Posts Tagged ‘auditions’

Time to Start Auditioning for Companies & Summer Intensives

Monday, November 28th, 2011

The School of American Ballet (SAB) students receive guidance about summer intensives and company auditions just before Thanksgiving break. The boys are brought in to see Jock Soto, the head of the men’s division, and he asks them what summer programs they might be interested in attending. He then advises them on their choices. He also tells them if they are ready to begin auditioning for professional positions and if they can return to the school the following year. Some of this depends upon age; some depends upon skill level.

Numerous ballet companies from around the nation (and possibly from Europe…I’m not sure) conduct their auditions right there at SAB starting in the New Year. Most companies with summer intensives hold their auditions at SAB as well.

As for next year, Julian’s age puts him in an odd category. He turns 18 this summer. If he were already 18—or was 18 for part of this school year, he might be deemed too old to come back for another year. Because he will have just turned 18, he can return for one more year—and that’s what Jock told him. He could return if he wanted to do so—and they would be happy to have him. However, he also was told to go ahead and start auditioning for ballet companies. He’s ready.

Jock also asked Julian what type of companies he might like to dance for, and Julian replied, “Large ones.” (Duh.) So, his choice of what to do next year will be dependent upon his offers, if any come. And, of course, he hopes New York City Ballet might make him one—but that could take another year at SAB, if it happens at all.

In the meantime, he is also filling out college applications. Some of you may disagree with the idea of having your son implement a “Plan B.” I understand this totally—and I’ve even played devil’s advocate for the “Only Plan A” route. As parents, my husband and I have decided to stick with our initial feeling that we want Julian to have all his options open at the end of the year.

As for summer intensives, he’ll be auditioning for summer intensives at Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet—among others. Pacific Northwest Ballet is his first choice. Jock said to go wherever he was given the best scholarship. I’ve done a little research and found that Pacific Northwest and Boston are chaperoned and provide housing. Whoo-hoo! As I write this, though, I’m feeling stressed about the idea of him going to a new city all alone. Of course, San Francisco is just an hour and a half from our home.

By the way, it is the season for summer intensive auditions. If you haven’t seen it already, The Summer Intensive Handbook is now available for the Kindle at Amazon.com as well as in most other digital formats at Smashwords.com. You might find it helpful when choosing an intensive for your son or preparing him for one. (Here’s a special coupon code for 15% of the $7.99 price –just for My Son Can Dance blog readers good at Smashwords.com: Coupon Code: QK67P Expires: December 28, 2011.)

While in New York before Thanksgiving I got to observe Julian’s ballet class again, but this was an exception to the rule since parents only get to observe every other month. We don’t normally come to NYC so often—awfully far to go for us folk in CA, so SAB agreed to let us observe after just a month, but now we are banned until March. I’ll be in NYC in January, but I won’t have time to watch class anyway. I’m sure we won’t have a reason to be back again until at least March.

Anyway, Julian looked really good. I think he’s improving by leaps and bounds, and I don’t see a whole lot of difference between him and some of the boys who have been there a long time. I know I don’t see the little technique differences, though—and I’m his mom! I’m biased. He says he still has a way to go to catch up.

I enjoy the fact that some of the core members, soloists and principle dancers take class with the boys—and some of the ballerinas in the company, too. They all show up for the advanced men’s class! They say it’s the hardest one around. It’s fun to watch these beautiful dancers try to do the really difficult combinations Jock throws at the boys and to seem all of them—professionals and students alike—struggle with them. Of course, the company members struggle with them less and get them right more often. But I can compare Julian to these dancers as well as to the other boys, which is really a unique opportunity.

Julian seems to be doing really well in partnering—from what he tells me. I didn’t watch a class this time.  He is trying to do some of the partnering moves one handed! And he has gained a regular partner who is a company member—after having no partner at all. (Company members come to partnering class during off season.) Some of the girls are now asking to partner Julian as well. So no more being a wallflower for him.

We are still struggling with preparation for Regents tests, though. Really too bad he has to take them to graduate high school when he already passed the California Exit Exam. I finally called the school and made arrangements for tutoring and some sort of monitoring of his studying—or lack thereof. SAB has gotten involved as well, much to Julian’s dismay. Well, what can I say. He has to pass to graduate, and he has three test to take (and one mock test). After January—if and when he has passed them—he can relax knowing he’s fulfilled his requirements. Then he just needs to finish his two humanities courses, and he’s doing okay in those. His report card was good—should be with just two darn courses. (Could have been a tad better given the fact that he has so few classes…)

He comes home in three weeks for the first time since he left in the fall! We’ll see how that goes. His “requested” plans for the vacation—and some of the summer—are worth another post.

