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MOVERS and SHAKERS: The Newbie's introduction Commercial Dance in L.A.

search of something. Something that fulfills us, something that we couldnt find home, something that satisfies our curiosity, something that fulfills our wanderlust. All of those could be the answers why I started my travels after graduating from university. Well these are my answers to a lot of your questions. You could say that this book wrote itself through the many conversations Ive had over the years and months in Italy, England, Russia, Slovakia, or Austria. Ihappy to be able to finally share this with you as Ive organized my thoughts and come back to writing basics from University. This following is for you and perhaps many others who are either 1) curious about the commercial dance industry or 2) contemplating the big move to pursue ones dreams. Hopefully this will be a good introduction to LA for you. I dont claim to know everything, I myself, feel that I have plenty more to learn from life, this world and its peoples. However, Im confident its a good first start and more than enough to one totally clueless about the dance industry. There are many dance communities around the globe, but L.A. is the bonafide city where one can find an entire industry around our chosen art and craft. So with that said, welcome to the City of Angels!

Foreword Not in a million years did I think I would be finishing up this work anytime soon. This entire work has been in the back of my head throughout the years. As I travel, I get asked a lot of questions about dancing in L.A.: what its like, my suggestions for classes and teachers, how the industry works, etc. I also love answering the question: why have you come to (insert foreign country, city here)? To which I which almost always answer. Why? Why not?! Frankly the answer is were all in Acknowledgements This work could not have written itself without the encouragement and support of some great people in my life. Mom, I gotta thank her for sharing and hitting the like button all the time on my facebook posts; also my family members and friends for the kind words and support. I also have met some new people along the way that have given me a new

perspective on the journey of life. So to all of you, thank you, danke, dakujem, grazie!

The Commercial Dancer ............................................................................ 5 Its a #dancelife ......................................................................................... 6 The expectations of a commercial dancer. ............................................... 6

5,6,7,8 ! Taking the directions your agent has given you: how to dress, the studios location, how to sign in at the door and what to expect, you head out and find yourself amidst a snaking line outside of the studio. The line of dancers is about to wind itself around the block, not just around the studio building! Well of course, it is, it's an "open call" for the next Janet Jackson project! You see a group of acquaintances from your regular string of dance classes at the end of the line and nonchalantly take your pace in line. Everyone is craning their neck to see what in the world is going on at the head of the line. Word travels itself down that the combination is four 8 counts long and that they will be bringing everyone in groups! Great, this should be less stressful! 45 sweaty minutes later your group is at the front of the door. You turn in your headshot and CV/resume to the casting assistants by the door wherein they pencil your number in on a sheet and give you your number, #132, jotted by permanent marker on a sticker. You stick this on the thigh of your skinny jeans and head inside the studio where Janet's choreographer, Gil, is personally teaching the choreography. You make your way to a clearing amidst the crowd of 300 dancers and start cramming.

WERK IT! ................................................................................................ 8 Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca ..................................................................................................... 8 THE L.A. SURVIVAL GUIDE: YOUR FIRST 30 days ....................................... 9 THE DANCE AGENCIES ............................................................................. 12

My Introduction
Being so far away from L.A. for more than three years has inspired me to write the following guide for aspiring dancers all over the world who are contemplating the big move to California. At the very least, I hope to entertain you, the reader, with the way I presented this information. Its my first undertaking as a writer since I graduated university, so cut me a little slack, ok? Hopefully, however, I hope to inspire the next generation of talent, youngbloods, and dreamers, who are dreaming of making it in the dance industry in L.A. Let it be a guide that scratches the surface of where you want to go and perhaps whet your appetite for things to come or possibly as an opportunity to prepare for your dream. I will be as informative as possible to you, the reader. Ive also included alot about some of my experiences as best as I can recall them. So in a sense its a pretty personal read as well.

Contents
My Introduction........................................................................................ 2 Welcome to the City of Angels! ................................................................ 5

