Jump to content

Dance Nightmares?


alison

Recommended Posts

This morning I woke up from a not-very-nice dream where I'd suddenly been expected to fill in at short notice as the lead in Raymonda Act III. (Not only can I not even go on pointe, but I've currently got a bit of a twinge in my calf muscle - those relevés would have been hell!)

 

This one was even worse than the previous one, when the Royal Ballet, just before a performance of Swan Lake, was so short on uninjured corps dancers that they needed me and another Ballet.coer to fill in.

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has these nightmares - anyone else want to contribute?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even something as stupid as amateur dramatics. It is the night of the show and you are centre stage, you don't know the show and you certainly don't know any lines, you are just stood there, pure horror with a full audience waiting for you to deliver. I don't do amateur dramatics anymore or rather musicals but I do remeber them nightmares ha ha.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

when I was dancing/teaching/performing etc., I don't recall any dance specific nightmares.

 

However, since retirement I do have dreams involving dance. They are not nightmares per se - but have a negative/frustrated quality to them - the reason for which is not hard to figure out!

 

I dream I can't get my hair (it was VERY long) into a bun - which in real life never happened.

 

I can't find space at the barre - never happened.

 

I am late to class - NEVER happened.

 

I am in the air but can't open my legs into a grande jeté - never happened.

 

I can't find enough space to dance in the centre - never happened.

 

Can't find my pointe shoes or slippers in my dance bag - never happened.

 

Hair keeps coming down in class - never happened.

 

Obviously my psyche is very frustrated at not being able to dance.

 

As for suddenly not remembering the choreography - a famous dancer who was one of my teachers once said "when in doubt bourrée." This did happen once and for three or four counts that's exactly what I did until my muscle memory kicked in again. When I watched it later on tape - it looked fine - no one who didn't know the choreography would have guessed.

 

So, my advice is - if you are having a nightmare where you can't remember the steps - just bourrée! :)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've edited it for you Tulip. :-)

 

I have frequent dreams where I'm en pointe - I stopped dancing aged 6 so it's not something I've ever experienced!

 

Sometimes I know the steps, but more often than not I'm about to go onstage having had no rehearsal at all - SO scary!

 

Edited to add that our posts crossed Anjuli, so should I have the same nightmare again I will try to take your advice and bourree! ;-)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my ds was at White Lodge I dreamt that I'd joined in year 7 and was desperately trying to convince the teachers that I wasn't a plump middle aged woman but a beautifully petite 11 year old!

 

Prior to my sons audition there I dreamt that I gatecrashed the event and danced on the panels table. My son reported having the same dream although he called it a nightmare!

Edited by hfbrew
  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh, the White Lodge Audition nightmares!!! The first time I auditioned, from November when I sent off the application to weeks after the rejection letter, i had such odd dreams almost every night- I was in the wrong audition, with potential JA's, my younger (non dancing!!) sister was utterly outshining me, think in one dream I was an immigrant and ny dad was trying to smuggle my family into the UK, but we needed passport photos. First the seat in the passport booth was too high (My mum in the morning told me that probably meant i knew i was aiming too high), then in one photo I had a headscarf draped over my head.... In another dream, I was at the audition, and did a pirouette and fell straight on my bum- then noticed i was wearing one pointe shoe and one tap shoe!!!! Had one dream in which Gailene Stock was giving me private lessons (I wish!!!) More recently, I dreamt that I had been accepted into RBS SA's-woke up feeling very disgruntled that actually my beautiful 'Yes' letter did not exist!!!! ;)

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always dream i`m back at the Moulin Rouge,only i can never find my costume. In my dream there are rows and rows of them,and i`m the only one who doesn`t seem to know which one is mine. BTW,during my first week there,i REALLY forgot to put my Can Can wig on,and went on stage oblivious without it !!!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My latest nightmare..

We are in the dressing room at a festival when my DD asks me where a vital part of her next costume is.

I reply "I don't know. You packed and told me you'd got everything ready and didn't need me fussing."

She replies "Well yes, everything except the bits that YOU were supposed to pack."

Hang on a minute, that wasn't a nightmare. It was yesterday and it was real. :rolleyes:

Kids, who'd have em......

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

had another very odd one last night- dreamt my Mum's friend came to visit, but Gailene Stock and Jay Jolley were with her!! (no idea why.) anyway, in the dream, my impulsive reaction upon seeing Miss Stock was to do a reverence- which i did, then promptly fell over my own feet.... Whoops ;)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...