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Attitude, auditions, Ballet, College, college dance programs, dance scholarships, Partnering, SAB year-round ballet program, summer dance intensives, summer dance programs | No Comments »

Back Home in Time for TDC Intensive and an Award

Friday, August 13th, 2010

We arrived back home in N. CA to freezing weather…well, at least that’s what it feels like after seven and a half weeks of beastly heat. Here in the mountains where we live, it’s about 55 degrees each morning due to the coastal fog. It might hit 78 in Los Gatos during the day, but it only feels that warm at our house in the sun. I’m looking at all that summer clothes I purchased in New York and realizing I may not wear it again until I return to New York again–or we have a heat wave here.

Anyway, Julian had two days off–a travel day on Saturday and then Sunday–and began his summer intensive at TDC. Luckily that was enough to heal up his pulled abdominal muscle. He’s had a good time in class. He’s had some fun doing tap, hip hop, Haitian folkloric, Afro Brazilian, musical theater, jazz, modern, contemporary, and, of course, ballet. We still are not 100 sure what his dance program will look like this year, but we are moving forward one step at a time. Today the step was auditioning for TDC. He was accepted once again. We have to figure out what will best help Julian improve his ballet technique this year.

I discovered today that this blog won an award. It was voted one of the best ballet blogs by OnLineSchools.org. I thought this was a joke of some sort, but a few of the blogs on the list are actually written by such well-known ballet experts as Maria Kochetkova of San Franscisco Ballet and Rewi Wortmeyer, who used to be with the Australian Ballet and recently took a job with the Dutch National Ballet. I particularly like being ranked with a father who blogs about his daughter, who dances (although the posts I read had nothing to do with ballet); he calls his blog Real Men Wash Tights. Here’s the whole list.

So, back to the real world here at home…driving…what a concept! We miss the reliability of the subway, if you can believe that. Work. Family. Preparing my daughter to leave for college. Repairs on the house. Doctors appointments.  Getting school reading done. Blah, blah.

I don’t miss the mouse, the heat or carrying groceries, though. And I sleep a lot better in my own bed and with the room cold from fresh air not the air conditioner, which makes noise but blocks out the sounds on the street. I like the moon shining in my window much better than the street light, too.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in auditions, summer dance programs, technique | 1 Comment »

Tech Week and ABT Summer Intensive Auditions this Week

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Seems like we just got back from New York City, but Julian and his Dad went off to San Francisco today for his American Ballet Theatre summer intensive audition. I think he was a bit less nervous this year, but, of course, this year everything is riding on it. Last year, he did it on a whim thinking he was going off to Jewish camp. This year, he wants to go to ABT.

If he can, however, he might still audition for a few other summer intensives, but his schedule might not allow it.

This week will be intense. His pre-professional dance company, TDC, has its tech week before its Second Stage performance. Tickets are still available for one or two performances… (Go to www.teendancecompany.org to get tickets; performances are at the Mountain View, CA, Center for Performing Arts on Saturday and Sunday).

Julian will be in a number of pieces, including a duet. He claims he will be wearing little clothing. In the duet he wears a jumpsuit shorts outfit (red) that “shows everything,” he says. (In fact, the artistic director insisted Julian trade in his very comfortable M. Stevens dance belts for a padded Capezio one for the number so he wouldn’t “show” quite as much.)  In another piece he wears only booty shorts and in another booty shorts and a shirt. Another piece he is fully clothed in pants and a T-shirt; in this number, he actually dances the whole time with his hands in his pockets, even doing lifts this way. It’s quite unique! Anyway, his willingness to wear so little clothing tells you how he is growing up and becoming more comfortable with his body and showing off his muscles and general physique.

Julian’s sister, the budding costume designer, made the skirts for his piece of choreography, which was set on three girls. He got the inspiration from the suicide of a friend. He is also trying to turn it into a solo for YAGP, but he likes it better on the girls.

Speaking of choreography…we went to see Christopher Wheeldon’s company Morphoses in Palo Alto (at Stanford) on Friday night. We enjoyed most of the show. We weren’t so thrilled with his first piece, but we enjoyed his second one. There were several others by different choreographers, and we enjoyed most of those as well. I loved one that featured a box.  A woman danced in it briefly. There was a chat with Wheeldon afterwards. Julian was able to ask a question about how he choreographs.

