Forgotten: To feel strong independently…

The first performance of IASAS Drama and Dance showcases will be shown tomorrow to the ISKL community. This performance will mark the first show that I will accomplish as my first and last time as ISKL IASAS Technician. That’s right. ‘First’ and ‘last’ in the same sentence, as befits my situation. I’m not planning on taking the same position next year, hoping to concentrate more on academics and maybe even try out for badminton.

I guess some people think I’m going to do it again next year, maybe that’s why they’re not planning to come to this year’s performances. With excuses like “Oh, ISKL dance is like same thing all the time…nothing new to watch” and “Ahh…the drama cast is so young, probably not that good to watch”, it really shocks me at how prejudiced the whole community and even my friends are. Then again, I failed to communicate to them that I want them to come so that I myself could feel accomplished. I’ve spent a lot of time working on lights for both casts, and I’m proud of it. However, I guess I feel forgotten when some said that they’re not coming. It felt like all that time I’ve spent working on my lights, all that time the drama cast have gone through to write an original script, all that time the dancers have put in to create original choreography was all for nothing.

So what if the dancers seem to use the same choreography every time? It’s their style. You haven’t even seen the show and you’re never going to see it, so how can you even comment on it? I can tell you one clear difference about the dancers. In last year’s show “A Thing of Beauty”, ballet was incorporated into most of the show, whereas in this year’s show “Façade”, they decided to break the IASAS tradition and use no ballet whatsoever. About the Drama cast, so what if they’re young and maybe inexperienced? Well, they’re no longer inexperienced, I can definitely tell you that! In fact, I’ll even go as far as to say that they’re going to amaze the audiences who actually do come to see it.

I’ve just realized something. It really doesn’t matter if you come to watch or not, I’ll still feel accomplished either way. Sure, I’ll feel forgotten, but that’s only a one-time lapse. I have had great times with the dancers and the actors, and I feel that we’ve all done a good job, and we’ve extended ourselves to the limits of our areas. That’s really the only thing that counts.

I’ve learnt so much taking this position. I actually prefer lighting dance shows than drama shows, because of the concentration that I give to it seems to be much more focused and intense. Before all of this, I had a prejudice against dance shows. They seem way too hard, and way too limiting. That wall has broken down. It’s a whole new world that I’m going to explore.

Ling