How to be Prepared for Dance Auditions in New York: one graduating dancer recommends quality over quantity

Abstract

How to be Prepared for Auditions in New York After encountering New York and listening to advice, one dancer recommends quality over quantity—and plenty of preparation and research by Tivoli Evans Here’s why you should choose to audition well, rather than to audition frequently. Last summer, I made the decision to attend The New York Satellite Program, during my senior year of college at University of California, Irvine, to gain some insight about what I want to pursue after graduation. The UCI Drama Department offers a New York Satellite Program as a four-week intensive in the big city, choosing about twenty-six students to take classes from some very well-known Broadway dancers, actors, and teachers. I have always known that I wanted to dance after college, but I was not sure what field I wanted to enter. It was not until I arrived in New York City and started the program that I finally figured out where I really belonged. Like any other over-excited dancer in the program, I spent my first few days trying to attend as many open dance auditions as I possibly could. However, once my New York City program schedule started, I was not encouraged to attend multiple auditions as I had expected. My first thought was, “My teachers obviously do not want me to find work?” and “They clearly do not want me to succeed?” It was not until one of our guest faculty members, Denis Lambert, said, “As a dancer or actor, you need to audition well, not audition frequently,” that I understood why I was wrong. He said it would be better to be 100% confident going into one audition a month, than going into many not being fully prepared. As a performer, it is crucial to know the in’s and out’s of auditioning in New York City. I found out it only takes one good audition to change your life. As an auditioning dancer, you need to pick and choose wisely. Moving to New York and starting a new chapter of life can be terrifying—and expensive. The rent is costlier, the food is more expensive, and you avoid car expenses, public transportation still costs money. According to Brian Blithe, another NYC Satellite professor and theater director in NYC, “A performer needs to have a day job, especially when he or she is first starting to audition for productions.” Finding a place to live and a steady source of income is the first and foremost step. My friend, Bryce Vaewsorn, a NYC resident and fellow performer, currently works at a preschool called Playgarden, as a source of income while he attends auditions on his days off. Another colleague, Laura Hanlon, works as a Pilates instructor at a gym called Equinox down the street from the Metropolitan Opera House, and on her free afternoons, she attends open dance calls. It is more beneficial to keep a steady income and only attend specific auditions that are the right fit and are conveniently scheduled than not having enough money afford rent. In today’s auditioning world, casting agents will be looking for something very specific. As the auditioner, you always want to be ready for anything. In a private interview with Joy Dewing, a well-known casting director, she stated that, while auditioning, “You must be prepared and have done your homework ahead of time” (also a tip she gives in de Giere, listed below). What does this homework entail? Research. Casting calls will list specific instructions for each audition that detail what to bring, what to wear, and what to sing. Do not overlook this information, it is the first thing the casting agents will look at, to see if you can follow directions and if you are actually prepared. In other words, “Don’t waste someone's time if you're 29 and they're looking for a 13-year-old girl, just to be seen” (Hetrick).