Cas reflection six: Kahaani
LO2- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
LO4-Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Taking part in Kahaani was a wonderful and super fun experience! I really enjoyed working with my group and performing with them. However, Kahaani also brought challenges with it, and it wasn’t all fun and easy. Kahaani took place in the final week before Chinese New Year, and only a week after Aida finished. At this point in the term I was very tired, and it became hard to stay motivated, and to enjoy the rehearsals that finished at 8.30! I struggled to maintain my energy, something which is very important for a dance show. However I found that working with my fellow group members to stay motivated helped. We would get into costume and makeup together, and practice our dance. This gave me an energy boost, and was a lot of fun. I think staying motivated and passionate was incredibly important for putting on a good performance, and so I was glad I could work with others to stay motivated.
Kahaani was a challenge for me from the start, as I had very little experience with the type of dance we were performing, and had never been part of a purely dance based show. It was intimidating to undertake a challenge like this, particularly when I knew that on performance night, it would be obvious if I didn’t know what I was doing. However I worked hard in all our rehearsals and met up with members of my dance to practice. I even enlisted my younger sister to critique my dancing! By performance night, I was at least confident that I wouldn’t embarrass myself. The performances were fun and enjoyable, and I think that was a result of my extra practice as otherwise I would have been stressed about remembering the steps the whole time. Kahaani was an amazing experience and it taught me a lot of new skills.
CAS Reflection five: AIDA
LO2- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
LO4-Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Several weeks have passed since the closing night of Aida, and looking back on my experience, I can honestly say that it has changed me for the better. I knew when I auditioned that Aida would probably be the last production I was a part of at UWCSEA, and that was on my mind throughout the final weeks of rehearsal and performance.
Aida, like all productions, was an enormous commitment, and one that took quite a toll on me towards the end. There were many aspects of Aida that I found challenging. One of these I mentioned in my first reflection on Aida, back in September; dancing. I did not have much experience with dancing and choreography before Aida, but throughout the rehearsals, my confidence and comfort grew. By the time of the performances, I was not worried about the dancing at all! This is definitely partially due to the support and friendship of other cast members with whom I formed a real bond. My experience with Aida encouraged me to approach similar challenges in the future with an open mind, and the confidence to ask for help if I need it.
While Aida was certainly challenging at times, I didn’t find it hard to maintain my drive and motivation for it. My experiences with the performing arts in the past gave me the experience to know that all the hard work would be worth it in the end. The late nights and exhaustion were at times frustrating but made the experience far more special. This production required a lot of time, effort, and dedication, but knowing that the whole cast was in it together and that the final performances would be amazing was really motivating. I was also inspired by the commitment of the directors, band, costume crew, and tech crew, who put in as much if not more effort than us. It would have been almost impossible to stay focused and positive if I had not been part of such an incredible cohort, who all helped each other to persevere.
Looking back on Aida, it’s hard not to feel a little sad that it’s over, but I’m so grateful for what I learned and experienced while being part of this amazing show!
