We all like to think we are brilliant. I for one like to believe that every labor of love that I create whether it be dance, theater, or costuming– is in short, sheer brilliance. Then once I recover from lack of sleep I find I can look more objectively at the work and ask, ” Was the work great or could it have been better”. A lot of the time, I know I could have asked for more from myself. A newer performer once asked me how many numbers did I have ready to go. I had to carefully subtract the crappy one off numbers that simply just didn’t work and I never plan on redoing them to make them work. Now understanding your ability to create crap can help you better appreciate you ability to create masterpieces so, this is why I strongly advocate the following:
Ask why!
If a number doesn’t go the way you planned, ask yourself why.
As much as I may cringe at the thought of watching video where I make a mistake, I know I have to watch it. Sometimes, the mistake isn’t noticeable to the audience. Sometimes, watching that disasters helps me to understand how I can change a routine to make it better. Sometimes, what we think we are saying on stage, is not what the audience understands and by objectively watching a performance you can see what people are cheering about, why people aren’t cheering, and whether some costume choice or dance movement is not as fabulous watching it as it felt doing it. Don’t be afraid to ask the big questions. It will make you better at what you do.