Efren Corado: On a Journey We Go!
“On a Journey We go!” is the last thing we say before boarding the cars. For instance, as we head on tour to Casper Wyoming, we are due to encounter closed roads, snow storms and who knows what. We know that we have the potential to experience any roadblock foreseeable. On the last trip to Idaho, we witnessed and acted as first responders on an accident where the vehicle had rolled across the high way.
Our readiness for the stage also translates to our lives and on the road. We take several risk management strategies. Linda, our Artistic Director, never lets our gas fall below half a tank. This time dancers brought extra food in case we become stranded on the side of the road. Another component that we as dancers need to manage before we arrive at any touring location is our diet. I must be honest by saying the women of the company have a greater hold on how to prepare their meals during our trips. They come with extra bags of everything from preplanned meals, cooking utensils and snacks. And even though it can be a difficult to pack it all in, it serves a greater purpose. It helps maintain a healthy diet, a digestive system that is not affected by gas station food and a performance ready mentality.
Planning to get on the road is endless. Trying to decipher what to do with out lives while we are gone is another story. We all have families and, unlike taking a vacation for personal gain, leaving on tour is a bigger burden than it appears. One example is my dog, the thing that wakes me up at 7am every morning. As a single dad to my furry ball of love and tenderness, I have to make sure there is someone to look after him. I cannot leave him for too long with any one person and one week of dog care is widely different than two to three weeks at a time.
We have to cover our side jobs as well. Some teach up to 15 classes a week, others work at stores and restaurants alike. Life is also filled with administrative responsibilities, bills and emergencies. For example, 3 years ago we were traveling to Vernal. My dog, Jamie, had to be rushed to the emergency room. Navigating emergencies from afar is never easy or pleasant. For us, turning back is hardly an option. The show must go on.
What I’m unraveling is how involved touring can get. Traveling can be exhausting yet woven with opportunities to share our art-form with new communities and to see the outdoors across American soil.
Efren Corado, born in Guatemala, has been with the company for six years. He holds BFA from Chapman University, MFA from University of Utah and is also a Certified Movement Analyst
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