The Last Show

The final performance is where you see the final result of all the hard work. At this point, the cast did not have to worry about rehearsals, they knew the dimensions of the real stage, they had felt the energy of different audiences. Now, it would be about hitting it out of the park.

Waiting

It was good to know that the hardest part about our final performance would be the wait to get on stage. Only a day earlier, everyone was happy to have plenty of time to emotionally and physically prepare for the nerve-wrecking experience of their premier performance. This time, our cast almost felt like they too much extra time. It's a good feeling to know that you're prepared.

Once again, we ran our cast through their choreography about 30 minutes before we entered the hallway to the stage. It awakened their bodies and got their adrenaline flowing almost by Pavlovian response. Just like a professional performer, we wanted our cast to be able to control their nervous energy (not be controlled by it).

The Final Performance

Finally, it was our turn! We lined up grouping by stage left and stage right. Single file, we proceeded down the corridor to the stage entrance. As we awaited our entry into the wings for the last time, our dancers started to realize what we had accomplished. It had been a seven week journey of hard but fun work. Every little nuance had been choreographed...the entry onto stage, the first West Coast Swing sequence, the amoeba transition to the Hustle sequence, the cheesy "Barry White" section, the West Coast Swing reprise, the Hustle stroll/promenade, and the finale. It was a tall order for any group of dancers. But this group was the only student group in the world that was performing West Coast Swing and Hustle on a professional stage.

As we waited in the wings, the music started in black and as it crescendo the lights came up. I felt my heart jump in my chest. I remembered that leaders start with their right foot, followers with their left. As the entry music started, I counted to myself, "5, 6, 7, 8" and I walked on stage with 23 other dancers.

The Sunday night audience hushed as they took in what they were watching. Just as with the last two performances, the crowd audibly smiled (yes, you can hear a smile) when we held up our hand in the shape of a phone to the lyrics, "So, call me, maybe". We had them in our pockets! And then came the "Barry White" section...and the audience clapped and cheered. From then on, the audience clapped on beat to the rest of our routine. As the Hustle promenade came back to center stage for the finale, I knew we were going to hit the final pose hard. Four West Coast Swing whips, one turn redirected back to a dip. The audience lit up with applause!

That final pose felt so good. We could have held it forever but once the lights went to black, we were back on our feet. As the lights came back up again with our tag music, we backed up for our final bows. Each of the bows we took were to boisterous applause. It was the best and most powerful run of all three of our performances. That was the way to close a run!!

Only as good as your last show

Remember the last time you entered a Jack & Jill or any dance competition. There was always a person who made finals or won, but there was also many people who did not make finals. A few people felt really great while all the rest were left unrequited and unfulfilled. If, in show business, you're only as good as your last dance, then our cast (all 22 performers) are stars. They performed at a professional level on a professional stage to a paying and ecstatic audience. If our dancers are only as good as their last show - then they were great!!!