Dancing: My Achilles Heel

Well, Welcome back!

This week I'm going to jump right into it, largely because it is late on a Sunday Night and I have work first thing in the morning. "Where do you work?" You may ask, well the answer is this:

I work customer service and sales, which means that I help people all of the country prepare for whatever emergencies might come their way depending on where they live. I'm pretty much a big deal. If you have emergency preparedness questions, feel free to ask!

Rehearsals for Jekyll and Hyde are pretty much amazing. Not only do I get to play a lady, in a pretty dress, I also play a bit of a whore... ok I'm literally a whore, but I am a loveable whore who is only doing it as a means to an end. And this topic brings me on to what this blog is focusing on today...

Now I know you might be confused because I was just talking about character work, but one of the most important things I learned during my dance classes is that it is so important to create a character during a dance call- because it is the same as singing. If you don't know why you are doing the moves and you aren't telling a story, you aren't going to capture anyone's attention- no matter how good you are.

I am going to use the dance "Life in Living Color" From Catch Me If You Can I learned from James Gray.

Remember this guy? Super Handsome, talented and a fantastic dancer? Come on, how could you forget!

Anyway, he gave us our first taste at in depth New York dance call. And it was terrifying to say the least.

We walked in the room and he put us in two lines. Then he says to us in his fabulous British accent- "When it is your turn, you will step out and do a double pirouette to the right, then a double to the left. Then you will get back in line. Number 1?"

....AHHHH!! For not a dancer, being asked to spin and nothing more is probably the most terrifying thing you can be asked to do. It is one of those moments like:

How you think you look:

How you really look:

How the girl next to you looks:

(finding those picture were actually really hard- start uploading pictures of yourself dancing... IN FACT!! Put them here!! Best photo will be featured next week!!)

Needless to say, I did a passable single to the right, and a pretty awful single to the left... which leads me to rule #1

ALWAYS DO A CLEAN SINGLE OVER A DIRTY DOUBLE!!

              Always.

The next thing that James couldn't stress enough is that you need to create a character and a story- even if during the dance audition you don't sing or dance a word. When we were doing the "Life in Living Color" dance, he informed all the girls that we would be playing flight attendants, and all the men would be playing pilots. He then gave us 2 minutes to come up with a back story that needed to influence all the character choices we would make during the dance. Personally, I choose to be a bright eyed flight attendant with this dance being my first day on the job- everything was overly excited and I was eager to see every place I was going to fly. In contrast next to me, was my good friend Marah, she was an experienced Pan Am girl, who was having an affair with a married Pilot who wasn't in awe of anything. Neither one of these choices is wrong, they are both just very dynamic choices that set us apart.

Multiple times, James said to us (turn on your british accent, everything sounds better that way) "I will call back a dancer who maybe wasn't the best who told a story over someone who nailed every move, but bored me the whole time because there was nothing going on there other than technical dancing."

REMEMBER THAT!! And you will go far.

Figure out what the choreographer is trying to do with the piece, develop a dynamic character, and commit to it 100%. Maybe you disagree- but I will say- just give it a try. I think you will be much happier with your dance calls.

Last thing I have to say....

WHY????!!!!!!!!

How's idea was this?? Who thought- oh remember those creepy animated creatures that were a gateway for evil spirits to come to earth and into the rooms of children all over the world? Even though we cleansed the Earth of them... LET'S BRING THEM BACK!! Notice how it says mind of it's own? That is because LEGION has possessed it and is telling children to spin their heads all the way around and spew green pea soup looking slop. 

All I have to say?

NO!

J-E-L-L-O!!!

Well hi all! Sorry it has been so long- but you know how it is- the first week of school. Well maybe you don't, I'm not 100% sure what my demographic is, but I appreciate you the way you are. So before the nuggets of wisdom I have prepared for you today, I will share with you what my first week of school entailed.

First: I went to Shakespeare Festival this past weekend and it was truly great!!

It is an amazing theatre company, that does not only perform Shakespeare, but other fantastic plays, including, this coming season... bum bum bum bum bum bum bum buuuuuuuuuummmmm...

AKA the show that currently houses my dream role, Molly, how is currently being played by the fabulous Celia Keenan-Bolge-

In case you're wondering who she is- she is the only girl in the group- ya, this part is desirable for more than one reason!!

"Why is this your dream role Jordan?" You ask? Well- here is your explanation. She is a feisty, smart, and dryly sarcastic young woman, who longs for adventure, and isn't afraid to show a boy that she can run faster and jump higher- and for those of you who don't know me, that is a pretty accurately describes myself. So I will be auditioning for that this fall, and I hope you will all support me in my exciting new venture! And I will be sure to keep you all updated!

A quick plug for my current show: CATO!! by Joseph Addison We have already been running for three days, but we have two more shows, tomorrow and Monday at UVU from 5:30-7! Hope if you are in the area that you can make it!

Now, what you are here to read! Words of Wisdom from casting director Bob Cline!

A hilariously witty man, and we hit it off right away! Learned so much from him!!

He has the gift of having a very fresh and fun way of looking at auditions and pieces, and here are some of his tips!!

• Your first breath should unveil the song.
• How do you breath when you're excited? How do you breath when you are sad? You need to know these things, because the director will be able to sense where you are taking the audition from that very first breath.
• You need to remember that every time you sing a song, it needs to be your first time singing it!
• Know where you are placing your weight.
•  If you need to be grounded, but it in your heels. If you are about to fly away, but it in your toes. Know what you are.
• If you are singing to a crowd, or are narrating, look at your audience.
• Now, don't be that creepy guy that stares until the soul comes out of a person, but look at their level. Don't continue to stare above their heads. (We all know we have been guilty of this at one time or another)

But really. We've all been here.

• Singing the truth will make a song attractive.
• 'Nough said.
• Act through long notes, don't just listen to yourself sing.
• But really. Even the stars do this one.

And last but not least:

• Not every character you play got the same score on the SAT that you did.
• Seriously. For some of you, even though you got a perfect score, you might play a character who spelled their name wrong. And for some of you, you may be dumber than bricks (it's ok, we still love you), and you will need to play someone highly intelligent. Get over it, and know that people will not judge you for playing your character well!!

Love you all! And prepare yourself for the next installment: "Dance Audition Tips: Words of Wisdom from James Gray"

And hey you!! I want to hear from you!! Ask me your questions, and I will see if I can answer them! Are there things you are curious about that I haven't touched on yet? I really want to hear from you! Follow me!