What are really thinking? Pet Peeves, biggest mistakes, winning moves.

DANCE MAGAZINE asked eight influential auditors to tell us what they wish all auditioning dancers knew. You'll be surprised to find out what turns them off and what they say will land you the gig.

Joan Myers Brown

Founder, executive artistic director, Philadanco

The biggest mistake a dancer can make at my audition is to come in with all the latest fashions and trappings. Some come with 100 leg warmers on and their stomachs hanging out. I just want to see a dancer in tights and a leotard so I can see them dance.

Outside of technique, the thing that makes me watch a dancer is something I like to call "magic." It's something that attracts you to them visually, whether they really enjoy what they are doing or they are kicking past their head, it's "magic." They need to be able to do various styles of choreography. In a repertory company like ours a dancer has to be able to adapt and change focus.

Marguerite Derricks 

Commercial choreographer whose credits include the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith and the Nick and Jessica Variety Show for MTV.

The minute a dancer walks in the room is the most important part. Next is learning the routine--how fast they pick up the material and how quickly they can perform it. So if 300 girls come to an audition and I only need 7, you need to be on top of your game the moment you walk in.

I will always make an exception if the best dancer there is not the type I had in mind at first. I like all body shapes, as long as they are in the best shape they can be in. Commercials are harder to cast because the advertising people have a say in whom we hire, and often times size and body shapes matter to them. But I will take whomever I think is presenting to me all they have.

Marey Griffith

Production dance supervisor, Broadway's The Lion King

The Lion King has puppets, stilts, grass plates that dancers wear on their heads, and other obstacles. Be flexible and ready for anything. Most of all, I wish dancers would realize that they have nothing to lose in an audition. They need to commit to the dance emotionally and not hold back. Technique is valuable but it is not as interesting as someone with passion. Look beyond the mirror when you are in class, and practice your audition skills.

A resume is important because it shows a dancer's background. But we never discourage people if they don't have a greatly built up resume. For a lot of dancers, this is their first Broadway show. It is really about what you do in that studio on the day of the audition that will get you the job, not the amount of experience you've had.

Linda Sohl-Ellison

Artistic director and choreographer, Rhapsody In Taps

My ideal dancer would have solid footwork, accurate rhythm sensibility, and an understanding of phrasing and musicality. I want a dancer who physically invests in the space and who is open to different processes of choreographing and dancing. We're still here after 24 years because we are willing to experiment and try new things. Dancers need to be patient and be able to manipulate material, change accents, be open-minded, and contribute.

Dancers should have a good idea of what we do before coming to our audition. They should identify with the work and not just be looking for a job. Make sure you have seen us perform. Make an investment in finding out what we do and make sure your training is compatible.

Marlana Walsh

Company manager, the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company

We do everything--tap, ballet, modern--so the dancer's ability to move from one combination into another is important.

When preparing for an audition, take as many classes as you can. Don't sell yourself short, even if it is just a beginner class where you can work on your technique. Our company members are training all the time so an auditioning dancer should be doing the same. Make sure you are in the best shape you can be in.

A dancer should wear tight-fitting clothes. Not necessarily tights and a leotard, but nothing baggy. Their hair should be off their face and they should have on makeup. We are a performing company, so they need to look ready to go onstage.

William Whitener 

Artistic director, Kansas City Ballet (pictured on previous page)

I don't have a particular mold that I want people to fit. I look for dancers who are truly themselves, working intently and seriously. The gleaming characteristics that get a dancer hired should resurface in the work environment. They must be quick learners and focused on detail. You just hope that during an audition, what you see is what you actually get.

We require that you have a resume and head shot, but it is a good idea to bring them even when they are not requested.

Ron Cunningham

Co-artistic director, The Sacramento Ballet

When I give an audition and there are 100-150 dancers there, my immediate reaction is to look at dancers who are attractive and have good proportions. But once they are at the barre I notice technique. Do they have good feet, good turnout, are they rhythmic and coordinated? Then everything changes once they go into the center. I still watch for technique but I want to see their expression, too--are they a blank classroom dancer? Auditions are scheduled so far in advance that sometimes the director doesn't even know what he needs yet. Just go and give it a chance.

Christopher Gattelli

Choreographer, the Off-Broadway production of Altar Boyz 

All you can do is your best at an audition. There are so many things that you have no control over when you are up for a job, and often those things have nothing to do with your talent. If you are prepared, listen to what the choreographer wants, and dance to the best of your ability that day. It's in the hands of fate.

I think the biggest mistake a dancer can make is to not listen to specifics. I see incredible technicians who can do a hundred turns, but sometimes that doesn't matter. Every audition and combination is different.