Rest assured its all so you can gain some insight and hopefully learn a thing or two from my experiences. Perhaps you would have handled the situations quite differently if you were in my shoes. Let me be honest: L.A. is not an easy city to live in: traffic, the public transportation, sheer magnitude of the city, and the culture can take its toll on a person. Add to that the pressure of making it in one of the most competitive professions- EVERand it becomes a recipe for a lot of heartbreak. Youll need your wits about you and honest down to earth friends to keep your feet on the ground but also your heart afloat in times when the going gets rough! You will need more than cash in the bank, let me tell you (though it does help). There are so many different scenes, good and bad, that one can get into, dont let them detract you from your original vision! Just remember though, most people come here because they are looking for something. They are on a quest (much like you will be here and for the rest of your life) with clearly defined goals and strategies on how to make their dreams reality: which you will, too, hopefully after finishing these pages. It is all up to you now and what you do when you arrive. Your real friends will reveal themselves in time and youre going to need that safety and support from when shit hits the fan. Luckily, my family was there and I could escape to the OC or nearby San Diego on weekends to see and hang out with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. You could say that this guide was years in the making: ever since I first saw my first performance on TV! When I first saw Janet Jackson on TV and her background dancers, who were just so full out, I was 8 at the time and I was hooked! During those formative years in a boys life, I sought out a lot of chances to perform, and in those times, I would pause and play her videos so I could pick up some of her moves! I loved putting on shows in private or for my school. I was on all the groups, if there was dance involved, I was there. I would put

dance groups together with friends and we would choreograph these hip-hop numbers for talent shows or even just for the hallways. I just loved performing, even better if I was onstage with others. It really wasnt until I was 16 that I started taking dance seriously, enrolling in jazz and commercial dance at the nearby college. Nicole Walker was my first real dance teacher and I remember being in her class with much older intimidating students. Sometimes after school (when I finally got my drivers license), I would drive out all the way to North Hollywood to take dance classes at Millennium) At the time, Wade Robson was so popular and still teaching there during his regular Friday night time slot. I took his class religiously as well as Marty Kudelkas when he also had a regular time slot at Millennium, (Tuesday nights, we all knew where we needed to be!) Everyone around me was so good and excellent! They really knew their bodies. Then, when the adrenaline wore off from dance, I would stay after class and chat with some of my peers. It was after a conversation with a very enchanting Africa American girl that I found out about some auditions for dance agents. There were some coming up soon, one of the first ones was for the Bobby Ball Agency. I planned for that audition like it was the Second Coming! I knew I had to stand out at the auditions and I remember the outfit I was wearing: shredded jeans, ring-necked tee with a maroon leather jacket! After being put through the ropes of that audition, doing the combination a few times in front of the agents, we were all told, for those that made the three rounds of cuts at the spot that we were being offered representation. I remember calling my mother afterwards. Mom, I got my first agent!!! I said. She was so ecstatic, I was 18 at the time and had not had representation yet, and I knew that this was key if I wanted to get in in the most elite castings in the city. Good luck getting into auditions or even being called for an audition without one! I was attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) at the time. Between juggling courses on languages,

dance, and culture I was making the 30 minute drive to North Hollywood to take dance classes and train. Sometimes, Id have to make the choice of cutting class or attending an audition. Auditioning, more often than not, won out in the end. (Hey, I was a man on a mission.) While doing all of that auditioning and managing to book some jobs, I was also teaching for my friend Coris kids company. That was fun. As graduation loomed, I knew that i wanted to be more than just a dancer in the industry. I loved the music video format so much, I figured out I would seek internships at various production houses. One of my letters and resume must have done the trick as I got a response back from a little company in Santa Monica called FM Rocks. Well it wasnt so little, because at the time, it produced 75% of the music videos in America. This company housed the directors I respected and I was put to work instantly behind the scenes: but in the office. That first 3 months I had learned so much from just being in there: filing invoices, working the video archives, and everything else that was needed. It was an internship meaning it was nonpaid. However, I loved that I was working amidst the music videos and people who actually made them!!! It was such a dream come true. It wasnt long before my supervisor Gina put me to work on sets as a production assistant. Actually out there getting my hands dirty in ground zero of music video production just really psyched and stoked me out. I guess I was just the eager beaver at work. From that job, I met so many casting directors, agents, and producers that were totally cool at explaining to me how things worked and function in the world of production, the other side of the entertainment industry. I was able to support myself through teaching in Coris company which I took over when she got so busy herself and also by the production assistant salary. It was 120 dollars per day, but considering you work for upwards of 18 hours onset or while on pre-production the hourly rate was barely minimum

