When the theater hands you lemons - i.e. losing your music track, leaving you on stage in silence for close to a minute and then playing the wrong track at the finale moment- you make improvised Flashdance lemonade.
In my case it involved asking them to stop the music and instead SINGING the lyrics to the song that went missing - "What A Feeling" - while I danced it, only to have the audience chime in with me and dance on stage.
(if you're short on time, skip to the 4:40 mark to see the music mishap moment)
The prequel to this story is how I started taking singing lessons with my friend Ruth Levy back in early February. I was gearing up to do more Broadway/musical theater auditions and wanted to attempt to learn how to sing. (It never was my strong point!)
The song we worked on?
"What A Feeling."
I ended up not getting far enough in the auditions to actually have to sing (thank goddess because I was terrified of it) but there was something powerful about learning the notes and the lyrics to this song I've danced to so many times, this song that had inspired me years ago to return to dance.
At that moment on stage when I realized this very song track was not going to be played, I knew I had to make it happen myself. It was already in me.
So I sang it. On stage for the first time ever. In front of 200 people.
My pitch and tone was way off for the most part, but I let it rip and had fun. And just when I started to lose my breath I heard my friend Jaclyn chime in from the audience, followed by everyone else belting it out with us.
We sang it as a group as I encouraged people from the audience onto stage to dance with me, as you can see in the video.
For whatever reason, it wasn't in the stars for me to win and move onto the finals, but what happened up there feels like a win in my book.
It reminds me, and I'll remind you -
You never know what you've actually been preparing for until that crazy moment happens. Keep preparing anyway.
Whatever kind of lemons are being thrown your way, your own flavor of lemonade is better than anything you could've planned for.
Dance with what you're given, and you may even discover a new facet of your voice along the way.
to dancing and singing it out,
Jess
p.s. The show must go on. I'm committed to finding another way of making it happen - on or off Broadway! Hope to see you at opening night.
p.p.s. Doors are now officially open to You Can Dance Again, my 4-week program designed to awaken your inner dancer and help you own your dance even more powerfully. I would love to welcome you into this experience! It starts on April 25th. Details and registration here.
