“Meh.”

That’s what junior Anika Agrawal thought after clicking out of the fifth YouTube video of yet another high school production of “The Addams Family.” No matter which production it was, none of them wowed her. She had the entire summer, but didn’t know where to draw from as she choreographed Hebron’s production.

Despite not having any formal dance training until her freshman year, Anika became a dance captain for “Matilda” her sophomore year. Over the summer, theater director Chelsea Thornburg spoke to Anika about her role as the choreographer for the show. As soon as she found out, she couldn’t stop thinking about how she would emulate the iconic characters.

Before choreographing the show, Anika made two different audition combinations: a beginner’s combination to “When You’re An Addams” — the show’s opening number — and an advanced choreography to “Tango de Amor.” Anika had one goal in mind: for people to move their bodies. She assumed it would be a challenge to “dance dead,” and wanted to emphasize that in her choreography.  

Once the audition dances were choreographed, Anika began working on the show and making sure she had a proper understanding of the storyline. This understanding came to her after watching five separate productions put on by other high schools, as well as the original Broadway production. In her meeting with Thornburg, they realized the 40-person ensemble would not be able to constantly stay on stage together at risk of overcrowding. Their solution was simple yet rare: use the house — dance close to the audience. 

As the cast got closer to opening night, Anika had to work on cleaning each dance to ensure they are as smooth as can be for the upcoming weekend of shows. While she has close friendships with multiple members of the cast, she has to put on a stern facade to ensure work gets done. She said this is a rare occurrence, as she knows the people who have made it this far in the process are committed to a good product. 

Anika said her favorite part of being the choreographer is getting to see her work realized on stage. As a dance captain, she enjoyed balancing responsibility with the ability to mess around with her friends; however, it does not compare to the large-scale impact she feels she has made on the production. 

When watching the performance, Anika wants the audience to feel anything but “meh.”