wage. I was grateful, however, at the opportunity to learn. I didnt care about the long hours and pay. It was during these years that I got to know the lay of the land, as they say. I thought that I really knew every side street going to school on the west side of town, but boy was I wrong. I learned more about every nook and cranny of L.A. than ever, as we shot videos and commercials and I would make runs out to our various vendors, doing pickups, whatever the production team needed. I also got to see first-hand how music videos were made and where, we, as dancers fit into the whole picture. (Its something that you have to know and have perspective on, especially in a town like Hollywood where you must know your place in the pecking order.) While working consistently: a mix of production, dance, and choreography jobs and teaching. I suddenly felt myself being pulled across the ocean. I guess you can say I was burning out. My weeks and months were the same: logging in 20 hour days on production sets, teaching, training, and auditioning on some of the days I was off. On my off days or after getting off a video project, I fell into the routines: taking dance classes, submitting myself for dance and choreography projects and auditioning. If it was one thing I really wish I could have done more was socialize with my peers at the time! I wanted to see more of the world and bought every conceivable book on the subject of travel. I knew that there was more to the world than California or the life that I was currently living. I was so restless. I have a hard time sitting still, but I was consumed at the thought of living elsewhere. At that time, I was even close to finally getting a condo in Hollywood. Not really my time yet, as it turned out. I still wanted to live and explore Europe, which I had only read about in university handouts and textbooks. Little did I know that my career path was about to take me out of the L.A. scene and across the Atlantic.

I decided that London would be my first stop in Europe to study dance and experience that culture. From London, I went ahead and taught dance in Russia and came back home for a while to work. Next, Italy came calling and I was in Europe once again. Teaching in Russia, Italy, dancing for an Italian modern jazz company, choreographing, teaching, and dancing for TV in Slovakia and Austria were all in the cards for me throughout the last few years. Time flies so much when one is busy and Im still here in Europe. Im actually writing this right now in Vienna. Its here, for now, that I have found a community that I love and adore, with work that satisfies me to the core: and a life that is so unlike L.A. or California. Sure the winters are dreadful, but when the weathers nice again, it turns into such a different place. This book is dedicated to those I have met along the way. Thank you for inspiring me. To my students past, present, and future: You can become more than youve ever dreamed, and thanks for sharing with me your dreams and wishes for the future. I hope you find this information useful. Use it.

Hollywood entertainment industry. You name it, I must have had some sort of hand in it from actually being in front of the camera to the preparation process such as producing and casting aspects of the industry. A lot of these things I observed as a working dancer, some of them while assisting various choreographers and directors on different jobs. Some of the information was just hammered unto me by different agents, casting directors, and producers.

The Commercial Dancer

A commercial dancer is: A freelance dancer hired on different projects. Hired through castings: live auditions, direct bookings, or submissions. Usually well-versed in hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary styles. A commercial dancer is used in combination to "sell" something or someone: be it an image, clothing line, computers, music players, cars, bottled water, or a singer. The commerce part usually comes in the way of appearing and performing in videos, commercials, movies, or new media. For example: Back-up dancing to sell a singer's records and concert tickets or it could be through an advertisement on television or on the Internet. Unlike his/her counterparts in other dance specialties: the musical dancer, the ballet dancer, all immersed in that particular world, the commercial dancer hops and on and off different jobs. He might be doing a video this week, but the following week, he is abroad replacing another dancer on a tour.

Welcome to the City of Angels!

L.A. The commercial dance capital of the world! Ive been everywhere looking to find something similar to the dance industry in L.A., but no other city comes close! The possibilities are endless for a dancer here. The best from all over the world come here to train, to pursue their dreams, and test their skills! Every year thousands of new faces descend down upon the city of angles, aspiring to reach their childhood dreams: whether it be gracing the stage alongside their favorite singers or capturing a leading role in a Hollywood dance film! My intention with this guide is to arm, you, the dancer, with the knowledge I gleaned working the different sides of the

Its a #dancelife
You are blinded and scrunch your eyes at the bright light escaping through the blinds. You wake up sore from yesterday's audition. Which you were 1006 amongst a crowd of 1200 seen for Ricky Martin's tour in South America. You made it past the 3rd rounds, but was cut because they wanted to go for someone a little taller. You shook it off last night, eager to get back home. But today is a new day! You and your friends have all agreed to take jazz after lunch. What time is it? Oh great it's only 20 minutes past noon, you have time to get something to eat and head on over to the studio. Class was intense. People clambering to get the front spot. In a room full of 40 other dancers, there was barely enough room for that combination! You look at your phone to see a text message from your agent. "Hurry get on over to the Casting Alley, you have a new commercial audition for Pepsi." You quickly call to confirm you're going and head to the showers quickly. Good thing you have brought your gear: makeup, funky-fresh stylish clothes perfect for this audition in your car. Over at the casting studio, you are amazed (not to mention, glad) that this will be a simple process: slate for the camera then record a few of your best poses and moves. Wow you were in and out of there quickly and its only 5 PM! You have to meet your boy/girl friend that you're currently dating for drinks at Fiesta Cantina in West Hollywood. It just so happens that one of your agents is sitting at the booth right next to you! You just love the margaritas at this place! You get another text reminding you that you were