My husband asked how he finds his dancers, who are very good. He said he finds them by working with different companies around the world. He also finds some via videos sent to him.

In any case, I’m very excited to see Julian’s first work performed. It’s a big step for him. He’s the youngest choreographer out of the student choreographers this year.

And by this time next week, hopefully we will have heard whether or not he has gotten accepted into the summer program at ABT…and if he’s gotten a scholarship or not. That surely would help make it a bit more affordable.

I’ll keep you posted on how things go.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in auditions, choreography, dance scholarships, performance, summer dance programs | 2 Comments »

Tips on Deciding If a TV Dance Competition is Right for You

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

A while ago I posted a guest blog from Julian’s first male dance teacher, Anthony Foster (see bio below). Since then, he and I have been working together to post a second blog, this time about his experience with Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). Yes, the first season of the show, Anthony made a brief appearance. We almost missed him, in fact…Despite the fact that he “quit” the show, he’s gone on to show great determination and tenacity when it comes to making a success of himself as a dancer.

I wasn’t sure Anthony would want to discuss this topic, but, good educator that he is, he has offered not only to tell his SYTYCD story—or at least some of it, but also to teach our dancin’ boys what he knows about choosing (or not choosing) to compete in a nationally televised dance show.

I know Julian watches SYTYCD religiously and dreams of being on the show. Most young dancers think it’s the be all and end all to getting “discovered” as a dancer.  For many dancers, it seems to be a really great experience, and some have gone on to amazing careers because of the exposure they received on national TV. For others, however, the show – and others like it – might not be the right choice for any number of reasons. Here’s what Anthony has to say about his experience and about what boys should think about before deciding to audition for a national TV dance competition:

My SYTYCD Experience
and
Tips on Deciding If a TV Dance Show is Right for You

By Anthony Foster

It’s been quite a few years since my participation in the first season of SYTYCD, but I am still asked about my experiences with the show.  That said, this is a subject I do not talk about much.  After many, long-winded conversations about this and that and how it all works, I’ve come to the simple conclusion that the show simply wasn’t for me.  Yep, for me it was just another dance competition – that’s all.

It’s funny how it all came to pass.  My sister, who at the time was go-go dancing at a Chicago nightclub called Crobar, called me one day to tell me that some dance show was auditioning club dancers for a major network show and that I absolutely had to be there.  “Sure why not? What time?” was my response.

I had no idea what I was getting into… I just wanted to go and get my boogie on that night.  I stepped into the club, had a drink or two and started to “do my thing”—and I was soon approached by the producers, who asked me to perform on camera.  That was my preliminary audition.

Little did I know television and radio advertisements had caused people to line up all the way down State Street to audition at the Chicago Theater.   After a little discussion, I was asked to a callback audition, which was the final round for Chicago. I had to come prepared with a 90 second routine.  “Pssshhhh,” I thought.  I picked a song, trimmed it down, listened to it in the car on the way, and improvised the 90 seconds.  Still, I had no idea what this whole thing was about.

They actually took me.  From the club, to the stage and then to a quick choreography session (they wanted to know that we could learn steps), it wasn’t long before I was on a first class flight to Los Angeles for the official first week of taping.  Transport got me to the studio an hour after rehearsal had begun (Gotta love the LA freeways…), so I had tons of choreography to get caught up on when I arrived.

During a slow moment, a dancer approached me and said, “Do you need some help?”  Seeing that there was about a minute of choreography already taught, I happily accepted.  He spent a lot of his own free time making sure I had the steps. That dancer was Blake McGrath, a really nice guy—though I hear he was made out to be the antagonist of the show that year.  At least I can say he was nice to me.

Hours later on that first day I started thinking, “What the hell am I doing here?”

Some short, side conversations with the other dancers in my group helped me to understand what the full package consisted of: The winner receives an apartment in NYC for one year along with a little chunk of money.  What was a Chicago-land home owner going to do with an apartment in New York while balancing two corporate entities?  At this particular time in my life, I was quite diligently trying to get my dance company off the ground and was extremely focused on my work in the Midwest.  Staying in LA represented a risk I was not willing to take—especially when just one unfavorable review could’ve been the ripple in the pond that would affect both my businesses.  Personally, I felt as if I had already made my place as an artist and did not need a panel of judges nor Americas votes to dictate otherwise.

