Gorgeous Picture from Mauro Astolfi's "Contact-Me"

Thanks to everyone who came out to see the show past weekend. It was fantastic!

Here's a picture of Michael Gross, Jessica Wolfrum, and Tucker Knox in Mauro Astolfi's "Contact-Me." Enjoy!

Top 5 Things to Do This Week... River North at #2

Chicago Magazine just named River North's Valentine's Weekend Performances one of the "Top 5" things to do this weekend! 

So get your tickets people-- they're MOVING!

Sharpen Up One of Cupid’s Arrows with RNDC this Weekend!

It’s here! River North Dance Chicago’s Valentine’s Weekend at the Harris is THIS WEEKEND! Get your tickets for Love is… today, before Cupid runs out of arrows. ;-)

What is The Company Audition Process for RNDC?

I’ve been asked this question a lot lately and want to provide everything I know about auditioning for RNDC.

The company holds two main auditions—one in New York (January) and another in Chicago (March). Auditions start with a ballet phrase. Having great ballet technique is a vital asset for River North and is the basis of a lot of our jazz and contemporary repertoire. The jazz and contemporary portions of the audition follow next. Jazz will sometimes be from repertory, like Frank Chaves’s “Simply Miles, Simply Us,” or an across-the-floor jazz combination. For contemporary, dancers learn company repertory, such as Kevin Iega Jeff’s “Sky,” and perform it in smaller groups. Then, depending on what else the Artistic Director wants to see, another contemporary or even improvisation section may follow. There a multiple cuts through this process.

With all remaining dancers, everyone is paired up (male to female) and taught one of Frank Chaves’ intricate duets.  To really test the dancers the Artistic Director likes to mix-n-match partners. When you are a company member you never know whom you might be asked to partner. Everyone must not only be a great soloist but also a strong partner.  After the Artistic Director has seen enough and has exhausted the dancers, he asks to speak with certain individuals and either offers them a contract on the spot (which is very rare) or says he will be in touch.

*As a side note: After my audition, which lasted from 10am to 6pm, I went to an Irish Pub and ate the biggest hamburger and treated myself to some well-deserved beers.

Anyway, back to auditions.

While in class or at an audition, be extremely respectful and focused. Teachers pick up on common courtesy and appreciate it more than you might think. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask. Our repertory is highly detailed and will challenge your brain. Be patient, persistent and positive.

Here are a few more things:

1.      No Cursing! Don’t curse if you mess up… especially out loud. If you have a cursing problem, fix it before you step through the studio doors.

2.    Take Corrections! If you receive a correction, it needs to be taken immediately. River North looks for dancers that are not only artistically virtuosic, but intelligent and present.

3.     No gum! This is an old school rule, but an important one.

4.    No gym shorts! The company has its funny rules and “no gym shorts” is one of ‘em. They’re not as flattering as tights or long pants because they ruin the lines of your legs.

The best way to prepare for a RNDC audition is to come to workshops—get to know the repertory and become familiar with the dancers and artistic staff.  The company offers many one-day and weekend workshops, as well as a summer workshop and intensive. If you would like to dance in the company, it would be astute of you to attend at least a few workshops. It’s a great way to get to know what the company is looking for, the expectations of dancers in terms of style and versatility, and a chance for the River North staff to get to know you. 

When coming to auditions or workshops, you want to make sure that you look your best—you never know who will be watching. Wear something that shows off your lines, body, and ideally, your personality. For ladies, I would suggest light make up (you don’t have to beat your face, but looking put together). For men, a clean shave goes a long way. As for what to wear on your feet: ballet shoes for ballet and jazz, barefoot for modern, and ballet shoes or socks for contemporary. If you are learning repertory, ask what shoes you should be wearing—typically we wear ballet shoes, but sometimes we like to switch it up. ;)

The company has one-day workshops March 18^th and April 22^nd (I’m teaching two classes at the March workshop so you better attend... that is, of course if you are a dancer). For those of you auditioning for the summer intensive, summer apprenticeships, company apprenticeships or company positions, the Chicago audition is March 4^th at 10 am at Ruth Page Center for the Arts. For more information, contact Sara Bibik, Assistant to the Director.

Check out our website for any last minute audition date changes and good luck! 


P.S.: Please note that company auditions are not the same as summer intensive auditions. I'll be writing about summer intensive auditions soon (seeing that they are similar but not the same).

River North On WGN Midday Fix

Hey everyone! Check out River North performing Frank Chaves's "Good Goodbyes." See its World Premiere at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance February 10-12th!

Dance Teacher Quotes

“Ballet is like riding a horse. You don’t just ride a horse, you RIDE a horse.” –Laura K. Wade

This is one of my favorite quotes and I think about it when I’m dancing a lot… especially in class.  When you are riding a horse you have to be in control and dominate it or that horse will kick you straight to the mud. When dancing, we need to have the same commandment of the space and the same focus that it takes to ride a crazy horse. Great dancers have complete ownership of their bodies!

Taking Care of the River North Body: Thoughts of an Injured Dancer

In August 2011, I tore my left knee’s medial meniscus and had surgery three days later. Only now is my knee strong enough to start jumping and turning. This does not mean I’m able to perform, but I’m closer to a full recovery. Baby steps.

Injuries happen to most dancers (we can’t all be like Martha Graham who danced until seventy-five without injury). In River North Dance Chicago alone, many dancers have had knee, hip, and back surgeries due to the intense ways we use our bodies. Some recoveries last a few weeks and others (like mine) require many months of physical therapy, patience, and the ability to appreciate small triumphs—like being able to walk ten steps without crying. And although it’s an unfortunate reality of the dancer’s life, we return to our art with renewed vigor and deeper appreciation.

This weekend I went to the Chicago suburbs to see “A Chorus Line” at Aurora’s Paramount Theater. It was fantastic! Each time I see the musical I get more attached to the music, choreography, and story line. The part of the show that I can’t get out of my mind is when a dancer injures himself at the audition and the cast is asked the question: “What would you do if you couldn’t dance anymore?” The characters each respond and cope differently—some completely avoid answering the question and others give answers that carry false confidence like: “I’d be fine. I’d just open a dance studio.” Every character is frightened by the prospect; and as an audience member, I was also shaken. And even though I have thought about alternative careers and even prepared myself for the inevitable, it is still an impossibly hard question to confront. What would you do if you couldn’t do something you loved anymore?

It’s not a settling question, but one that demands introspection.

I’m recovering from my injury and consider myself lucky. Sometimes when recovery is not possible, which I can only imagine to be one of the most terrifying and heart-breaking times, we have to follow alternative paths. Injuries could happen at anytime. Having an alternative plan is not giving up on dance, but being proactive with your life. 

All dancers, whether you are pre-professional, professional, retiring, or retired, need to know about an incredible resource: Career Transitions for Dancers. I went to one of their workshops in October called “Stepping Into Hope and Change” and learned so much about marketing yourself to businesses, getting money for education, and finding out other career paths suitable for dancers. I walked away feeling very excited for the next part of my life and although the thought of no longer dancing is a scary one, I hope to transition before I’m completely broken. ;)

Check out Career Transition for Dancers' second “Stepping Into Hope and Change” seminar, which will be held at Lou Conte Dance Studios April 1^st, 2012. It’s free!

P.S.: I start performing with the company again in April. =D