The Open: 11/28/23

Watching the Showcase division on Friday night, I was seated next to a French couple I didn’t know. When Joel and Chantelle came out, I didn’t so much cheer as howl (if you’ve sat with me watching routines before, you know) and the man next to me recoiled in alarm. I apologized, telling him that they were my friends that I practice with. He smiled understandingly and responded, “That will be me later.”

Just before his own friends came out, he turned to say, “I practice with them, so it feels like their routine is my routine”, placing a hand over his heart.

Then he let out an “Allez” so forceful you’d think he was storming a castle, not watching a dance, and I found myself standing and cheering just as loudly for a pair of strangers as I did for my own friends.

There’s a lot more to say about The Open, but this shared moment with a stranger stuck with me: a reminder of the power of live performance, not just for those of us who put our art out there under the lights, but for those who bring their energy to the audience all weekend and create the unique magic of that space.