Jet-lagged but smiling, I entered Scapino Ballet’s studios. We had just returned from our two-week Christmas holiday, and after some cancelled flights, I finally made it to Rotterdam from visiting my family in Dallas, Texas.
During my nine-hour flight, one thought consumed my mind: Cathedral.
Since the production’s premiere in November 2024, we had completed 14 successful shows across the Netherlands. Performing Marcos Morau’s Cathedral had become second nature, so why was I still so fixated on it?
My answer walked into the studio in the form of Daphne van Dooren, glowing in a specific way. She paused as everyone gathered around in anticipation before announcing, “I’m pregnant!”
Joy radiated through the room as hugs were exchanged and affectionate hands lightly touched her stomach. It was a beautiful moment of delighting in someone else’s happiness.
Her announcement also meant I would take over her role in Cathedral for our next performance and the remainder of the tour – roughly 25 shows.
As an intern with Scapino for the 2024-25 season, I was cast in Cathedral, primarily in group sections, but I was also understudying van Dooren. Her role includes an intricate solo, a complicated duet coined the “turning duet,” Dutch dialogue and several acting moments dispersed throughout the 70-minute show.
Her character holds a commanding presence. In Cathedral, the stage transforms into a dystopian world where we, as dancers, act as androids fighting to find humanity in an isolated landscape. Morau describes van Dooren’s character as the leader of this alternate universe, often directing the other dancers in an abstract version of a dictatorship.
With only a month to learn the original version of Cathedral, we didn’t have time to focus on understudy or emergency parts. Yet, ever the selfless and forward-thinking person she is, van Dooren went out of her way to prepare me. We stole moments to talk through her part, just in case I ever needed to perform it.
Before the holidays, van Dooren told me that I would take over her role upon our return. It was time to transition the hypothetical into reality, which was more daunting than I expected.
Fast forward to January: I was crammed into the window seat of an airplane watching the Dallas city lights shrink into specks. As soon as the plane leveled, I whipped out my laptop to study a video of the Cathedral premiere, analyzing van Dooren’s every move. I wrote notes with surgeon-like precision, hoping my brain would somehow translate them into physical movement.
My mental preparation, combined with two rehearsal days and van Dooren’s mentorship, led to my debut in the role. Standing backstage, her words echoed in my mind: “Take it one thing at a time.”
And that’s exactly what I did and continue to do every time I perform. Moving from section to section, I focused on each task instead of the overwhelming concept of the entire show. Immersed in the character, I blinked, and suddenly, I was bowing before an applauding audience.
Van Dooren’s guidance has influenced the way I approach my own work, reinforcing that being a strong artist also means being a reliable and kind colleague. Through her actions, she demonstrated the professionalism I strive to embody: generous, patient, and willing to support those around her.
Reflecting on my time at Scapino, one of the most valuable things I’ve learned so far is how to force calm in the face of anxiety. Performing a role with little rehearsal time is a reality of professional dance. Mistakes will happen—whether it’s forgetting steps or fumbling with a prop—but professionalism is defined by handling these moments with grace and composure. Most of the time, the audience won’t even notice.
Since January, I have performed this part over a dozen times, evolving the character into a version that best represents my strengths. Cathedral has been a defining part of my internship, and it is a piece I will carry with me throughout my career. Ashton Benn 3rd February 2025
Ashton Benn was born in Dallas, Texas in 2002 and graduated from the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance in Los Angeles in May 2024. She gained a BFA in Dance and an MA in Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture), both from USC. She was awarded the USC Presidential Merit Scholarship and now lives in Rotterdam where she is a participant in Scapino’s Young Talent Programme.
