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Published: October 25th 2013
Jewel Production Cast Hootin' it up!
First night out with all the singers, dancers and gymnasts. What a crew ;DRising this morning, I smile...until I try to push myself out of bed and hear a cacophony of objections from countless body parts not willing to be pulled out of their time of rest. My arm gives out, my abs don't even respond, and my legs collapse as I put them on the floor. It's 6am and we have six hours of training ahead of us at the studio, followed by weight training and perhaps some more choreography practice at our residences. Even so, I find myself chuckling, smiling at the apparent impossibility of the coming day, knowing that this feeling has been overcome each and every day so far.
We are in Tampa, Florida and it's day 9 of four weeks of rehearsals. Thanks to a team of coaches and cast members, we have made huge strides in learning the shows to be performed on the ship, the Jewel, beginning in one month time. The crew consists of 12 performers in total, with 6 dancers, 4 singers, and two gymnasts that will dazzle and amaze in the shows; 'Band on the Run', 'White Hot', several 'bumper' short five minute song & dance numbers, and the finale show, 'Le Cirque
Norwegian_Jewel_Cruise_Ship
My home for the next six months Bijou!'. During the past week the focus has been on learning the songs, dances, and aerial acrobatics of the final cirque show, which lasts 45 minutes, performed twice on the final day of each week-long cruise. This show has me personally performing flying silks, solo and duo lyra (flying hoop), solo bungee trapeze, hand balancing, silk drops, and three-person high silks, with a mix of tumbling and dancing throughout. If these terms are new for you, then you're in the same boat as me two weeks ago! Rosh, the other gymnast and long time best buddy of mine will be my partner on duo acts, and is also responsible for a solo strap act, porting and silk porting for the three-person high finale. Spending most, if not all of our waking hours together training, working out, attempting to dance choreography, eating and watching videos of how to actually dance and perform, and comparing bruises and body pain has actually been incredibly successful, and has kept me from laughing and walking right out of the contract after hearing the acrobatic expectations and seeing the dances that need be learned. Almost all of the acro and dance is new for the both
of us, so training often involves a circuit like this: attempt, fail, admire new wound, attempt again, and again, and again. Something eventually starts to click and before we knew it we had learned most of the acts, just needing to be cleaned up and repeated many more times. The other members of the cast are all veterans of this cruise game, and know how to step it up and learn each show with such quickness and with great accuracy and sharpness. Really impressive and motivating.
Here's a quick word about each member of the cast:
Chrissy - melts hearts with her magical Asian voice
Adam - the heroic barbecuing british singster goof
Tony - Master of ceremonies and of wisdom
Lisa - flashy, sexy, and creates good times, even in vans
Melissa & Martina - twins, crazy talented fluid dancers and sweethearts
De'Niko - flight and dance captain, fierce in all it's connotations
Ron - humble and graceful, singing musicals and grinding at all times
Leroy - stoic, yet knows how to party, and eat, and dance, and adventure
Charlie - stellar dancer and soul mate of Leroy, mesmerizing
jewel toronto training
First week of pain...and gain moves
Sloan & Rosh - "Slap & Pound" - 'nuf said.
And of course our production manager, Heather, the sometimes sane Mexican-American cackling fireball of energy and wonder.
So that's who I spend all my time with. It's a close-knit group already, and after celebrating De'Niko's birthday at a chic, stylish restaurant (Hooters) last week, a lot of gregarious and eccentric personalities have started to reveal themselves and come out to play. It really will be a team for the next six months, and as the only noobs working on a cruise ship, Rosh and I will get a lot of help learning how to turn this thing into one non-stop adventure. Advice on where to get out scuba diving license, the best Mayan ruins to climb, how to get to high ground at each port, the best authentic little bars and clubs on the beaches, and a few more nefarious tips have raised our excitement about actually getting on the ship...That's if we manage to make it through the gruelling installation coming up November 10-24.
As for the ship, it's one of the bigger Norwegian Cruiseline ships, with a capacity of about 2300 guests and
1100 crew. Our home port is New Orleans, where we will return at the end of each week to grab the next group of vacationers and head out again to fight pirates and all that. Our main circuit over the winter has us porting at Montego Bay,Jamaica,Georgetown,Cayman Islands, a few places in Mexico and back to NO. An alternating itinerary could have us stopping in Costa Rica and Belize as well. It's going to be tough for me to wear shorts all year, knowing I could have been biking around downtown Toronto in winter weather...but I'll try not to get so tanned that I become unrecognisable.
The job comes with a lot of perks, the first of which being I have a cabin all to myself on board. Though tiny, it has enough space to stretch out on a double bed and a small desk to 'work'. The ship has all the usual amenities, including a casino, karaoke rooms, golf driving rooms, a whole bunch of restaurants, gyms, pools, spa, big deck and of course, the performance theatre, most of which I have access to when I'm not in a show. I'll be working 3-4 nights a week, during
the evenings for a few hours, and other than training and a few chores I'll have most days off to recover and, on port days, to explore some incredible destinations.
I think the ultimate perk is the possibility of having a guest stay with me on board...for free! As long as the ship is not at capacity, I technically have a two person room (one bed) and so at any time a guest can stay for a one week cruise, hanging out, watching the shows, exploring the ship and on land when we port. The only cost would by a return flight to New Orleans or from anyplace we port. Hearing from experienced cruisers, Holidays and spring break are usually busier but most other times there is room for guests. So start looking at flights because it's time for an adventure!
It's just the beginning but I'm thinking that after my body gets used to the demands of the cirque show and my brain starts to be able to handle the dance choreography it could turn into a pretty memorable winter. It's tough being away from family and friends, especially since so much of this I would want
to share with you all, but I know I have a lot of support, and I'll be home much sooner this time, I promise! The contract ends in May, and I just submitted my application to grad school for an MA in Elementary School Education which would start after I get back from this circus adventure. So remember, I didn't run away, I'm just taking a seasonal working excursion!
I'll have my computer and internet, with skype and fbook up from time to time to stay in touch for now, with the possibility of a phone once I get on the ship. Keep your eyes out for a few training videos and pictures, and more importantly tell me when you want to come for a quick cruise!
For you will be amazed by.... "LE CIRQUE BIJOU!"
Be well and flip fast,
Sloan a.k.a. 'Pierre Genticoeur'
ps. don't worry, we are being safe and not taking any major risks :D
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Bunker
non-member comment
Looking good!