auditions

The Art Of Auditioning

March 10, 2015 by 4dancers

Ashley Werhun, Photo by Christopher Peddecord

by Ashley Werhun

Securing a job with a dance company is an intimidating task. I found the journey to be filled with uncertainty and more work than I ever imagined possible. Job openings are rare and available for very brief periods. Some opportunities you need to jump at the moment they open up and others you simply must create for yourself. Similar to the process of making art, there is no finite way to go about bridging the gap between student and professional.

Companies won’t pay for travel expenses to audition, and even once you’re there it’s hard to really be seen. Dancers must be bold and forge their own path. It’s a self motivated, often draining process, in which you must be self-assured.

Here are a few lessons that I’ve learned so far: [Read more…]

5 Steps to Building Confidence For Audition Success

March 18, 2013 by 4dancers

by Grier Cooper

Spring is nearly upon us and for many dancers this means it’s time to audition. *collective groan*. However much you may not like them, auditions are a fact of life for dancers and even though they can be incredibly stressful, they also offer incredible opportunities. So why not prepare yourself to shine in your best light and take advantage of those opportunities? The first logical step is preparing yourself mentally by building your confidence.

So how do you “get” confidence? I mean, it’s an intangible thing, right? It’s not like you can hop in the car and pick up a little extra whenever you’re running low. Actually, confidence is the gift we give to ourselves. How? By changing your mind.

1. Rewrite your story.

Oh sure, you say, if it were that easy I would have already done it. But what if it was that easy? Think about it: we all wander around with an internal tapes about our lives playing in our minds. Every waking minute we are telling ourselves a story. Have you ever stopped long enough to tune in and see what kind of story you are telling yourself? It’s usually not pretty. For most of us, the inner story sounds something along the lines of, “I’m not good enough” or “I could never do that”.

But if you are telling yourself a story all the time anyway, why not make it a good one, right?

It’s time to write a new story. A good story. An empowering story. And once we get that story straight, guess what will follow? Yep, you guessed it. Confidence.

So, take a moment to get clear about what you want. It may come to you as a vision or a feeling. Then begin to write your new story (also called an affirmation). There are only two rules to follow: your story must be written in the present tense (as if it is already happening) and must be simple, short and easy to remember, so it will stick. Let’s say you want an apprenticeship. Your new story might go something like this: “I am clearly and easily guided to take steps that move me ahead in my career.”

Once you’ve re-written your story it’s time to glue it in your brain. Repetition is key. Write your story on a piece of paper ten times every day. Repeat it to yourself throughout the day (although not while riding on the subway because people will think you are a crazy person). Sing it in the shower. Wash, rinse, repeat. Over time it will become your new story.

Affirmation queen Louise Hay on the power of thought:

2. Dress Sharp. [Read more…]

5 Tips For Dance Auditions

February 5, 2013 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

Many years ago when I was a full-time dancer I went to an audition I was especially excited about. A movie was casting dancers for roles–and the director was one I admired a great deal. I prepped for it, worked extra hard in class and outside of it for weeks, steadied myself mentally, and psyched myself up the best I could. When the day arrived, I felt totally ready.

After a short barre, a combination was taught and I picked it up right away. I was chosen to be in the first group, and positioned myself right in front. I performed it flawlessly. Things were going so well!

I got cut–on the first round.

I really felt crushed, and couldn’t understand why they had let me go. For weeks I beat myself up over it until a friend of mine heard my story and laughed out loud. “They wanted short dancers,” she said, “didn’t you read the notice?”

No, indeed, I had not.

What’s the point? Well, the point is, I hadn’t prepared properly–even though I thought I had. And there’s a lesson here too–sometimes you can dance perfectly–and just not be what they are looking for. It isn’t always your fault if you get cut. At times it comes down to a simple matter of genetics, or the preference of a particular director.

That said, with all my time in and around the dance world, I’ve picked up a few tips for auditions that I’d like to share with you today. Hopefully you will find something here to make your life easier the next time you try out for a gig. Here goes: [Read more…]

One Dancer’s Journey: A Little Advice

March 19, 2012 by 4dancers

For those of you who are just tuning in, this series, “One Dancer’s Journey” follows Todd Fox through his in-depth answers to the questions we typically pose in our interviews with dancers and choreographers. We’re up to question #4….

by Todd Fox

4. What advice would you offer other dancers?

I could literally write a book as an answer to this question but that has already been done many times so I will only touch on a few points of interest.

Get over the insecurities and pound that pavement, today!

I frequently hear from young aspiring professional dancers who tell me how they didn’t go to an audition or send out their pictures and resumes for consideration on a gig because they thought for sure it just wouldn’t happen–so why waste time trying. This has never made any sense to me; students will spend years of hard work in the studio improving and expanding their technique/abilities but when it comes time to learn and expand into the actual profession, suddenly they become insecure.

Every aspiring professional dancer needs to realize that auditioning and seeking out employment opportunities in this industry is a learning process unto itself. Just like learning technique, there are dos and don’ts, tips and tricks, and all sorts of trials and errors you will have to go through to learn how to secure employment as a professional dancer. The ratio of being turned down will always outweigh the actual offers of employment–it has been that way since the dawn of the industry and it’s something you are just going to have to deal with.

Everyone has insecurities and nobody likes to be told they are not right for something they really want to do but you have to at least try, otherwise you will never succeed. This industry is filled with stories about professional dancers who ended up getting amazing jobs and opportunities they never thought would happen but because they took that first step and actually tried, it somehow managed to work out. It is imperative that you leave no stone unturned throughout your journey to become a professional dancer… [Read more…]

So You Think You Can Dance? Audition!

December 5, 2011 by 4dancers

If you’ve always wanted to be on So You Think You Can Dance, you might want to check this out…

Auditions for this popular show are going to take place for season 9, starting in Atlanta, GA, January 5th at the historic FOX Theatre. They will continue on Friday, Jan. 13 at the McFarlin Memorial Auditorium in Dallas, TX; Monday, Jan. 23 at the Manhattan Center in New York, NY; Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT; and Friday, March 2 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

Those who shine during auditions are given a ticket to Las Vegas for callbacks, where they will work with top choreographers to learn and then be judged on multiple styles of dance. For more details on auditions for Season Nine, as well as eligibility requirements, go to www.fox.com/dance.

Here are the details: [Read more…]

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

Copyright Notice