DEL.ICIO.USDancing only one skill for budding ballerinas
Ballet school holds auditions for summer program
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Many young girls dream of becoming professional ballerinas, but each year only 200 in the United States make into the prestigious School of American Ballet’s summer program. And that’s only if they can stop the butterflies long to execute top-quality pliés, grand jetés and arabesques.
Representatives of the SAB, where numerous professional dancers have trained, auditioned more than 50 area dance students Sunday at the Atlanta Ballet Centre.
Joey Ivansco / jivansco@ajc.com
Cameron Morgan, 14, of Dozier, Ala., is surrounded by 42 young ladies trying out for a place in a summer program.
Joey Ivansco / jivansco@ajc.com
Katrina Killian, a School of American Ballet faculty member who conducted the auditions, said she was pleased with the turnout
Joey Ivansco / jivansco@ajc.com
Nancy Casciano, 13, of Lilburn, has the tilt of her head corrected by Katrina Killian.
Katrina Killian, SAB faculty member who conducted the auditions, said she was pleased with the turnout — “today with the economy the way it is,” she added, shrugging her shoulders. The students came, with parents and guardians in tow, from as far away as Savannah, Alabama and even Indiana.
“I want to be in musical theater, and in order to be successful, you have to know how to dance,” said Cameron Morgan, 14, of Dozier, Ala., the only male to audition in the first round of students.
Killian said she was searching for good technical skills, but also a little something extra. “I’m looking for someone…with a real love of dance, someone who has a spark and energy and someone who can really listen and take direction,” she said.
The audition, run as a straight ballet class, began with Killian’s rapid run-through of combinations. As she walked the floor observing each student, she would pause to lengthen arms, extend legs and gently tap her notebook at the base of a spine to straighten backs.
Occasionally, she would demonstrate a special position of choreographer George Balanchine, who along with Lincoln Kirstein founded the 75-year-old ballet academy.
After barre exercises and jumps, the girls put on pointe shoes for further evaluation.
Ninety minutes later, it was over.
Students who are accepted into the program will receive invitations by phone in the next few days to attend the $2,455, five-week program in New York.
For some, acceptance will mean making a tough choice.
Nancy Casciano, 13, of Lilburn, dances at the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre and has been accepted into programs including the Joffrey and San Francisco Ballet. “I’ve always wanted to dance in the New York City Ballet,” said Casciano, who said she needs to have Balanchine training.
Abigrace Diprima, 13, of Lawrenceville, who already has been accepted into more than a half-dozen programs, said the School of American Ballet is her first choice. Yet she decided to reserve comment on her audition.
“I don’t like to say much,” she said, “because I’m really superstitious.”
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