gonna meet up with friends, all dancers to take Tricia Miranda's full-out class at IDA! You say your goodbyes and give your agents air-kissed as you head to Hollywood. If the earlier jazz class was packed, this one is even more crammed! Tricia's class is full out and there were these little kids who were really smashing that choreography. Hold old must they be? 12 or 11 years old at most! What a thrill!!! After saying your goodbye to all your buddies, it's close to midnight already, and that class started at 8:30!!! Looking at your phone, you see that your agent has been working late. How do u know? He just sent you a voicemail! Listening to it intently, guessing that it's probably another casting for tomorrow. However it's not, surprisingly. Guess what, they really liked you at the Pepsi audition, guess you really won them out with your winning personality and charm! You're on avail for the project! Wow, no second audition even. You gladly text your girlfriend/boyfriend and tell them the good news! She has great idea: celebrate tonight by going out!

The expectations of a commercial dancer.

Your job as a commercial dancer is to ALWAYS be ready for the next audition or the next job (some of which come, literally, hours, not days, before the job). At auditions, image-wise, you must be bookable on the spot, right-then-and-there at the audition! Bookable is dancer lingo that you are ready to be booked or hired for the job. When you hear someone booking a job that means that their agent has been contacted by someone that wants to hire the dancer and will be working

the project in the very near future. Being booked on a job means you are already employed and you better be ready anytime, possibly hours even, to get the job done! The step before being booked is being put on avail which means that production or casting is asking you to clear your schedule as they are finalizing production details (the who, what, when, and where) of the job. As a commercial dancer, you really have to be able to sell not only yourself, but whatever brand you may be working on on at the moment. You have a certain image to uphold! The list is endless and exhaustive, but below is a list to help you get started. Commercial dancers are expected to:

...Be fit and camera ready. Boys, this means you are at the gym working on your fitness: increasing muscle tone and cardio to burn excess body fat. You never know when a video, choreographer or artist will request the shirtless look. There is no excuse to not look your best. Ladies, same thing. It is hard for females to put on muscle and look bulky anyways, so dont be afraid of a little strength training. In addition, however, make sure to keep your clear skin and bright, awake eyes- watch your diet and get your beauty rest. ...Learn and pick up choreography quickly. Be sure youre taking class, if not only to work on your movement quality and craft, but also to practice picking up new choreography on the spot. ...Be able to change and adjust choreography and staging at any moment's notice. Flexibility is key! ...Perform safely without injury to his body and be responsible for the safety of his/her colleagues. This

pertains to all sorts of lifts. Men, provide steady strong support for your partners. Ladies, be able to control and shift and know your weight when you are being lifted! ...Expected be on time. This is pretty self-explanatory, but plenty of dancers think they can get away from being on time and get away with the excuse: "Traffic on the 405!" It's alright to arrive safely, but plan ahead and leave earlier for your auditions and call times. ...And in the case you can't keep your appointments: reschedule, never be a flake! So many way to communicate nowadays, pick up the phone, send an SMS, etc. ...Well-informed. You need to be fully informed of all things dance and whats going on in LA and the dance industry. Which projects are currently working, which choreographers are working and booking.J ...To be training and taking class (when not booked of course)! Self-explanatory, especially for the newbie. Train not only in your specialty or forte, but in other styles uncomfortable to you. The key word is versatility here. Versatile dancers are booked dancers. ...To be professional. He/she is never a diva and is humble. Arrives on time. Take off the starstruck look on your face, because you will probably be working with people you have looked up to for years! ...To maintain a good relationship with his agent. This means "booking out," taking them out for a drink sometime, sending thank you notes, updating them about your work and any relevant details ...To have current headshots and resumes. This picture and piece of paper stapled behind it is of utmost importance. They are his calling card, and the only thing thats left after a casting has taken place. In some castings, dancers get picked out solely by their headshots: either sent out by their agents or through any of the numerous online casting services, such as LA Casting.

WERK IT!

