Prop Practice Makes Perfect (well, almost) :D
by Mary Serico
Greetings and an early Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It’s been a while since my last blog post — I’ve been having fun enjoying the beautiful weather, taking a few trips that were postponed due to Covid, and dealing with a bathroom remodel. However, it has affected my dance practice, since it’s difficult to focus on it while in an inner cabin of a cruise ship, after spending all day at Disney World, or during construction.
But it’s that time of year again, and we’re gearing up for the Dance A Lot Ballroom Studio’s Holiday Gala on December 16. I always search for a fun Christmas song for my showcase. I picked mine for this year’s show in December of 2022 but we started working on it this September, which is a way too late for my comfort zone (we usually start a new show a year ahead of time). Adriana (the co-owner of Dance A Lot) has done an excellent job incorporating my ideas into the song. I hope I can perform it without laughing through the whole showcase.
Of course, props are essential! Last year, I was busy preparing Santa suits for our “Santa’s on a Diet” Christmas showcase. You had to see me feverishly gluing, remeasuring, snapping, and stuffing Santa’s suit. I still am amazed it worked so well with no prop failures. This year, sewing isn’t needed for we’re reusing props from previous showcases — who knew an inflatable turkey and fake cheeseburgers could be recycled? I now carry a large Amazon box with a turkey leg and French bread sticking out to and from my lessons. It’s amusing to see my neighbors’ reactions when I pack up my car for my lesson.
It’s a rule of thumb in dancing that you always need to “PRACTICE WITH THE PROPS!” Knowing this rule, and that I’m enough of a wild card without the props failing, my dance teacher Georgi always makes sure that the props are part of my lesson to avoid surprises. And good thing we do, because on the first lesson with all the props, just in the first 30 seconds of the showcase I bumped into the table, knocked over some artificial grapes, and food spilled off my plate. All in all — a full prop failure. But that what the rehearsals are for — to see what can go wrong and take an action to fix it. Georgi was able to adjust the position of the props and timed my entrance so I don’t have the same problems. It did work much better afterwards. So, overall, mistakes are a good thing.
And to fix the prop issues, Amazon and Velcro are coming to my rescue. It’s definitely easier than glue and snaps. I hope I remember which of the apples is not velcroed to the bowl. lol :) By the way, anyone need 10 yard clear Velcro cheap?
However, even with preparation, things can still go wrong. Back in 2014, during a competition at the Empire Dance Championships where we danced to “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” Georgi’s championship belt fell off in the first 30 seconds of the showcase. We had to improvise a new ending while dancing and make sure we didn’t step on the belt. Thank goodness Georgi can think on his feet!
I’m now back to finishing up the Velcro work and searching for more fake food to add to the table. Maybe I’ll even add some squeaky dog toys that look like food for more creativity. We already have matching light-up Christmas sweaters and comfy pants to complete the look.
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving filled with fun, family, and food. Hope to see you at the Holiday Gala.
About Mary: Mary has been dancing since 2006. She loves dancing Cha Cha, Rumba, and Swing, but her favorite thing is to do showcases. With her husband Joe, they spend their time enjoying the retired life at the Jersey shore, golfing, traveling, and attending rock concerts.
