatigue and honestly, we were yawning and yawning as the practices went on. During the second part of the meeting, all of us seem to be different since we laughed and energetically practice using the second song, now that we realized the different song actually led us to dissimilar mood. That’s the power of music. The first song used was “Matsuri” by Kitaro and the second song (Korean song entitled “Never Say Goodbye”) was hip-hop and full of raps-that did strike us more! So, the practices went on about 4 and half hour.

During our second last meeting, we have come with a sudden plan since our songs that we choose is too short and didn’t fit required time which was 7 minutes. Later, I suggested to my group to use the “Three Bears Song” which I know how to dance according to the song (this is the only dance I know). So, we were doing this many time since it was so easy though it may looked childish, yet the practice was so nice and full of fun. We were laughing our heart aloud, happily did the dance and to be able to see the smiling faces of my group was so rewarding that we actually find something that we love rather than the first meetings where everyone seems to be in moody conditions.

Here it was, the day of the performance! Honestly, I was so scared and my heart pounding with beats and it couldn’t stop. We were nervously waiting for our turn and thus, in overcoming the anxiety, we snapped photos. Yup, I felt quite relief.

Well, I would say that the starting went smoothly and it goes very well as we had polished the movement during the practices, I was so concern with my movement and try not make any mistake at ball. Anyhow, at the end of the first song, I was waving the red long material at the back and I just waved and waved until the song faded. At that moment I heard that other people were laughing, but I ignored them and keep on waving the red cloth. The second song went okay and so does the third song. For the third song I was doing it very freely and I could feel the joy and happiness doing such dance runs in me. It was so gratifying to see other people did dance the “three bears’ movement” with us and also give a very loud cheers for us J

I was sweating and tired after the performance. Then, Pn. Ju asked us on the relevancy of choosing those songs. Pn. Ju did comment that some of us are lacking of expression which was just so true because we were concentrating hard on memorizing the steps until we forgot to put smiles on our faces. In fact, she also emphasis that we have to try something new for our performances perhaps something serious because we should not be staying in our safety shell forever by doing something fun and childish. Indeed, it was true, we will never get the chance to explore new thing inside of us if we choose to always be in comfort zone and undeniably, theatre is all about exploring new side of our own self!