For MacEwan’s theatre students, “playing” on the stage took on a different meaning in their production of Tracey Power’s Glory. In the hockey musical, students translated sport into dance.
“Sports and dance are both just movements of your body – refined for one thing or the other,” says Jaysel Ann Arroyo, a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Music Theatre Performance Major, who played the goalie in Glory. “Sport is more about quickness and recovery – from straight line to straight line. Dancing has more of a flowing, softer quality.”
“Everything is intentional, everything is purposeful. It’s as efficient as possible,” agrees real-life goalie with the Griffins women’s hockey team, Lindsey Johnson, who is completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The two MacEwan students teamed up so Johnson could teach Arroyo a thing or two about hockey – like flashy saves and how to hold the paddle (the part of the goalie stick between the blade and the shaft) properly.
Johnson, who has been with the Griffins for three years, says it was interesting to consider how her sport translates to the stage. “In hockey, we don’t really care about how it looks. We just care about stopping the puck!”
Stage goalie Arroyo says observing Johnson during goalie practice helped her zero in on what she wanted to present on stage: “Bigger movements translate better on stage.”
Understanding how to make things look good on stage isn’t something new for Arroyo. She’s been performing since high school, when she first discovered a love of theatre and creative expression. “If I can't find the words to relay how I feel, I can use movement or dance to express my emotions.”
For Johnson, it’s not as much about movements as it is about moments that keep her coming back to the ice. “It’s the thrill of being the last person back,” she says. “It’s just you versus the person in front of you. And that’s so exciting!”
Helping Arroyo prepare for her role expanded what it means to be a part of the MacEwan community, says Johnson.
“We have a saying in athletics: ‘Griffs support Griffs,’” she explains. “When our team doesn’t have a game, we go and support another team. The idea can follow through to theatre too.”
That’s exactly what the hockey team did. A dozen players and coaches traded hockey stands for theatre seats to support Griffs on the other side of campus during the final performance of Glory.
If you want to be part of Griffs supporting Griffs, grab a ticket to an upcoming Griffins Athletics game or to one of the other productions that are part of the 2024/25 Theatre Season – Heathers runs November 27 to December 1.
