Ok. I have some news to share. I don't know if this forum is the best place to do it, but it will have to do. I'm sharing this because I think that I need to address something about my image and the way people see me. I think that I can be misunderstood sometimes...
Let's get right to it: On Friday June 26th, I went down to the Phoenix Convention Center to audition for So You Think You Can Dance. And guess what--I was accepted to go to Las Vegas for the callbacks!!!!
However, I won't be going to Vegas because I later fessed up that I wasn't under 30 (the producers made a big point of telling us that had been given tickets that if we had lied on our applications and then gone on to Vegas that we would be in big trouble and would be enforcing the penalties listed in the Release forms).
Let me tell you about it: First, there were thousands of people. Lots of folks brought friends and family. I was by myself (4 kids outside in 100* weather sounds more fun than it is). There were freaks and attention-whores--you know the people who will do anything to get noticed and hopefully get on TV. Lots of people thinking that they needed to start warming up and practice their routine for hours. There wasn't a lot of guys (I thought that would help my chances--they need guys and so there wasn't as much competition). Anyway, we got in line and started the wait--that summaries the day: get in line and wait; do one or two things and then get in line a wait.
Once we got going inside, you have to turn in your paperwork and get your number. They then divide you up and you start the interview process. You go from producer to producer answering questions--they're looking for people who have interesting stories or who will be a big time embarassment on stage. I was hoping to play the big-tall-guy-who-hasn't-danced-in-years-but-not-giving-up-the-dream story, but they didn't seem to really care. I didn't see any of the judges or other famous folks walking around, but they had to have been there because you could hear people scream out names every now and then.
Some people were turned away after different interview sessions. After about 2-3 sessions, they put you in a screen room where they asked you to do a few dance moves and tell the camera that "I'm America's favorite dancer." Then we went to a room and had the opportunity to do part of your routine for a group of judges (although I didn't recognize any of them). Again, more were told "no thanks" and the rest of us moved on. By this time we were getting prepped to actually go on stage and dance. It was at this point I saw my first celeb--host Cat Deeley. Let me say a few things: She is TALL. You see it on TV, but she wasn't much shorter than me. She is a pencil and seems to have a much thicker accent in person. Anyway, she didn't interview all of us, but I did get a "Finally, a dancer I can look up to!". That was actually kind of exciting.
So, before heading on stage, we went to a staging area to turn in our CDs (they have very specific rules on the music you bring). Then you sit down and wait to be called up. They bring you up in groups of 5 at a time. You can hear most of the judges comments but not all of them. Once you are in the group of 5 waiting, you can hear them much better and it makes you very nervous.It was a little after 3 pm by the time I got on stage. I decided to do a jazz-contemporary routine. Since I haven't done choreographed dance in years, I had gone on YouTube to find a routine. I found one from season 2 auditions that went over really well. I spent several weeks practicing it and I think that I had it down well. I even did the same music: "Calabria" by Enur.
It went as well as I could hope. They let me do the whole routine--at the time, I didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Nigel was nice, said I brought a lot of energy and moved well for being such a tall dancer. Mary Murphy was nice but didn't say much (which kind of shocked me), and the third judge, Lil' C said I needed more technique work and needed to find my connection to the movement (not sure what he meant). They then went back and forth for a bit and talked about wanting to have someone who could bring some size and manliness to the program (the routine was not so gay). So they said that I had potential and should prove my worth in Vegas! I could hardly speak. I did a little jig and then ran to get my ticket.
Anyways, there are lots of things that you do after dancing on stage, but the short of it is there is a big lecture on keeping things confidential and following the rules in the Release form, etc. They put it out there that this was the time to "Come to Jesus" about things they needed to know. That's where I decided to get out now--so I didn't incur any penalities. They were upset, but not so much and I don't think that they were surprised either. That probably means that I won't be on TV at all, but that's not why I did it. I did it for the love of dance and art. I don't hate happiness; I don't hate beauty. I love it and I love artistic expression. I hope to be on a Broadway stage one day. Wish me luck!
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