Discover Top Posts Tagged with #jo+jax

i suck at intro’s but hey everyone, i don’t know why i feel nervous about being here, i guess i haven’t rp’ed in a long time but im also very excited! i’m jo and i’ve brought in a new muse of mine, jax. i’ve posted his intro onto his blog and pinned if anyone wants a read..

can’t wait to get to know you all, interact and just have a good time! (:

#jo | jax

[. . .] *JJ: Andy Blankenbuehler’s aesthetic is such a cool fusion of hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, and more traditional musical theatre dance. What is it like to dance his choreography?* EO: Andy’s work is so rewarding to perform, but it’s very physically and mentally taxing. I love getting to use every aspect of my training in the show while also challenging myself as a storyteller. Everything Andy does is story driven, so we’re constantly talking about intention and focus. For him, it’s hardly ever about a trick or technique. We’re all trained dancers, so our technique is there to support us, but he would rather see a battement at 45 degrees and our storytelling be true than see flawless technique with zero performance quality. *JJ: Explain the role of a “swing.” Had you swung before? What are the challenges and thrills of the job?* EO: A swing is an understudy for the ensemble who are always on call at the theatre to go on if someone is on vacation, sick/injured, on for a principal role they understudy, or gets hurt mid-show. In our show there are 5 ensemble women, so I know each of those girls’ dance tracks and vocal parts. Additionally, I’m a ‘universal swing’, which means I also do the same thing for the 2 touring productions, which are not carbon copies of the Broadway production. Prior to HAMILTON, I’d never swung before, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into—but it’s been an incredible experience. Keeping track of their vocal parts is super difficult because the whole show is sung through and the girls are never singing the same part, but I love getting to perform each track on stage. I never get bored of doing the same thing every night because things are constantly changing. It’s a constant shot of adrenaline. *JJ: You’re not necessarily on stage every night. How do you stay in shape—both physically and mentally—for going on at a moment’s notice?* EO: This is probably one of the hardest parts about the job. Sometimes you don’t find out you’re going on until 30 minutes before the show, which makes it difficult to know how hard you can push yourself at the gym or in class. I’ve definitely had a show where I pushed myself a little too much in Pilates, walked out of class feeling super sore, and found out I was on that evening. All that to say, I take care of myself the same way I would if I was in a track every night. I try to workout a couple of times a week (I love taking Pilates and hot yoga), I do vocal warm-ups every morning to stretch my range, and I try to eat a fairly balanced diet. I definitely indulge in treats at the end of the week though! Mentally, I made a track sheet for every single one of the girls I cover. If I’m on in a track I haven’t done in awhile, I have a little 8-10 page document I can skim through that reminds me of the idiosyncrasies of that track, where to set/drop a prop, where I do a costume change, etc. It’s an easy refresher that makes sure I’m 100% confident before the show starts. [. . .]

Behind the Scenes with Hamilton Swing, Eliza Ohman (Jo + Jax)

more on her audition process & getting to Broadway in the full interview!

#hamilton #eliza ohman #swings #jo + jax #interview