Supers Needed! Are You Available?
August 15, 1997

Dear Dancers,

Alicia Lawson, Stacey Forsyth Alice Murphy and Eve Fizzinoglia

Picture yourself in the dressing room backstage at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center. You have your own table in front of your own mirror ringed with light bulbs. A make-up artist is on hand, powdering you, rouging you and applying your false eyelashes. Another expert tucks your hair into a cap and tops it with an elegant wig. You put your pointe shoes on, and then the costume mistress hooks you into an elaborate ball gown. Or perhaps, if you are a gentleman, you pull on a pair of knickers and button up a beaded jacket. When at last you are in full costume, you make your way to the wings and await the cue for your entrance in the Royal Ballet of England's production of Sir Frederick Ashton's "Cinderella." Along with the other dancers, you step out onto the stage as the strains of Prokofiev's majestic score swell from the orchestra pit. Your heart pounds as the standing-room-only crowd bursts into thunderous applause at the sight of the breathtaking ballroom tableau. The moment is so magical that you would gladly have danced for free, but at the end of the Royal's engagement, you pocket a handsome check.

An impossible dream? Not at all! In July while the Royal was in town, four of my students ranging in age from 14 to 22 had their dream of dancing at Lincoln Center come true, and you could, too. When ballet companies such as the Royal, the Paris Opera Ballet and the Kirov perform in New York, they always hold auditions for "supers" to dance a variety of roles. For that matter, the American Ballet Theatre uses supers during the company's seasons in NYC. The pay is usually $15 per rehearsal and $20 per performance. True, many of the super parts are mere walk-ons, but some -- particularly those for children-- involve real dancing. Anyway, even if you're merely fluttering a fan and doing some ports de bras, the experience is bound to be unforgettable. Interested? For more information about summer super auditions in New York City, call Richard Goldstein at (212) 873-6975. (It's not too soon to plan now for 1998 if you and/or your students will be in New York next summer.) To find out about supering during the rest of the year in NYC, call Bill McCourt at (212) 799-3100.

This column marks my six-month anniversary at DanceArt.com and I'm pleased to report that I've been getting positive feedback from you. Thanks! I've also started receiving some questions and requests for information. I've personally answered those of you with specific needs but I've decided to answer the queries with broad appeal right here in the column. Click on any of the following that interest you:

How to audition for the Rockettes
Studying at ABT
Paloma Herrera
Backstage subscription (updated postcard)

Now, check out the following updates on the Upcoming Events postcard:

Bessies
Lincoln Kirstein exhibit at the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts

I hope you're having a splendid summer, wherever you're dancing. If you happen to be in NYC and you'd like to send the folks at home a postcard saying you stood next to Baryshnikov at the barre, stop by STEPS and sign up for the 11:30 ballet class any weekday morning. Currently, Alexander Tressor is guest teaching, but Nancy Bielski will be back the third week of August. Misha has always liked Nancy's class -- as do plenty of the top pros -- but he's obviously pleased with Alex as well since he has taken class every day this month. BTW, Alex is the son of SAB teacher Kramarevsky, and Alex and I danced together in the Harkness Ballet Outreach. I love Alex's class and Nancy's class and you will, too!

Sashay the rest of the summer away!

Sondra

P.S.   In my April column, I mentioned the new recordings in NYC taxis exhorting you to take all of your belongings and ask for a receipt. Since then a roster of celebrities has been added to the original "New Yawk" locals who intone the announcements. You'll hear such stars as Joan Rivers, Joe Torre, Jackie Mason, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Placido Domingo, among others. There are no dancers on the list yet. Maybe I should write to the taxi commission suggesting, say, Savion Glover, Paloma Herrera and Baryshnikov. . .