Dance Audition Top Tips

As Associate Choreographer for Magic Beans I have now been a part of our dance audition process, along with our lovely Choreographic Supervisor Kerry, for three years and can say it has been eye opening. Having spent many years myself running through the audition game it was quite absurd to then be the auditioner. From this however many things have become apparent to me so here’s a few top tips…

First impressions really do count, smile through everything even if you’ve just broken your toe (sound ridiculous but it once happened to me mid audition) no-one wants a sad face in Pantoland.

Be nice to EVERYONE that person signing you in on the front desk could potentially be very important to the company.

Make yourself Panto appropriate – bright colours even a little sparkle always go down well, don’t bog yourself down in baggy clothes. As a dancer we need to see your physique and it means you stand a better chance at being noticed among the others for all the right reasons.

Really do your homework and know exactly what the job is your auditioning for. There is usually everything you need to know on the company website or even as easy as checking their Facebook or twitter pages. It’s really nice when someone has done their research.

Relax. I can vividly remember being so nervous before some auditions, the shakes would take over and then the dreaded mind blanks would happen as I was in complete panic mode. Something one of our producers Jamie often says in our Juvenile dance auditions has always stuck with me “if you don’t get through will your eyes pop out? Will your head fall off? No? So there are worse things that can happen and there’s always next year” It’s true what is the worst that’s going to happen? Relax be yourself and if you don’t get through act sad and your family and friends might just take pity and treat you to a chocolate bar.

And finally… remember we need you. We are there to make the dance side of our productions happen and without dancers we can’t do that.

So break legs everyone! Pantoland is truly a lovely place to be at Christmas especially if you have a great team working with you. Some of my favourite people have come from working with the Magic Beans Team and I look forward to meeting new ones during this festive season. This year I’m celebrating Panto Day in Dunstable I’m too excited for this year’s production of Robin Hood.