Murder on the Dance Floor
Created | Updated Jul 8, 2003
The Story so far.....
Auditions
As the Springtime leaves were blooming, the auditions for a role in Steppin' Out, to be performed in the Autumn of 2003, were taking place. The atmosphere in the tiny church hall was straight out of 'Pop Stars', with definite 'Pick me!' type smiles and winks being given to the director and choreographer. Over 80 hopefuls turned up for the auditions, which was whittled down to the 25 most rhythmical and graceful. (As one of the 25 I have to say that, don't I!). This happy band will receive tap dancing lessons for the next 6 months, during which time some acting workshops will be used to identify the final 10 cast members. That's 9 gals and one lucky guy.
First rehearsals
'You've got big dreams. You want fame! Well, fame costs, and right here's where you start paying. In sweat.'
The dance teacher in Fame, the movie.
Having survived the ordeal of squeezing into unforgiving black lycra leotards and tights, we started basic tap training. Shuffle hop steps, ball-changes, buffaloes - there's a whole new language as well as new things for the feet to learn! And as the outside temperature rose, so dancing conditions got more and more sticky. Those of you acquainted with The Meaning of Liff will be familiar with an 'elsrickle'. I propose that we need another word which describes this phenomenon magnified by 100.
Tension mounts
On one particularly stressful and sweaty evening, I offered my 'relaxing' pulse point oil1 to the choreographer and some of the girls and they started accusing me of trying to make them too floppy to dance! I ask you! On another occasion, an after-work trip to a pizza emporium was organised, which I reckoned held potential for much poisoning of the pepperoni shenanigans - mwahahahahaha2!
And there's more!
As if Steppin' Out wasn't enough for us to be working on, we're now also doing a song and dance routine - 'Steam Heat' from The Pyjama Game - to be performed at a Revue in September. The intention is that anyone not in the main show will get a chance to do this routine instead, which does improve the odds for one's 15 minutes (make that 4 mins 30 secs) of fame. Stay tuned for what happens next...
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