Sally Clark asked a number of dance industry professionals to recount a memorable audition experience.
Lauren Seymour
(runner-up So You Think You Can Dance '14) shares her perspective of being on the "other side" after assisting at The Dream Dance Company auditions for its production of Genesis.
"I was Stephen Tannos's dance assistant so he could teach the combination in detail with somebody who new the choreography and could then step away to watch the auditioning talent. I had filled in for a choreographer (at an audition) once before but this audition was on a much larger scale (165 dancers turned up).
"As a performer, you enter the room with all sorts of thoughts running through your head. There are nerves and fears that cloud your mind and then there is the adrenalin that kicks in as soon as you start. As the assistant on this audition I learned that sometimes itís not easy to hide your nerves and everyone has a different way of performing in an audition.
"I watched so many dancers do a fantastic audition but unfortunately they just werenít right for the brief. As dancers we are always told not to take audition rejection personally as it may be something like your height or hair colour that may not match the brief - but it wasnít until this assisting experience that that advice really sank in. This experience will primarily help my overall frame of mind and view on auditions. I will now attend each and every audition with an open mind and enjoy it completely. The only expectations I will have are of my own performance at that time, and not on the end result of the audition."....
This is an extract from an article from our special Audition Feature in the current issue of Dance Australia! Read the full article, which includes interviews with Katie Sanchez (dancer for Beyonce), Kaylie Yee (dancer for Britney Spears), Penny Martin (Dirty Dancing) and Charles Bartley (Dirty Dancing)! Buy Dance Australia from your favourite retail outlet, or use our free app to purchase and download your copy, or make sure you receive every issue by subscribing here!