Month: May 2014

Trial By Ordeal: Sync Or Swim?

Jessica Sanders / / Trial By Ordeal: Judgement Day

Firstly I couldn’t believe how many members of the general public had stopped what they were doing and gathered round to watch my performance. Many swimmers had stopped on the guide ropes that separate the two pools while others gathered around the poolside. I was quite nervous for my performance as I had many guests coming that where neither synchronised swimmers or drama students and therefore I believed that they may not understand the piece.  Then all this suddenly became irrelevant as I looked up at the steps I had to climb to the diving board…

I’d done it, and survived!

I feel the main challenge was the use of sound as during rehearsal, I had practiced between the hours of 9.30 and 23.15 and therefore the pool was considerably quieter, which made the music easier for myself and the audience to hear. I did not fully anticipate the added nosy that would be created by the busy public swimming in the opposite pool. After hearing some feedback from the audience I feel that some of the voices overs may have been too quiet for them to hear which is disappointing. Therefore if I were to perform this piece again I would have to consider performing at a later time or hiring the entire pool.

The use of the bands worked really well, which was my main worry as I had not used them in a full dress rehearsal before. If I were to do this performance again however I would try to position the ending more in the centre of the pool as I feel some of the audience may not have been able to see the web-like effect I wanted from so far away.

I enjoyed every moment of this module and am pleased with my final piece. I have been able to incorporate the two things I have grown up with and love and make a performance to entertain, excite and inspire an audience.

Enjoy:

 

Trial By Ordeal: Performance Day

Jessica Sanders / / Trial By Ordeal: Judgement Day
30 minutes before performance.
30 minutes before performance.

It is 6.45 and I am due to start in around 1 hour time. I am currently warming up as I won’t get much time in the pool later. I have finally managed to get my yoga bands and have a quick test with them in a public session earlier. I have just begun gelatine my hair, which you normally do for synchronised swimming, to keep it in place during your routine. I have also started applying my make-up, water proof of course, all set for the performance.
It excites me that I am beginning to get asked a lot of questions by the public enquiring as to what I am doing. Many seem to find it odd that a woman is walking about the pool with a cape and plenty of make up on. Me though, I’m oblivious to the spectators and to the audience that I have invited who are now starting to arrive, my biggest fear is going to be stepping off that diving board one last time.

Wish me luck.

20th May: Final Rehearsal- Disaster Strikes

Jessica Sanders / / Trial By Ordeal : The story behind the title

Practicing facial expressions in the pool.
Practicing facial expressions in the pool.

After heading back to my flat today to collect my yoga tape to use in my last rehearsal, I had come across a letter from the post office stating that it has been taken to Gainsborough Post Office, which is, just my look, closed by this time. This means I unfortunately did not get to practice with them tonight in the pool.

Not the fear though as I shall hopefully get a quick play with them tomorrow before my performance. I have my music ready now, edited on one track so my main plan was to keep running through the piece from start to finish. I focussed mostly on building my character during this rehearsal and worked with body movement and facial expressions. In order to practice this I did the rehearsal without googles as these can restrict what the audience can see. I also planned out carefully all the deck work as this would be the most dangerous in case the poolside is wet or cluttered. I also considered where the audience will be sat so I can practice interacting with.

An hour later, with very blurry vision, I think I’m ready.

 

Bits and Bobs

Jessica Sanders / / Trial By Ordeal : The story behind the title
Poster up at Yarborough informing public that the boards will be closed for my performance.
Also spotted this poster at the swimming baths, so grateful they have managed to change the timetable for me 

Poster up at Yarborough informing public that the boards will be closed for my performance.

 

 

Spotted this poster at the swimming baths, so grateful they have managed to change the timetable for me.

Really excited as my costume arrived today so thought I would share it with you all. Get to wear it in the pool tonight.

Red flamed costume
Red flamed costume

 

The music is also ready a raring to go. SPOILER ALERT!!

 

15th May: Coming Together

Jessica Sanders / / Trial By Ordeal : The story behind the title
Practice of Spell Casting Routine
Practice of Spell Casting Routine

After some thinking I decided that It would be much be beneficial in my rehearsal process to have an outside opinion of what certain things looked like from the poolside, which I sometimes had no idea about as I was underwater 50% of the time. It also meant that I could save precious pool time by not needing to keep getting out the water to change the music. This worked well as I was also able to get photos and video of my rehearsal too so I could see what I thought worked well. After only having two days to recover from my previous rehearsal, my muscles were feeling it today, so I firstly did a quick warm-up and stretch before starting any rehearsals to try and loosen myself up a bit.

During this session I began shaping work together and working out the timings for the different music I wanted to use. This would mean that I would only have to edit the tracks ready for the final rehearsal on the 20th of May. My main challenge for the performance was to be able to know when the music would change as I had no underwater speakers. This meant that extra practice with timings would be required. In order to make this easier for myself I decided that I would need dramatic , loud sound queues that I would be able to hear, even under the water.

The main challenge of the day was deciding where I would start my performance as I wanted to enter poolside and walk with the first music already playing. After being sentenced, I would then step into the water. I originally wanted to step off the smaller diving board so as to be already standing over the water however, through discussing with my observer over what would create the best image, I decided; much to my own horror;  I would step off the highest diving board which not only would have a better impact; create more splash and be central but gave me opportunity to react to the fall with the audience. After only taking seconds to convince myself that this was the best options, it then took at least 10minutes to convince myself to actually step off the board. Absolutely terrified and severely out of breath I took the plunge, convincing myself that if I can do it once and survive I can do it again. It also meant that zero percent acting would be required during the walk and trial during by performance as I was, 100 percent, terrified.

For this session I also had a new idea for what material I could use for my final part of the performance. I bought a yoga band to the pool with me as a prop to see what moves and shapes I could create with it. I thought that the band worked well in the water and therefore decided that, if I could get long enough pieces of it, I could also use it for the final piece of the performance. It did not absorb water or sink, it stayed it’s original colour and stretched in the water so would be very durable. Result!Snapshot 2 (26-05-2014 15-55)

 

The dreaded 3 meter drop
The dreaded 3 meter drop