Performing

My thoughts today have turned towards the rewards of performing.

Early this afternoon, I joined the clogging group to drive 1.5+ hours one-way for a less than 1 hour performance. In order to even be part of the performance group, one has to put in months of practice to learn and perfect the dances. Months of training, hours of driving, minutes of performing.

This evening, I attended the cast party for the recent PHC production of Antigone for which I worked backstage. There, I saw full-time students who had given up the majority of their study time (in some cases sacrificing top grades) for most of a semester to rehearse scenes, build sets, sew costumes, and perfect hair and make-up styles. For what? A two-hour performance on three nights.

From some logical mind, the question is asked, "Is it worth countless hours of sweat for a few minutes of glory?" And perhaps amazingly, the answer is, "Yes." But why? I'm not sure I know the complete answer to that, but there seems to be reward at least three levels--individual, team, and audience affirmation.

1. Sense of individual accomplishment. Everyone likes to be good at something. In the moment of performance, one has put forth personal effort and has achieved a personal goal. A self-judgement can be made regarding one's own performance in meeting that goal.

2. Sense of team and unity. (This came up in the car drive home after the clogging performance.) Humans desire companionship and sense of being needed. Through the hours of preparation relationships have been established. At the time of performance, there is an implied recognition of individual excellence as the team depends on each individual to perform their part. The performance is the cement binding the group/team together in a moment of unity.

3. Last, but far from least, is the affirmation received from the audience. Whether grandpa and grandma or impartial critic, the performers as individuals and as the group desire affirmation from their audience. At every point--from the emotional response during the performance, through the general response at the conclusion, to the remarks made long after the stage is cleared--the audience's affirmation (or lack of it) guides the individual's and group's sense of accomplishment. The most amateurish performance, if well-received by family and friends, may be more rewarding than the polished, professional performance that is harshly critiqued by a leading reviewer.

And on that theory, that I can neither prove nor disprove, I will leave off.