Dance Nation

Dance Nation was a coming-of-age play, with multiple dance numbers, performed through Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama. The story follows a group of preteens in an overbearing dance company, who are all desperately trying to claw their way to the top. 

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Many parts of this show are rather sensitive; from scenes describing violence to simulated masturbation to racist and demeaning remarks. The costumes are also revealing to a certain degree, with some characters changing clothes on stage. While doing my usual paperwork and other hard skills, a lot of my job on this production was to make sure intimate material was handled with care. Periodic check-ins with performers and crew members helped me ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone on my team. 

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​This was a huge step for me, as it was my first Assistant Stage Manager job in college, and this process helped me learn to be alright with asking questions, as well as being able to lean on my peers for support. Stage managers come as a team for a reason, and everyone on a production wants it to succeed, so sometimes we have to help each other to achieve that goal. I was often backstage helping with quick changes and moving scenery, because I would not be the leader that people came to with issues if I left my crew out to dry.