L.A. offers a myriad of opportunities for dancers willing to put in the work, blood, sweat, and literally: tears. The possibilities for work are endless, as the city is where all the decision makers: producers, music labels, directors, are. Every day is different where you are a phone call away from your agent with a call offering a new job opportunity (gig) or at least a chance to perform. Listed below are the possibilites for a working commercial dancer. The possibilties are endless. The common denominator within all of them is that the working hours are long and could happen within an hours notice! Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca

Music Videos. A lot of dancers come into town to make it big in the music video world. I mean, who doesnt want to be seen worldwide in the newest and brassiest video by their favorite artist? Most established artists have their teams in place already, choreographer and dancers. Newer artists commonly hold auditions to find new faces and bodies. Both will hold auditions anyways to see whos in town and see the new faces. Commercials. These are advertisements on television, cinema theaters, YouTube, anywhere, you name it! Apple had an amazing campaign with their ipod commercials featuring dancers on a colorful backdrop with just their silhouettes gyrating to music on offer in the iTunes store. Commercials pay extremely well depending on the client. A onetime fee for usage throughout the world makes these types of gigs very lucrative as well as the possibility for payment after the spots themselves have aired and the job finished. Dancers and actors will sometimes talk about how they have received their residual checks in the

mail. These means that checks will often arrive to your house years after a specific job is done. Web advertisement. These are pretty new as well and have been around and more prolific recently. These include jobs that are only relegated to web content, but can be in the form of a commercial, advertisement, or episode (webisode). Certainly a newer format and hence a lot of the rates for internet content is not as regulated by entities such as dancers alliance or AFTRA. Films/ Motion Picture. Motion pictures are another lucrative gig depending what role a dancer plays. There are tiers to a film job, so a dancer could be casted and paid based on the part they were hired for. For example, this featured parts are paid more than day players, which are paid more than extras. Most dancer roles are paid per days worked. Video Games. Another cool job that is possible is that of within the new field of motion capturing for 3D games. Sensors are attached to the dancers body to capture his or her movements. The data is then uploaded onto a server to create a lifelike 3d image that moves as smoothly, deftly, and gracefully, as the dancer. World tours for a singer artist. These gigs last for upwards of six months and sometimes up to a year. Going rates for dancers on pop tours are around 1500 dollars per week plus agency rate. Travel and accommodation is of course provided including per diems in cash in the local currency around 25 dollars to be used for meals and incidentals, public bathroom tokens, toiletries, daily needs, etc. World tours are divided into continental segments, called legs. For example, the USA leg, the North American leg, European, Asian, Australian, African, etc. Las Vegas shows. Imagine the thrill and magnitude of a pop concert every or every other night, but you wouldn't have to go very far from home, well three hours away to

be exact. Three hours from L.A. lies the glitzy, sunny Las Vegas strip. Many artists have put up shows for extended periods of time in hotels and casinos along Las Vegas and Tropicana Blvds. It started with Frank Sinatra entertaining his Rat Pack friends and more recently, Celine Dion had over 100 performers: dancers, acrobats, and specialty acts throughout her stay in Vegas. Touring musicals. Before it makes it big unto the Broadway stage, most musicals will do a traveling tour of the major US cities to work out kinks or rough spot in the show. (As every performer knows, no show is ever perfect on opening night! Musicals are no exception, and the many demands of the show similar to a pop tour calls for many revisions before stopping in New York City.) Club gigs. These are smaller performances, sometimes one off shows or ongoing shows based in a particular club. Carnival, The Choreographers ball. Where some of L.A. s hottest choreographers get their start. These shows are non-paid, but some intrinsic rewards include getting seen by agents, the larger dance community or as favors to support a choreographer friend. Above all else, Carnival is a show for dancers made by dancers. Carnival is at the pulse and everything current in the L.A. commercial dance. Go go dancing. Night clubs are in need of gogo dancers, sort of animators provided to fuel the party crowd. In recent times, gogo dancers have become more and more show oriented with more elaborate costumes as seen in Ibiza or Berlin nightclubs.

Can a newbie (that would be you survive on their own in L.A.) Probably. If youre parents are supporting you and have room in their financials to pay for your lifestyle, then congratulations! You can focus on dance, training, and booking jobs versus, worrying about survival. On the other hand, welcome to being a full grown adult on your own. Resourcefulness, thrift, and resilience will be the qualities youll need to cultivate. It will be difficult, but no one said going after your dreams would be easy. Los Angeles is an expensive city in terms of the rents but also onef living expenses. You'll have to figure in transporation, car, gasoline, and of course you MUST budget for parking tickets. Yes, you will get a lot of them in car -obsessed L.A. You also will have to forego a lot of the luxuries that the kids of rich parents take for granted. However, the upside is, L.A. is a fun place to live even on a budget. Thatll be up to you to discover though.

