Ten things I learned as a rookie dance ensemble director

1. If you can't sleep the night before your show, but you're dying to get at least a few hours before you need to be up and at the barre-- take a sleeping pill. Do not chug over half a bottle of wine by yourself. This is a bad idea. I learned this.
2. You will feel exhausted in the class the morning of your show. Especially if you only had three hours of sleep, and those were only made possible by copious amounts of chardonnay.
3. Editing music can be frustrating.
4. It is not, however, nearly as frustrating as editing film.
5. Your fiancées/husband/domestic partner may mean well, but their attempts to "help" you are going to give you a fervent desire to duct-tape them to the chimney.
6. If you need to get anything done the night before the show, your significant other should expect to be sleeping on the couch. In the garage. Next door.
7. Sleep is really not that important.
8. If you have any sort of solo work or variation in your concert-- it's creation will be an afterthought. Your priorities lie with the dancers, the ensemble pieces, and the production details; rehearsing/choreographing your variation "later" usually translates to "a few hours before curtain."
9. You are far less nervous when you have work by other choreographers in the show. All you, all terrifying; you and some other 'graphers? Share the nerves.
10. As soon as its over, you'll want to do it again. And again. And again.