It's September and for anyone who's involved with the seasonal favorite, The Nutcracker, you're probably anxiously waiting for a cast list to be posted on the wall right about now. Well... I am too. Auditions for my school's annual production of The Nutcracker were on the 9th and now I'm just going to have to wait out the next two weeks or so. These are probably the most agonizingly long weeks of the year. You just can't wait to scan your finger down the typed words and find out what you'll be rehearsing for the next few months. Waiting is hard... Trust me, I know. And what's even harder is the possibility of being disappointed with your casting.It happens more often than not. You find your name on the cast list somewhere you weren't hoping it would be and a wave of sadness rushes through you. We've all been there and unfortunately it's never any easier to cope with the disappointment. But in some cases, maybe expectations were set just a bit too high. So how do you balance yourself between being hopeful and being reasonable?
The trick is to first be realistic about your casting. Yes I've heard all the time "just don't think about it, it's not your decision, la dee da", but let's be honest. As soon as those auditions are over, that production is on your mind almost 24/7. It is a big deal and you can't help but be excited to finally start rehearsing. You try to guess what role you'll be cast as and silently wish for that one special part. It's just what we dancers do. In the event that you look at the cast list and find yourself disappointed, remember this quote: "There are no small parts, only small actors." (Or in this case, dancers) Make the most out of whatever role you get. That's what this is all about right? We're there to put on a good show whether you're in the back line or front and center. It's our job to entertain.
Although it's good to be somewhat prepared for disappointment, you should also be hopeful and positive. It's okay to be gunning for a particular role, but don't completely convince yourself that you'll be cast as it. You never know what will happen. Be positive, think positive. There is the occasional moment when you read the cast list and find you were cast as exactly what you wanted (which, no lie, is a pretty amazing feeling). Set yourself a realistic goal and work towards it.
It's very hard to balance out your expectations. Even now I sound like a very anxious and very bipolar ballerina. I wish all of you the best of luck. When the cast list finally comes out leave a comment and let us know what you got!
Break a leg, guys!
Ballerinablogger ~
