Dance for You Magazine Issue 76 (2017)

22 DANCEforYOU magazine
Real Talk
By Armando Braswell
When someone is being interviewed, they always put their best face forward. "Real Talk" is designed to help young dancers
and professionals by providing them with the whole truth about the problems faced by artists...on stage and off.
In this special “AUDITIONS” edition of Real Talk, I asked four directors about how they REALLY feel about auditions.
Tamas Moricz, the Associate Director of The Royal Ballet Of Flanders in Belgium, Sharon Watson the Artistic Director
of Phoenix Dance Theater in England, Stijn Celis, Artistic Director of the Ballett des Saarländischen Staatstheaters in
Germany and Kathleen McNerney Artistic Director of Tanz Luzerner Theater.
© quelle privat
Tamas Moricz
Associate Director of The Royal Ballet
Of Flanders in Belgium
When would you say is the best time
to be contacted for an audition?
For our company, I would say December, January,
and February. When exactly we have, auditions
depends on the company’s schedule. This
year the auditions are February 18th and 19th.
What qualities are important to you
in dancers you hire?
I like people. I like to see authentic personalities,
not stage persona, but a real engaged
person. Versatility is also very important these
days, people who can flip flop between any
style and different work modes. Also, dancers
have to be creatively involved these days. That
is very important.
What could be better about the
E-mails, CV's, photos and other
materials you receive from dancers
wishing to audition?
Most dancers don’t look at what they send, they
are sending what they have. I am very specific
about what I want dancers to send in to me. I
have clear requirements about the materials
and guidelines for the videos. How a dancer
prepares their audition materials makes a difference.
If has an impact on whether I will consider
them or not.
One thing you wish you could tell
everyone before they come?
Present how you work, not only what you can
do. We are watching everything. How you pick
up material and how you practice it in the back.
Working in the back… that is one thing I really
look out for. You know, the person that works in
the back, we will watch him twice. The person
that is there, standing on the side thinking, I'm
going to show when its time... I look less.
Sharon Watson
Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theater
in England
When would you say is the best time
to be contacted for an audition?
May or June would be the best, but to be honest,
I am happy to see dancers all year-round
because… you never know.
What qualities are important to you
in dancers you hire?
Phoenix Dance Theater is renowned for being a
physical and athletic company. Our male and female
dancers are incredibly muscular and dynamic.
The versatility and articulation of what they
can offer is essential to work that we produce.
www.danceforyou-magazine.com
What could be better about the
E-mails, CV's, photos and other
materials you receive from dancers
wishing to audition?
I need to know you are a dancer, first and foremost.
So, standing in a photo with jeans and a
flashy shirt, looking exceptional, doesn’t really
give me an indication of what the physicality is
all about. We invest in the body. On paper, we
can’t really get a sense of what the mind is saying,
but you can see the physicality. To be able
to see the body is essential.
Also, personality in a photograph goes a long
way. If you can capture personality... it does give
me something. I need individuals, and until I
have you in the room, the only thing I have to
go by is your image or CV.
Something that could be better, that
disappoints you, or makes you angry
about the whole "audition" process?
I find it disconcerning when dancers put out
generics. When they just flood the market and
they don’t check on details of the company
they are presenting themselves to…they don’t
do their homework. It is a very lazy approach.
Sharon Watson © Richard Moran