By lunch, I had already committed to the idea of returning home immediately, though I completed the day with 100 percent focus and intention and danced full-out every time Dan Karaty pressed the play button.  Our session came to an end, and I found a producer with whom to share my thoughts about returning home.  They were not at all happy about it and had me repeat everything on camera, and of course, with Nigel (which, I’m sure everyone saw right on national TV later).

Based on the contract agreements we sign, participants are not allowed to speak of a few things, but I can say that had my lawyer not been involved, I’m sure they would’ve gone much farther than calling me “The Quitter” that first season.  My time and that title on SYTYCD is in my past now, and I really never wonder anymore what would have happened had I stayed.

SYTYCD does offer great exposure for those who seek it, but I must repeat myself when I say it simply wasn’t for me. The question remains, is it for you (or for your son)? Many people speculate about what constitutes ‘healthy competition’ and how dancers should go about choosing events, auditions and/or television shows in which to participate.  Here are a few things to think about as you make your decision.

In many cases, contestants on shows like SYTYCD are products of the competition environment and are very familiar with their surroundings.  What I mean by this is that many of the dancers’ home studios had/have a performance team, competition group or in-house company.  They train diligently and undertake a rigorous rehearsal schedule in order to “compete” (not solely for the sake of winning) with similar teams and schools on the local and national level.  Some enjoy the experience and leave hungry for more as they grow older… and others move onward.  Remember, however, that every audition is a competition within itself.

Speaking of SYTYCD alone, there are a few things to ask yourself if you are thinking about entering into a competition on this level:

  • What are your goals?
  • What do you plan to gain from the experience?
  • Are you physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for what can (and most likely will) happen throughout the process?
  • Are you comfortable in front of a camera?
  • Can you handle harsh criticism?
  • What do you plan to do AFTER the show?

For so many dancers, their be-all-end-all hopes are just to be on and/or win these dance competition television shows.  But then what?

Being a SYTYCD competitor offers many great opportunities, such as nationally televised exposure, the opportunity to work with some of America’s finest choreographers and to broaden your social and professional network for (hopefully) future work in the industry.  And, of course, with anything sweet… comes a sour as well.  Not too many folks know what happens “behind the scenes.”

With reality television, what you see isn’t always what you get.  Of course, the dancing is what it is, but folks sometimes overlook the fact that a ton of editing takes place.  In many cases, what one sees or hears (outside of the dance performances, of course) are taken out of context and/or chronological order.  As with any reality television type of show, the “characters” can be manufactured—all of which, the dancers agree upon prior to their acceptance to the show in the form of a heavily worded and demanding contractual agreement. Sadly, many dancers entering into the show are so excited that they sign on without ever reading this document.

Another thing to consider is the amount of time/work/money you sacrifice.  Yes, the competitors who are selected for the show(s) become paid screen actors.  Rates may vary and could possibly be less than you’re making at your current job.  Of course, they could be higher, too.

Is it the right choice for you?  That’s a decision you’ll have to make on your own, young man.  Just remember there are more opportunities out there than one television show.  Taking the step from studio-training to professional has many paths.  These paths have multiple, little branches, too!  Consider auditioning for an agency or a touring show.  Most young dancers don’t think much about this, but booking a performance contract (like Wicked, Billy Elliott, Chicago, etc.) can provide a dancer with full health benefits and a substantial pay scale.

You have options!  Remember, it’s not about what will make you happy “right now,” but what will keep you healthy, sane and employed in the future.

Whatever you decide, keep dancin’!

Anthony Foster
Choreographer/Dancer/Educator

A true product of Chicago-land’s finest educators, choreographers and theaters, Anthony Foster’s all-encompassing and diverse training background includes authentic tutelage in the forms of classical ballet and classical jazz under direct descendants of George Balanchine and Gus Giordano.  Supplemented by break dance and gymnastics in his early years, Anthony quickly made the transition from street to stage and a few notable small-screen appearances, such as season 1 of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and music videos for the artists Echo & Groove Jam.  His stage credits include leads in the ballets, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Les Patineurs and The Last Waltz as well as performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Anthony continues to explore movement and creative expression as artistic director of his dance company, Soleunique, and has recently accepted the role of managing director of Moves Dance Studios’ pre-professional program.  When not at his home base, Anthony is traveling the U.S. as a guest instructor and choreographer for professional companies, studios, dance conferences and conventions.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in auditions, competitions, So Your Think You can Dance | No Comments »

What Goes Into a Dance Resume?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

While tweeting on Twitter today (yes, you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ninaamir), I saw a link offered as the answer to a question about the difference between a regular resume and a dance resume. So, of course, I clicked on the link. I discovered a short and sweet explanation of what goes into a dance resume. The piece is really meant for kids applying to college dance programs, but I think the information is relevant to all dancers–and your boys likely will need a resume at some point. I know Julian has been asked to have a resume on many occasions already.

