Thread: Troup audition tips ?

Hello Bhuzzers !
Though I read most of your posts, I rarely post myself.
Today, I need your advice.
I have been training in belly dance for 4 years.
My goal this year is to improve my belly dancing, especially in group choreographies, and I have heard that a local troup was looking for dancers.
After a very good first contact with a troup leader, I have been asked to audition.
I was thinking of presenting two pieces of music, one with veil or wings and one drum solo.
Does that sound good for an audition or I am totally wrong ? ..l;,

Do you have other tips (I mean bellydancing-wise, I have been a pro cabaret variety performer for years so I am fully aware of hair/make-up/smell kind of things ;)) ?

Many thanks in advance for your precious advice,
xx
Anne

Not sure what advice would be best for you here but I think if you're trying out for an unfamiliar troupe you should look at your versatility as a dancer. Have you got technique that could fit into, or be adaptable to the troupe?

If I had to watch a solo dancer and try to decide wether or not they would fit into a troupe I would be looking for how their dance is structured in the dance space/stage, if the dancer was all over the place and doing out of control spins etc I would worry about putting them in with a group. I would also look for range of movement, they may not be the same style as the rest of the troupe but the dancer may be adaptable. So showing your range of extension with veils/wings vs the intricate control of the drum solo sounds like a good option.

Finally, troupe success often comes down to group dynamics, the best dancer in the world isn't worth having in a troupe if they are disruptive and demoralizing. So show that you're a team player and easy to work with.

Goodluck :-)

I would choose whatever pieces you think are your strongest, so that you will be as relaxed and confident as possible. I do like the idea of having 2 different pieces to show your versatility.

I agree with the person above who said that they will be looking for personality as much as dance ability. They will want to make sure that you are easy to work with, willing to commit to troupe responsibilities and not a diva.

Good luck with your audition!!

The personality part is not a problem as I have been in several cabaret troupes, so I have good references ;)

Thanks for the tips !
I'll let you know how it goes :)

It depends on the troupe's focus/style, group personality, audition process, etc. Thus, I can really only speak to my own opinon and the process I have for my own troupe, but fwiw, here is how we structure our auditions and what I look for at each point:

1st: candidate solo
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This is the candidate's chance to show me how she performs, how she comes across when she's had an opportunity to prepare. In this segment, I focus heavily on her stage presence--both the quantity and character of it. I also look at the quality of her technique (but NOT looking to see her perform every technique she knows!), including posture and arms. I am interested to see how she hears the music, and to some extent, her spatial awareness.

What I'm NOT so concerned with: is her choreography brilliant? Can she use a bunch of props? With the exception of maybe a veil at the beginning or some zills (our audition solos are only about 5 min.), I prefer no props. I want to see how you DANCE. If we do a dance with a prop that is new to you, we will teach the prop too. I once had someone audition with a double-prop piece (not saying which prop...) It was a nice piece, but it became all about how she handled the prop. At the end, I had no sense for her actual dance ability or stage presence when she doesn't have a prop to rely on. We didn't take her.

2nd: Taught choreo
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Next we teach the candidates snippets of two different styles of choreography from our repertoire. What I'm looking for: How does she pick up choreo and new technique (how fast, in what way), what kind of observation/attention to detail does she have (sometimes that comes through thoughtful questions from the candidate, sometimes you can just see it), how adaptable is she (that's a big one--can she alter her style to fit the style or feeling of the particular dance), and how does she respond to feedback (not interested in know-it-all divas.)


3rd: Interview
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Here, we're looking to see how she interacts with others and how good a personality fit she'll be for the way we work. In general, I can't say there's a particular thing someone should or shouldn't do, because I think it really is about fit. It's her chance to learn more about us and our chance to learn more about her. There have been one or two people who we've wound up not asking to join us because it seemed that, in the long run, they'd not be happy (and we probably wouldn't either)--not because they weren't fine people, but because we just wanted/needed different things. So, my only advice in the interview (with us anyway), is to be honest and respectful.

I then evaluate by taking all three scores (along with input from my company members) and I consider what we need. Some of the dancers in our troupe were stronger in one area than another, and at times, we've weighted certain section "scores" heavier to account for what we need most at that time.

Mirah,
thanks a million for your reply ! It is very helpful. As the troup is being created from scratch, I have no global vision of what the leader wants or any idea about her audition process.
I'll follow your advice, thanks again !
xx

I have to agree with Aamel~show them that you know the moves. Basics, spins, a little traveling, and something with a prop for your next piece.