Auditioning - an art form

My take on dance auditions

The audition – an opportunity, a test, just a free class (well hopefully free). No matter how you view an audition there is still an inevitable sense of nerves as you enter a room full of other hopeful candidates and face a set of judges that will decide which of these will graduate from hopeful to successful.

In the past 3 months I have built up the courage to attend six auditions (there have been others I haven’t felt able to), and with another big audition coming up on Saturday for the infamous Hofesh Shechter company, I felt it would be a good time to analyse my progress in the professional practice of ‘auditioning’.

Like any other art form it takes practice to become a master – but yet every time you practice auditioning you are also performing the work of art. There is no trial run, no dress rehearsal, no mock attempt. And finding opportunities in which to practice your technique can be extremely difficult as so many auditions call for an application process that decreases your chances of even being invited to show what you can do. This is why the majority of auditions I have frequented have been ‘open’ – anyone can turn up, but with this comes some of the worst possible aspects of audition practice. Long hours of queuing in all weathers – listening to your competitors chatter about their agents and their work at Harrods or similar, large sweaty rooms filled to bursting with sequin-and-fishnet-clad women all attempting to stretch in a Tetris configuration and the overwhelming sense that you are as invisible as the minimal air around you are all symptomatic of the open-to-the-world audition.

From my experience of these situations and watching other people around me I have come up with the following techniques for the art form that is auditioning:

·         Wear something you feel comfortable in, that shows your figure and you are able to move in – trust me, worrying about your ever-increasing wedgy or your nipples being on show severely decreases your ability to dance

·         Be prepared for everything – take your C.V and headshot - even if you’ve already sent it by email, take all your different dance shoes – just because you’re going to a ballet audition doesn’t mean they might not want you to show them your tap, take lots of food – I know you think you’ll be out in the first round but if you get through the whole day you’ll be starving by the end. And if you can sing – take sheet music just in case!

·         In freestyle sections be different, but not too different – keep in the style of the routine but throw in some signature moves – but nothing that takes too much time to get into or out of

·         Be confident, but not cocky. You don’t want to annoy anyone.

·         Be attentive but not nerdy – asking lots of questions is again just annoying for everyone around you.

·          Always walk out with your head held high, even if you were the only one they didn’t pick out of your group – at least you tried.