Behind the Scenes
She walked int0 the room. Actually it wasn’t really a room it was more like a hall. The warmth
was nearly unbearable and the amount of people crammed into one space seemed nearly
impossible. There was the scent of sweat, make-up and hairspray. There were no windows
and the wall was furnished with a giant white screen. The walls around it were purple and in
the middle it had a stage. Everybody was running around. She still stood there, at the door.
The people around her were talking, laughing and making jokes. Somebody said ‘C’mon I’ll
show you guys where you can sit’. The Person led them to their spot. It had chairs, some
clothes, and somebody who was there to supervise them. The woman stood up, The Person
stopped talking and the woman introduced herself. It was strictly forbidden to leave the spot
without asking and without her consent. The woman would point out to the girl where her
stuff was stashed. They had to change clothes in a couple of hours till then it was just waiting.
The girl was impressed by this weirdly well-oiled machine. There was some yelling and
screaming, some things were lost but mostly everything was planned into detail. Older kids
were entering through the same door after a while and they immediately sought their place.
They knew what to do.
After an hour of waiting or so, somebody jumped up the
stage. He was welcoming everybody and said that
everybody had to eat and drink enough. He repeated that
everybody should listen to their supervisor. Some
children in the back started laughing and whispering.
The girl did not know what. They were ordered to be
silent and then the man on the stage continued. He was
very happy to see all of us standing or sitting her in front
of him. They would start soon.
Suddenly they
turned the white
screen on. It
showed people
and an
enormous
tribune with
seats. The
people went up
the stairs and down the stairs and up again. Finally
they would take a seat and star e you right in the
face. It seemed to last forever but then the curtains
opened and the show started.
Every year dance school Wensink gives a
performance in Orpheus or in their own building.
Several groups show two or three dances in hip-hop,
jazz, Latin or ballroom. I have participated myself
about 6 times as well and I have seen the shows. The
shows are always built around a theme for example