Getting Around.
Firstly, Have a plan to get-around. L.A. is a car built around the automobile. Perhaps you arrive without one from the get-go. L.A. does have public transportation, however let me say that, it is severely lacking! My car broke down and had it serviced for repairs for one week and I had to rely on MTA *Metro Transportation Authority. For a journey that would have taken half an hour by car, almost took me three hours! Bus lines and busses do not arrive on time (if they ever arrive at all)

A civilian job.
A civilian job is a must. Some dancers support themselves by working in the food industry or in the coffee beverages sector. I'm writing this at a Starbucks in Vienna, so that itself reminds me of the time while I was in school working at the Starbucks in Brentwood in West L.A. to make some extra cash. I picked the earliest shift at the time (5 A.M. call times to open the store,

THE L.A. SURVIVAL GUIDE: YOUR FIRST 30 days

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yikes!) So that I could check out by 10 AM on weekdays and go to dance classes that day or any castings. If I had an audition that day, it was shower hour to get the coffee smell from me and I was off. Youre going to need some sort of support because:

SIDE STREETS/PICKING THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD:

I would learn the side streets of L.A., really quickly as soon as you arrive. Which side streets are best to take on a given time of day is key. Perhaps you dont need to hit the freeway after all-- it's, more than likely, clogged at most waking hours of day. You will probably get to your destination faster anyways by driving on the streets. A better option, as a newbie, is to live close to your favorite studio. L.A. is comprised of many other smaller cities within it so in North Hollywood you have: Millennium, Movement Lifestyle, and Debbie Reynolds. In Hollywood, you have the EDGE, IDA Hollywood. When choosing a neighborhood to live in choose one and learn how to access and get around by biking, walking, or public transportation. Your castings will take place all over the city, so it would just pick a convenient neighborhood at first. You'll be spending a lot of time training anyways, so this is a good move on your part. You will cut on your expenses if you didnt have a car in LA, but tha, itself, becomes mandatory once you're starting to become a busy freelancer!

High rents.
Rents are sky high. Wanna live in a decent place, without water or vermin problems? Your rent is gonna be higher than what youre typically used to. An apartment itself has rents triple or double in some European capital cities. Your best option would be to look for a room/flatmate situation. Scour websites for these. A studio nowdays are around 1200 month. Gonna live with roommates maybe somewhere around 700-900 for your own room wouldnt be so expensive. Perhaps you could arrange to live with one of your friends for a month and try couch surfing., but this will soon get old, your own small private place would be best to keep you sane and healthy!

Time management.
A busy dancer such as yourself will need this skill to the fullest. Chart your work scheudle, work, and class. Be sure to schedule things like rest and all too important social hours. Your time management will be the key. I don't recommend hitting the freeways at rush-hours .. around 10:30nd in LA, rush hour is longer 7 AM to around 10:30AM and then again from 4:30 to around 8:45 at night. You will not budge. Eversciy year I found my destinations just 7 minutes longer to drive to. Personal observation, not something that I really measured and scientifically tested.

Work study.
Most studios have some sort of work-study options available through them. In exchange for X amount of hours work: working the front desk, signing students in, etc.: work studies participants get free classes and free training at the studios. Its also a good way to get seen and recognized in the dance through your peers. There's no shame in being a work study plus the free classes and networking opportunities with students/ fellow dancers and teachers would be priceless.

Headshots. Get these as soon as possible! These are the

currency of casting directors and your job. Make sure it

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represents you and your personality as well! Dance shots are normally body length. Power tip: Keep 100 ready and cut, and stapled. You will go through these like hotcakes!

Finances. Beautiful, fabulous, but broke. Show me a

dancer with their financial house in order! L.A. life gets costly. Going out with friends, eating out, car payments, insurance payments, the rent, taking dance classes, haircuts: essential, the latest gear not just brands, but in the latest cuts and colors: essentials and costs pile up. Sometimes, the line between essentials and non-essentials gets blurry. Budget for months at a time. Forego the latest apple gadget. Pick up a book on finances if youre clueless.

I contemplated about this into the work, because for us teachers or who have taught, it's pretty obvious: your attutude and ettiqutte in dance class counts! When I do come and teach, I often aghast at students' behaviors in dance class. At first it was just me, but it turns out some colleagues also have my same pet peeves when it come to ettitque in dance class. listen up everybody, gum-chewing and yawning are no-no's! The way you behave in class is a reflection of what you\re gonna do in auditions. So please respect the dance teachers and follow the simple do's and don'ts below: You've arrived in the class, you are amongst the many that will learn the same *hopefully challenging choreography. How to behave?

Power tip.
Have something outside of the dance world to keep occupied and working on. This could be anything: anything from family, a hobby, church, or school. Its just another way to help ground you and as you work on other aspects of yourself that nakes you into a multi-facented, interesting human being. You know that you will always dance, and dance will always be there for you, so its good to have something just to yourself. Trust, that not only will it make you a whole person, but itll also help make your transition to LA life easier as you juggle and fight your way through the industry.

