With the SassyPants Showcase coming up TOMORROW (yaaaaaaaay!), I know many of my Dear Danglers have been hoofin’ it to rehearsal a few times a week. That work shows, friends! BUT, are you the person people want to stab at open workout? No? Not so fast…
The Three Unspoken Rules of Open Workout
- Don’t use open workout as a substitute for class. Open workout is a time for you to work on what you have learned in class, and feel comfortable working on by yourself. This is NOT a time for you to ask your fellow students to teach you things. They’re there to work on their own stuff! I’m not sure where to begin on how inappropriate that is – it’s like asking to borrow their underwear – you just don’t do it. If someone offers to show you something, that’s a different story (just be careful you don’t pick up all their bad habits).
- Show up. Did you agree to be there – either through the space or through the organizer? Your butt had better be there! It’s frustrating when people RSVP, then ghost – don’t be that person.
- Respect other people’s work. This is a BIG one, friends! Just because someone is working on something where you can see it doesn’t mean it’s yours to use. Not many of us have the luxury of a private studio every time we need to work on our act, and I can’t count the number of times my aerial partner and I were mid-creation on a new piece, only to turn around and see several people piggybacking on what we JUST DID!! Spare me the argument that there’s nothing new under the sun – that’s not the point. It’s about respecting the boundaries of your peers, and treating their work with appreciation, not appropriation. When you see someone working on something awesome, and you’re not sure if it’s “public domain” or not, ask! Most circus folks are incredibly generous, and will graciously let you know if they want to hold on to the move for a little while, or if it’s been around for ages and it’s all yours.
Just One More Thing
Your peers are just that – your peers. They are not your teachers. They may or may not have good technique, they may or may not have an inkling of how to spot you, they may or may not know the contra-indications of a particular move, they may or may not have a clue…. you get the idea.
In closing, DO go to open workout! DON’T be a douche when you get there. 😉 Love and pull-ups, Laura
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