Tech Week and ABT Summer Intensive Auditions this Week

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.