Anyway, here’s the link to the article:  http://danceu101.com/content/how-do-i-create-dance-résumé. I hope you find it useful. It comes from danceu101.com, a site put together by the editors of Dance Spirit, Dance, Pointe, and Dance Teacher magazines.

Tags: , ,
Posted in auditions, College, Resources | No Comments »

Interview with Duncan Cooper (Part 4): The Issues and Difficulties Faced by Male Dancers (How to Make Choreography Your Own)

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Last, but definitely not least, here’s part four to my interview with Duncan Cooper. If you don’t remember who Duncan is, please go back to this post to read the brief bio I offered in the part one.

Working on Flexibility and Weaknesses

Continuing my conversation with Duncan,  I wanted to know if he often saw the kind of flexibility issues with which my son, Julian, struggles. He has tightness in the hips, and can’t get his splits. Of course, he has grown about eight inches since last July, which means his muscles have not caught up to his bones, but he has never been very flexible.

Here’s what Duncan had to say: “Some boys are just naturally flexible…You have to do a lot of stretching. When I was his age [14], I warmed up for 30 minutes to an hour before class in the studio before the class began stretching. After class I would stretched to cool down.

“In dance, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. And if you don’t use it, you’ll never get it,” he concluded.

In general young male dancers need to know both their strengths and weaknesses and to realize, more often than not, they are presenting their strengths, he added. “But you need to work on your weaknesses. Often a weakness for some boys is flexibility. Some are very flexible. Some are good turners. Some are good jumpers, but they might not have the other two qualities.  To be well rounded in all is better than to be just good at one.” 

In other words, boys must not just focus doing the things that come naturally to them but on the things that don’t. They must practice these weak points until they become strengths.

The Male Mind or Psychological Issues that Affect Boys

When I asked Duncan if he thought boys had any unique psychological issues, he laughed and said, “Yes. Sometimes we joke around that men have shorter attention spans in class than women. Maybe it’s based on a kind of ADD male testosterone issue where they get so much testosterone that sporadically they are all over the place,” he commented. “The tendency is for them to have focusing issues, especially when they are together in groups.”

He went on to add, “Men are often more challenge than women, because they start dancing later then women do.” While they might find it easier to find jobs, because there are so few male dancers, they are often struggling to catch up with their female counterparts, who likely have been dancing longer.

While this engenders a desire to move fast, “going fast” tends to be a “guy thing” in general. I mentioned Julian’s desire to move up the levels at Ballet San Jose School more quickly than he was allowed, and the ballet mistress there, Lise LaCour, not allowing him to do so. Duncan responded that this attitude was not uncommon for boys, and he cautioned, “It’s not about going to the next or another level. It’s not about going through eight levels and you get a new Karate belt. It doesn’t work that way. It’s not about getting a trophy. It’s about becoming an artist.”

Likening this process to wine, he said, “You can’t rush good wine. Wine is going to develop on its own time. It’s the same with an artist.”

Men have to learn more than just how to dance well, and this takes time, too. They have to learn to be good soloists and, as mentioned in previous posts, they have to dance with emotion and be “matinee idols,” which means being great actors. Additionally, they have to possess the ability to be a lead dancer, which means carrying a production, such as a Broadway show, a contemporary piece or a full-length ballet. “For that you have to be a good dancer and a good partner,” said Duncan. “Men are notoriously bad partners.”

That comment led to a logical question: How does a young man become a good partner? “Good male dancers will listen to what their partners need. Each woman needs something different. They’ll also know the women’s choreography. If you know the woman’s part in partnering, you know when to pick her up and when to put her down.  Often guys rush through that. That’s part of the skill of learning not to rush,” Duncan explained.

