evil has once again gained cultural attention and is woven into the fabric of our collective consciousness. is the subject of late night program and SNL skit Our social media feeds are filled with that viral choreography. But in this December moment, if Advent was Advent, evil This song isn’t “Dancing Through Life” or “Popular.” Advent is not a polished performance with perfectly synchronized steps. It’s like an unscripted, raw, and sometimes awkward dance. If it was Advent evil This song will be a duet at Ozdust Ballroom.
I don’t connect the church’s current liturgical moment with the box office’s current hit simply because it’s on the calendar. There’s a new scene evilThe film adaptation helps us understand the importance of waiting for the seasons while following Jesus. But first, some background. evil.
evil reconsider the story of wizard of ozfocuses on the complicated friendship between Elphaba, a misunderstood green-skinned girl, and Glinda, the cheerful “good witch.” Set in the magical land of Oz, this musical touches on themes of power, identity, and social expectations, and has produced unforgettable hits such as “Defying Gravity,” “Dancing Through Life,” and “popular.” I am.
It was originally a book and then performed on Broadway. evil Fortunately for music lovers, this movie has now been made into a movie. I think that making a movie comes with the pressure and weight of expectations, but director Jon M. Chu seems to have overcome this situation (defying gravity?). Relies on practical sets rather than CGIhe leans into movement and song to tell a deeper story.
Ethan Slater, who plays me in the movie, I remember the speech Chu gave to 100 dancers. On the set of “Dancing Through Life,” one of the biggest musical numbers in the movie. Slater emphasized that Chu loves telling stories through dance, and said he wants his performers to tell their stories through movement. Slater remembers Chu’s next line: “I’m not here to chop up your moves and tell you my story. I’m here to help you tell your story through dance, and we’re all in this together.” According to Slater, Chu maintained this energy and attitude throughout the filming process.
Chu emphasizes that musicals shine when the music feels like a natural extension of the emotion. He describes his goal as making the transition from conversation to song so seamless that the audience doesn’t even realize they’re entering a musical moment. Looking back on “Defying Gravity,” he said:Suddenly you’re in a song you don’t even know you’re in yet”, emphasizing the improvisation and raw beauty of music’s ability to express deeper truths.
Unlike the precision of Broadway numbers, Advent feels like an improvisation.
What better time than Advent to think about deeper truths? This is the season in which we enter into the story of Christ’s salvation. Even though the church calendar calls us to wait, it is heavy with holiday cheer and big emotions. The center of Advent is tensionabout living in the “already, but not yet” of God’s story. Advent means “coming,” but we are called to wait. We declare that we have done what God said He would do, and we ask Him to do what He said He would do.
Unlike the precision of Broadway numbers, Advent feels like an improvisation. It’s awkward and raw. Even though we are in the midst of something we don’t fully understand, we wait in anticipation for what’s to come. However, this waiting is not passive. It is a fragile engagement with both God and time itself. Advent is not a season of resolution, but a season of living in unresolvedness. evilduet.
In the film adaptation of evilthe Ozdust ballroom scene brings a new dimension to the story. Chu explains how Movie scenes differ from the stage version: “In our film, all of that had a larger purpose. It’s this big turning point where their relationship starts to become real, and how space and geography helps express them.” The way Chu frames this scene reflects Advent’s own invitation to pause and engage with something deeper, more raw, more honest.
As the scene begins, the tension between Elphaba and Glinda is evident. Earlier in the evening, Glinda embarrasses Elphaba by giving her an outrageous hat to embarrass her at a dance. But when Elphaba steps onto the dance floor, surrounded by silence and a gaping audience, she puts down her hat and dances not to blend in with her surroundings, but to express herself, vulnerable and trembling. Her movements are raw and unrefined, a stark contrast to her previously sophisticated routines. Elphaba then puts on her hat. This moment of weakness changes something within Glinda, and she silently complies and joins Elphaba. Their rivalry has been put aside and we are now witnessing a moment of connection. They move through the motions together as a call and response, the dance takes hold, and we realize we’ve witnessed a change in the story and characters.
Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, I remember we spent a day and a half filming this scene.described it as “a complete pin-drop silence, and it felt like everyone in the room was very close to Cynthia, and it was a very warm space considering what she was giving all the time.” Explaining. Grande intentionally didn’t learn choreography in order to make the moment when Glinda joins Elphaba as authentic as possible. We are both like little wild deer trying to find a way to greet each other and speak the same language. It’s so beautifully awkward and I love it. ”
Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, stock How the original choreography for the Ozdust scene didn’t match how she saw her character. in evilIn the stage production, Elphaba’s movements were meant to be funny. But by telling the story through the film, we were able to focus on the pauses and subtleties to reveal more intimate aspects of the characters. The choreography evolved so that the movements almost narrated Elphaba’s inner journey. Every time she was filmed, she danced from start to finish, crying at the end of each take as she tried to embody the emotion of the moment. as Erivo explains it“All of[Elphaba’s]vulnerability had to be on the outside. That’s what she channels.”
Throughout the movie, Chu patiently endured the close calls between Elphaba and Glinda. “You can’t rush that.” he said. “I felt like I needed every beat.”It was a mentally exhausting day, but Erivo still explained it as “the most special moment I’ve ever experienced.” It really feels like magic. ”
The vulnerability of the scene, its awkward movements, the way the camera pauses in unsaid moments, in hesitation and longing, all reflect our Advent journey. Just as the dancers on the stage do not rush toward the climax, Advent calls us to wait, not to rush toward resolution, rather than to live in anticipation.
Although this waiting is necessary, it doesn’t always feel intuitive. James K.A. Smith It suggests that the Christian life is not about skipping to the last verse. it’s about learning live During the song, feel the rhythm and move along with the dance. “The faithful Christian life is about keeping time with the Spirit…’What should we do now?’ That is one of the fundamental questions of discipleship. ”
Knowing what season and time we live in requires a kind of dangerous foresight. Smith describes how the church’s worship calendar helps with this as a “soul proofing technique” that shapes us and guides our lives over time. A response to God’s unfolding story. The Church leads us into this dance through the rhythms of the liturgical calendar, helping us to attune our hearts to the deeper movements of God’s work. Advent draws us into this rhythm of waiting. It is not a passive suspension, but an active inhabitation of time, and like the dancers in Ozdust, we learn how to “wait” with anticipation and grace.
In Advent, we too are invited into the uncertain and unfinished. Rather than being handed a neatly choreographed number, we are asked to participate in a story that is still unfolding. Advent does not demand perfection, it demands presence. Just as Elphaba and Glinda’s duet does not seek a perfect performance, but rather an emotional connection, Advent invites us to connect with God in the unfinished, unfinished spaces of our world and life. invite us.
Ozdust’s scenes create space to express the emotional complexity of the moment. The choreography slows down, and the camera shows what is unspoken between Elphaba and Glinda: the former tentatively reaching out for connection, the latter hesitating. It is in the quiet, uncertain moments that the emotional weight of the scene is felt. This is Advent. We live in tension, in pause, and in waiting. We are given a piece in a minor key and asked to answer it.