DO arrive on time. Even if the teacher has a habit of arriving late themselves. DO pay attention. No chewing gume and please stifle your yawns. There is nothing more disrepectful to a teacher than apathetic students. DO turn off your cell phones! Your social life can wait! DO Say Thank you afterwards. DO ASK meaningful questions as it pertains to choreography when you don't get it.

TAKING CLASS

DO Switch Lines. Have decent courtesy for the rest of your classmates, especially for us short ones!

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DO RESPECT space! Lately its been so ini to smash the person next to you, but it's just plain rude...not to mention dangeous. This also includes stuff like you probaly be chewing gum, or yawning. It bothers me as a teacher as well when people do it, and if you\ve taught a dance class you know what Im talking about. Its just plain rude and some colleagues as well find its a bit distracting to the dance class process / environment. All I have to say on the matter is: You wouldnt yawn or chew gum in an audition would you? Same thing in class.

Looking to make it big and book your first job in LA? Youre not going to get in the door without a dance agent. Dance agents, are more than just companie. A whole industry has revolved around dance, because dance is so huge right now, every brand, singer it seems is looking to hire especially in America. Every year, more and more dancers are making their way to LA to compete, firstly, for a shot at representation. Being represented means more than just getting your foot in the door and inside the most elite auditions. It is a chance to get molded and grow and be brought up in the industry. Dance agents match up the worlds brightest stars such as Rihanna, Chris Brown, with the talent. They are the most knowledgeable when it comes to the dance industry as some of them were the first professionals back in their day. So you can bet your dance socks that they know a thing or two about this industry. Pay attention, call back frequently, and ask a lot of questions, their guidance will help you. Im going to say it. Your dance agent will be your biggest resource in L.A. when it comes to dance in Los Angeles. Many who have started their own agencies were the first working dancers back in the day! You need someone behind you to help you, not to mention be on your side when it comes to booking jobs and negotiating contracts. One of my agents used to say that agents get 10 percent of what you make, because they do 10 percent of the work, the other 90 percent is up to you! You may only be in touch with your agent and their assistants via phone calls and texts, but rest assured they are there behind the scenes doing work for you. They are your biggest supporters, and in the end, will be there to celebrate your victories!

DANCE CLASS, TRAINING, and EMPLOYABILITY

Your key to employability as a commercial dancer lies in your versatility! I cant stress that enough. Sure focus on your forte, but being able to mix it up is the key! Hiphop dancer but dont know salsa? Learn the fancy footwork and let it all go! Perhaps you/re a contemporary dancer? Isnt everyone in LA one nowadays? Id learn how to manage a pole in pole dance or take an aerial silks class youve seen them in your favorite Cirque Shows, those guys hanging on nentsuspended ribbons in the air.

THE DANCE AGENCIES

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How to get one.

The dance agencies audition and look for new talent to represent several times a year. Postings online and all over the major dance studios will alert and notify you as to when the current castings are for agencies. These are usually planned up to months in advance. The agents audition once to twice a year for adults, depending on need: one in the fall, and one in the spring usually. You may also be a little more of a go-getter and submit your photos and resume, if they are interested, they will notify you of the next auditions. Some agencies, have special watching days where they come in to watch classes at one of the studios. Again, contacting them personally via email or phone call letting them know youre in town should be on your to-do list. It is essential that you get your picture and C.V. ready immediately. Although you may not have professional headshots yet, send something. A picture where you can see your physique would be best, so that they can recognize you. At the audition, wear something that stands out! On an agency audition I choreographed, the agency director, referred to the dancers as: that girl in the bumblebee leggings, razor girl, boy in the purple, they will call you by what you were wearing or any other physical characteristics that they can pick out.

outside of your performers persona. Introductions will be most likely in order as far as getting to know the organization: how long the agency has existed, who started it, along with the bevy of characters in the office who you will be talking and corresponding with. But of course, being the informed dancer you are, you probably all knew this information, as you have done your research beforehand, right? Most likely the conversation will shift to you and what are your needs are. This would be the time to tell them about yourself and also the time to ask your burning questions should you have any. They explain to you a lot of what will be in the contract and the welcome packet that they will give you along with some terms and perhaps the proper protocols for some logistical issues such as auditions, getting paid, etc. Then comes the part where you have to sign some documents, read it over especially the fine print. Im sure they will highlight the parts that make sure you are clear on. After that, if you dont have pictures and professional headshots already, they will most likely refer to you a photographer which the agency loves to work with and KNOWS what kind of photos a good working dancer needs.