Making Convention Choreography Your Own – or Not

On a different note altogether, I asked Duncan, who is on the faculty of New York City Dance Alliance, what he wants from convention attendees when he gives them choreography. When he gives the boys, for instance, a special piece of choreography, what gets a child chosen to be on stage?  Does he want them to make that choreography “their own” or to perform it exactly as he has shown them to dance it? Here’s what he said:

“I’m looking for individuality. I’m looking for them to show me something different in the movement that I haven’t seen in all the other kids. Just because you are going up on stage doesn’t mean squat. It might mean I saw you do something well, but I’m not always looking for the kid that does something perfect as a ballet dancer. Sometimes I’m looking for the kid who is learning the most, who is challenging themselves the most, and that isn’t always the person who knows ballet technique the best. I want to see someone who is stretching their learning curve, and that doesn’t always come from the person who can do perfect ballet technique.

“I bring people on stage that has different skills. One might be able to turn, one might have a great leap, one might be able to do the move and phrasing in a unique way. Each dancer has something special, but it’s not just about who gets up on stage, and that’s what I want them to see.”

Duncan stressed that while being in a room full of great dancers and working with new and inspiring teachers represents the upside to conventions, the downside consists of the plastic trophies and the competition to get chosen to be on stage. “That’s not ultimately what it’s about. Your trophy isn’t going to do you any good when you go to an audition. They’re not going to say, ‘Oh, you were the gold winner at New York City Dance Alliance.’ They don’t know who you are when you are at an audition for a Broadway show,” he said. Thus, young dancers – male or female – need to learn to interpret what goes on at a convention in a different manner, to see it in a different way, and to not let any part of the convention discourage them.

As for making the choreography your own, if the instructor says to do so, go for it! “If I say to make the choreography your own, you self-discover yourself,” Duncan stated. “Show me what makes you unique within the choreography. Don’t be afraid to step up and fail. Screw the choreography up. Sometimes you have to do that to get it. Stop trying to be perfect and please the teacher. Sometimes you try to please the choreographer or teacher so hard that you actually do a disservice to yourself. You are pleasing yourself. You need to be in the moment and work with that.”

Duncan described how the director at San Francisco Ballet would offer him tips when he was working on a turn, and the turn would get worse rather than better. “I was thinking he had the ultimate answer and not relying on what I know I feel when I do the turn. He wasn’t in my body. He didn’t ultimately know where my balance is. He could give me some clues to get there. That’s why I tell kids, ‘I’m not trying to get you to bake a new cake; I’m just adding some frosting to it.’ So don’t screw up what makes you great. Don’t lose your self identity as a dancer.”

Advice for Young Male Dancers Who Find the Road a Tough One to Hoe

For all those young male dancers out there, like my son, who constantly are faced with tough choices – sports or dance, conforming or being different, summer dance intensive or summer camp, fight or walk away when teased, Duncan had some words of wisdom to offer.

“That’s life. It’s hard. They’re feeling like, ‘I’m different than all the other kids.’ Often they are all taught to wear the same clothes – what’s trendy and cool. The down side to that is that the most beautiful thing is your uniqueness as an individual and as an artist. That’s a great thing. Do what you want to do. You don’t have to follow what rest of flock is doing. Be a male ballet dancer. Who cares what those other guys think? Do what you love; that’s a good thing. Don’t conform and confine, obviously within the constraints of what is good for you. If you want something in life, put yourself out there and go get it. I wish I had heard that more as a kid. But it’s not easy.

Duncan has faced some difficult issues and decisions as a male dancer as well. “I found having three knee surgeries by 21 years old hard. I thought I was the be all and end all, and I thought I’d be dancing for the rest of my life, and all of a sudden it was being taken away from me…That was very humbling,” he confided.

Additionally, he said, “It was difficult for me, because I was an African American dancer. As I got older I began to see that the image of a ballet dancer was European…This goes back to ‘I don’t look like everyone else,’ so now I’m not going to get the part. No, you don’t’ look like everybody else, because you’re unique. Or maybe that’s when I was a kid and I got beat up in school because I danced ballet. How does one deal with that? I ran to school every day. You can roll up in a ball and cry or you can get over it and move on.”

The fact that life is hard – maybe harder for male dancers (even though the girls tend to think it’s easier for the boys) – actually can become an asset. “If anything is easy in life then you probably won’t be the best at it, and you probably won’t know how to deal with things when things get tough. That’s big lesson to learn,” said Duncan.

