When a person begins a new job, they almost go into it blind. They do not know what challenges will come with the position, what emotions their mind and body will experience, what rewarding aspects will come from the people they meet, the things they do, and the places they go.
This semester I accepted the position of the assistant student technical director for the JMU Dance Program, and next year I will be the student technical director. A brief overview of these positions is the technical director and assistant technical director do it all. We are the main route of communication between the faculty and the dance students, we stage manage all of the dance productions, we are lighting designers for all of the student dance productions, we periodically dabble in acting as lighting designers for the larger dance productions on the mainstage or perhaps in a theatre production, and this is just to name a few of our responsibilities.
We do it all. We are essentially two people doing the jobs of 10 people.
This semester has been a whirlwind. I have learned what it really takes to do this job. I have laughed, I have cried, I have been overwhelmed, there have been times where I felt like the end of a show was never going to come. As the semester has come to a close, I find it necessary to take a moment to reflect on this past couple of months, and to share what I have learned in preparation for the semesters to come.
You CANNOT sacrifice eating and sleeping in order to do your job.
Above all, you must take care of yourself in order to do your job well. My first real week in this position I found myself using all of my spare time getting my other school work done and not taking any of this time to sleep or eat a meal. While it is also vital to complete the work necessary to succeed in one's other subject fields, I watched myself deteriorate throughout the week as I did not make time for everything. You have to be able to make time for everything throughout the day, but you also have to remember that you are only human, therefore you have to make sure that you are surviving also.
Balance is important.
In reference to the reflection before this one, again, we are only human. We are only given so many hours in a day. Therefore, it is important to manage one's time efficiently and effectively. You have to make sure that you are able to handle the amount of work you bring upon yourself. You have to put yourself first, and once that is done, the balance begins to work itself out.
It is OK to be overwhelmed.
My very first time designing lights I cried. My very first time working a show week I cried. It is an overwhelming experience to be put in a situation where you know nothing and have to figure out. But what I had to learn was that I was not alone. I had people who had way more experience then I did willing to help me, all I had to do was ask. And once I had gotten over that initial fear, I found success.
New experiences are important.
Designing lights and working backstage was an experience that I always wanted, but did not know how to achieve. I was approached about this opportunity, and it was perfect. I knew that this was exactly what I was looking for. It was just enough of a new experience that was still involved in a world in which I loved, and it gave me a chance to be even more a part of the artistic process. I not only get to tell stories through performance, but I get to take dance pieces into a different world through lights.
Understanding the backstage process of a performance makes an individual a better performer, and I am looking forward to the chance to continue exploring.