Working on 'La Vi Boheme'

At the commencing for Rent rehearsals, the first song we've started working is 'La Vie Boheme' which takes place just coming up to end of act 1 where the whole gang are together at somewhat café - obviously a regular place. The number really gives the actors a chance to be free with no boundaries, really portraying the strong bohemian to this group of characters. In context, Benny critisises Maureen's protest and the group's bohemian lifestyle, therefore edges Mark and the rest of the group to rise up and oppose to this by celebrating it. To really get the right feel to this song when working on it, we all though that once learned the song, the blocking of it should be improvised and free to do what the actors feel so we can really catch this care free and unrestricted element to the setting of the song. I must say, doing this was great fun because it gave chance for to put in there own individual ideas and visions that all combined together and it strongly helped with bohemian nature of the song. Obviously we couldn't leave the song at that because there were bits where set choreography would work really well.
Being at a long table opened and sparked many ideas for choreography where we could all use the fact we were behind a big long table - rather than it look like a dead weight in the scene. We came up with set movements that we would all recite perform as one - with the purpose of creating a community and unit amongst this unusual group of characters that carry the show. There is also a drumming section that cannons from one end of the table to the other, and heavily requires on timing in order to work effectively. I struggled with this mostly due to the fact that a weakness of mine, as a performer, is timing and rhythm of a song - especially when singing. To overcome this struggle it is just a matter of listening to that section of the song over and over to make sure I get my drum pattern correct.
However, the majority of the song is improvised and not choreographed which in my opinion works absolutely brilliantly in the sense that it really conveys the freedom and spontaneity of these characters together.
I think a strong target for all the cast in regards to this number is to just be confident and free, and have no hesitations and no care of how you may look. Go for it with all your heart!