‘Everybody is going to have their own set of challenges,” he says. When my son – or yours – finds himself in a room filled with kids who are all better dancer, without mom or dad to help him anymore, denied all the roles he thought he would – or should – be given, Duncan concludes, “That’s when he’ll find out what he’s made of.” That’s when knowing how to deal with life being hard (and not rushing) will come in handy.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in auditions, choreography, conventions, Duncan Cooper, Interviews with Dancers, Partnering | No Comments »

ABT Summer Ballet Intensive: What's a Boy to Do?

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

We thought Julian had his summer all planned out: Back to Jewish camp for four weeks, something he had his heart set on, especially after missing almost half of his session last year when he came down with what was later diagnosed as Relapsing Fever. This was to be his last summer not spent focusing on dance. He’d keep taking dance classes after that at Teen Dance Company and participate in their summer intensive.

Right.

But we, his parents, couldn’t leave well enough alone. We kept thinking, “He should be dancing,” and we decided he should at least audition for some summer programs so he could (1) see what the auditions were like, and (2) see how he fared against the other dancers — in particular the boys. So, we planned on taking him to two auditions, one for Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, a contemporary company with which he’d really like to get involved, and American Ballet Theatre, which offers programs in several places around the country, including Irving, CA (where we thought he might get in even though it was for “advanced” students) and New York City (their premier program that includes classes specifically for boys).

Well, we couldn’t get to the Lines audition, because Julian had rehearsals that day for his upcoming Second Stage show at Teen Dance Company. We had to reschedule for next month. We did make it to the ABT audition, though, along with four other boys and about 86 girls. A week later, we got an email: Julian had been accepted into the NYC program and awarded a 25% merit scholarship. We couldn’t believe it. We didn’t know if he’d even get into Irvine, but he’d also put NYC down as his first choice on the application. Ultimately, ABT makes the decision about where you are placed, however.

Now our world has turned upside down. To go to camp or to NYC, that is the question.

In a very mature fashion — and with fellow ballet dancers telling him they’ll “kill him if he doesn’t go,” Julian says he thinks he will pass on camp and take advantage of this opportunity. Camp is just a fleeting four weeks never to be repeated again. ABT summer intensive will make him a better dancer for life. But…we have to figure out if we can afford it (Even with the scholarship it is expensive, and we have to add in airline tickets, housing — not provided, food, etc.), where we will stay, how he will be chaperoned, if my daughter can do without me for six weeks (since I’ll be chaperoning), if my daughter can get her driver’s license by then (since she will need to get to her summer internship every day), and, oh, so many more logistics. Not to mention that my husband could be without a job at that point…

Well, it’s all very exciting and nerve wracking. And we are so surprised, and Julian feels very fortunate. His ballet teacher, Mark Foehringer, says that this is exactly what he needs, because it is a formal program (which does seem to have classes in a variety of dance styles, by the way, including yoga and how to prevent injury) and offers him a chance to be in a boys’ class with at least 35 other excellent male dancers. This will push him, I’m sure, to be better. Boys thrive on being with other boys and competing with them. Julian has never been in a class with more than three other boys at a time, I don’t think.

You might wonder why he has chosen a ballet program, when he has said he doesn’t want to be a ballet dancer. He knows that ballet remains the foundation of all the types of dance he wants to do, and contemporary is high on his list. Plus, he says that if he can’t get a job in another style of dance, he’d like to be able to apply for a job in a ballet company. Not a bad strategy, I don’t think. I’m not sure if it’s possible to take that route, but I guess we’ll find out.

All that said, poor Julian is again faced with another choice to make. We keep telling him choices are a good thing, but to him it’s always about giving up one thing he wants for another thing he wants, which means missing out on something. In this case, giving up camp means giving up being with the group of friends that has always accepted him. He’s always felt comfortable with them and like he could be himself — even though he was a dancer. He’s never had that anywhere else. He has it with a few friends now in high school, but camp was always his safe haven from the turmoil of social life at school.

However, as a mother I can say that when I see him with other dancers, such as at the ABT audition, that’s when he’s really in his element and most comfortable. That’s when he’s “Julian” through and through.  Not surprising really.

We have to decide soon what he will do. I”ll keep you posted. And take my advice, leave well enough alone unless you are willing to deal with the ramifications!

Check here for my next blog post on Julian’s adventures wearing bootie shorts — his worst nightmare becomes a reality!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in auditions, Ballet, dance scholarships, summer dance programs | 2 Comments »