WEEK ELEVEN: CREATING A SHOW IN UNDER 47 HOURS

Nov. 1

** This blog post was originally posted as part of a personal challenge I did in 2016 **

Graphic showing a “sneaking” Lauren (LDOT Designs) laughing and holding a prop chainsaw outside of a theatre. It reads “week eleven: create a show in under forty seven hours (warning : craziness guaranteed)”

Let me start off by saying when life gets busy finding time to do my blog posts is WAY more challenging than I expected. But that’s why I am doing this…for a challenge. So here we go. Here’s week 11 only about 7 weeks late!

Graphic that says “better late than never”

Week 11 is a bit of an exception to the rules. It’s less of a goal and more of a “something really cool I did and want to share.” Even though it doesn’t quite fit in with the parameters of my challenge it still fits in with a goal and here’s why:

For Week Eleven I participated in a super cool show called Theatre Under the Gun with a local dance company I’m part of called Broken Rhythms.

Dance and performing has always been a bit of a meditation for me. Whether you’re stepping on stage as a character sharing a story or being you in the raw and putting your soul out there, it’s a high that little compares to. The rush makes hours upon upon hours of rehearsals and aching muscles feel well worth it.

Sometimes I forget what it feels like to not perform. I had stopped dancing for a while when I first moved to Victoria. When I had my first recital after getting back to dance I could feel myself come back alive. It was like a puzzle piece had been missing and clicked into place. I was shocked by how much I had missed it and how much forgotten love I experienced for the stage. I vowed to myself that I would make sure I got on stage more than that once a year recital. ← Remember that goal I talked about? There it is!

recital pictures on Lauren (LDOT Designs) in dance costumes before going on stage from over the years 2013, 2014, 2015 — *Pictures from my 2013, 2014, and 2015 recitals. #shamelessselfies*

Now jump ahead a couple years to February 2015 when that goal became reality and I had my first performance experience with local dance company, Broken Rhythms. This quirky, out of the box company is led by the fabulous Dyana Sonik-Henderson who is one of the kindest, down to earth, eccentric individuals you’ll ever meet. Trickling down from her, every company member is inspirational in their own way. The way their bodies move astounds and pushes me in the direction of the company’s unique style coined “Rhythmical Contemporary.”

Two pictures showing tired Broken Rhythms Victoria dancers preparing for a show in under 48 hours. The first picture is of a cuddle nap pile on a quick break. The second picture is of us going out hair and makeup.

Keeping consistent with their out of the box rep, my first performance with Broken Rhythms was an improvised dance done to spoken word for a show Called Poetry in Motion. For logical, linear, plan everything, lover of structure me, this was a major comfort zone pusher and one of the more challenging things I have done. Since then, I have performed with Broken Rhythms on various shows and each one is equally unique.

And that brings us back to Week Eleven and Theatre Under the Gun…probably one of my favourite Broken Rhythms opportunities to date.

So what is Theatre Under the Gun or TUG? It’s 48 hours of madness that’s what! But for reals, it’s crazy fun and exhausting. Basically you have 48 hours to create a 10 minute piece using props you’re randomly provided as inspiration. Our Props? A chain saw (yes you read that right), an exit sign (the lighting inspiration), a pot with a wooden spoon (sound inspiration), a creepy quote about horderves being like birth on toast or something like that, and a picture of a corpse reaching for it’s water bottle in the desert called “tragedy.”. All very morbid. All made us laugh hysterically.

Three pictures of Broken Rhythms Victoria dancers preparing for their 48 hour show. First one is a group shot with our required props. Second picture is of my (Lauren - LDOT Designs) holding our prop chainsaw and laughing. Third photo is a group shot

As for a summary of the weekend we were in the studio for over 30 hours, exhausted but so excited and proud of what was created. Inside jokes were created, exhausted laughing fits occurred, and like overtired school girls we shared story after story. Also, even though we were exhausted no one killed anyone, so that’s pretty great. Who needs sleep anyways?

Tired Broken Rhythms Victoria dancers preparing, rehearsing and finding moments of rest while we build a show in 48 hours.

And incase you were curious about what actually came from these 48 hours of muscle aches, sweat and laughs here’s the final product. (Note: the video doesn’t have the best lighting. )

Enjoy!