The Word in the Wings
The Word in the Wings > The Rehearsal Process
The Rehearsal Process
By: Audrey Hammitt
Rehearse: (verb) “1a: to say again: repeat…2: to present an account of: recount…4a: to give a rehearsal for; 4b: to train or make proficient by rehearsal; 5: to perform or practice as if in a rehearsal” (Merriam-Webster)
As a Glorify Dance Theatre artist, after we have finished our warmup ballet class, we begin our time of rehearsal. This season, we have various pieces and performances to learn and practice, and they each have specific footwear (flat ballet slippers, pointe shoes, or character shoes). Once we have our proper shoes on, we find our places for the first piece our Director, Melody, wants to start working on. There can be a wide range of completion as well as familiarity within the pieces, from unlearned, to having a mental understanding of the sequences, to performance-ready. Personally, as one of the dancers who has been a part of the company for over 4 years, I also have another layer of comfortability with pieces that we have done in previous seasons, so this makes it easier for me, since I can recall memories of the dance, versus having to learn the dance from square one. Some days of rehearsals can be less strenuous, especially if I am not in most of the pieces practiced, while other days can require my full energy and focus, such as when we are running a full show.
As dancers, our time and energy spent in rehearsal reveals itself in the quality of our performance. Although much of our rehearsal is unseen directly by our audience, the work we put into the process is vital in producing a product that clearly communicates the ballet’s story and message. The daily repetition of the same dance sequence can grow tiring, especially if we are in the “cleaning” process, when Melody is making sure we all look in sync and have proper technique. However, the repetition also increases our endurance and confidence in the steps, freeing us to dive deeper into the artistry. The corrections we receive in the rehearsal process help to create a more beautiful final product, and often we are able to clarify any confusion among us dancers so we are able to dance unified in mind and movement.
If you haven’t started making your own connections between the rehearsal process I’ve described above and your own rituals and practices, especially in your walk with Jesus, continue reading as I explore the parallels in what we rehearse.
The first similarity between dance rehearsal and rehearsal in life is that it is specific to each person and situation. Only God fully knows what He is preparing us for in life, but we play our part by listening to His Word and the Holy Spirit’s promptings. For example, a person who has had to practice patience many times in their life might feel more comfortable in a new circumstance requiring patience than someone else who has not faced needing to wait for something. It can be easy to compare ourselves to others who seem further along in their faith journey, but God provides what each of us need exactly when we need it. While maturing in our faith and in our understanding of God can feel tiring at times, we are assured that “the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). It encourages me that Jesus is faithfully with us for the long haul, all the way until we are fully united with Him.
"Only god knows what he is fully preparing us for in life"
Other shared themes among forms of rehearsals are repetition and memorization. As dancers, we must memorize the steps and sequences that make up a ballet, and one of the best tools for this is repetition. However, if we practice a step incorrectly, this can lead to injury as well as bad habits that are harder to correct. Similarly, when we want to live our lives in a way that honors God, we must first know His ways before we can practice them. If we have a skewed understanding of God and His Word, this can cause harm to us and others, and it can be difficult to rectify our understanding. After we know more about what living for God looks like (and have received His enabling Spirit), each day presents us with opportunities to rehearse our actions, thoughts, and words, and consider if they are reflecting God’s Word.
A practical way to seal Scripture in our hearts and minds is to memorize verses, chapters, and books of the Bible so that we can readily recall truth to apply to our current situations.
While at times I feel like I am learning the same lessons and confessing the same sins as I have in previous years, I have hope that how God is refining me and strengthening my trust in Him is worth every rehearsal of my utter need for Him. Further, no matter how many times we fall short of righteous living, Jesus meets us with grace, as Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Let us approach God’s throne again and again, each time with more confidence that He will not grow weary of forgiving and strengthening us.
GDT company rehearsals exist for the purpose of our performances. Likewise, our “rehearsals” of walking with Jesus daily are to form us to be more like Him and share Him with others. Although as Christians our focus isn’t on merely performing, we are meant to share the good news of Jesus in how we live. Matthews 5:16 encourages, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” What we seek in life shapes our mindset and persistence. If we are seeking approval from other people, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure we present in an appealing way.
However, we then tie our worth to what fickle, imperfect humans think or say of us. In contrast, when we seek to bring glory to God, we are living out our innate worth as His children and inviting others to look to Jesus. When we are looking to God in all we do, we will also find others along the way who are also fixing their eyes on Jesus, which spurs us on to continue in our rehearsals, whether in a dance studio or in the studio of life.
"...when we seek to bring glory to God, we are living out our innate worth as His children..."
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