Getting dropped. The process

So now youve auditioned and been offered representation. Great! The stars are aligning for you! They obviously saw something in you that warranted their attention so feel proud that you are one of the lucky ones. The process is only beginning from here! So they will most likely set up a meeting for you. A meeting with them is a sort of orientation, to personally meet you, talk to you, and see what youre like There is such a thing as getting dropped. Dance agents only have a limited space in their books or rosters of representation and in the end, agencies are businesses, and if a dancer isnt holding up to his or her end of the bargain, chances are you will receive what is called a drop letter in the mail. It is quite unfortunate. However, if you have been training and HONESTLY working hard (and working hard is a relative term for everyone), I wouldnt be worried. In the unfortunate event that you havent booked your first job in a year, perhaps

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the match between you and your agent just doesnt jive. Several reasons abound. Perhaps, you just have more growing up to do, but either case, the relationship is probably not mutually beneficial to you and your agent. You may get a letter in the mail, saying that you have been dropped. Dont sweat it. You want to avoid this at all costs by just being the best dancer you can be. It really sounds cliche and trite but its true, you have only yourself to be responsible for the job. Or perhaps, you can talk to your agent to explain a few valid reasons why you werent attending those auditions you were called for. Perhaps. you were going through some personal or physical issues, all valid points for you to point out to your agents. In any case, if you were communicative, you probably wont be dropped.

But you also must take care of the relationship. What this means is that you remain communicative throughout the whole dance process and throughout your career. Not updating your headshots or supplying your agent with fresh new photos is a sign that maybe you arent up for the challenge demanded in your chosen profession. Little things are appreciated as well such as thank you notes and little calls to check in. They obviously saw something in you at the audition to have wanted to offer you representation, so always keep your head up (without being too arrogant).

Keeping a good relationship with your agent.

Okay, so I had to start with the negative first so I can end this section on how to keep a good relationship with your agent. It is a relationship. And like all good relationships, hard work must be done on both ends to keep the relationship alive and prospering. Dance agents make a 10 per cent cut of your salary on every job, because as it is said, they are responsible for AT LEAST 10 per cent of the work, if not more. Once you do get a job and book it, expect them to work even harder for you so that you are treated right on set, paid your salary on every job, in the right amount and in a timely manner and that you are working under proper conditions. Some Agents will send you care packages, (how nice, right?), if you are on tour, because they know being away from home dancing 15 hours a day is stressful. They would be there anyways for you, a phone call away via cell phone if anything were to go wrong or if you are onset and something happens. Yes, they like to care for you as well.

checkin once in a while. When things are slow check in. When things are going your way, also check in. Keep your stock of headshots fresh and quantities up all the time in the agency. Agents send this out all the time, despite that most castings and breakdown services occur online nowadays. Hollywood likes its traditions! Confirm auditions. Actually show up to auditions, if you do confirm. Return phone calls. This seems to be a no brainer and only takes a few minutes of your time. Booking out. Gonna be out of town for a while with the significant other? Book out to explain that you cant go on auditions. Booking out also means that perhaps you may be on another job, teaching workshops out of state, etc. Booking in. You\ve booked out? Now book back in, so you dont miss out on any of the auditions. Both booking in require nothing but a quick phone call or appointment to your agent. Refer to expectations section earlier in the book, especially the part of being on top of things such as fitness and education! In fact, when things are slow, thats exactly what you should be focusing on the basics: education and fitness.

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Thank you notes. I think weve lost touch with the art of thank you and showing appreciation. These can be done in numerous ways, be creative. Gratitude as well is well deserved when youve booked your first professional gig.

AUDITIONING
There was a crazy line snaking its way around the block already. The start time for this audition wasnt until 10 minutes from now, but already L.A. dancers were lined up to get their shot. This was, after all, the next Christina Aguilera project, and YOU KNOW she and every other artist want the creme de la creme! After waiting for what seemed like ages under the hot California sun for 40 minutes, you make your way inside the studios lobby. Dancers of all shapes and sizes, (toned fit and thin is the look?) were already getting stretched and getting hyped. Some knew the choreography and were already practicing their steps in small huddled groups. You make your way to sign-in and hand in your headshot and resume to the casting assistant. She hands you a number on one of those stickers that says Hello my Name is and ushered into the studio. Great, youre only #479 this time. After being taught the combination, Its now your turn. You take in the entire scene. You guesstimate about 60 dancers inside already. This was small groups they had said outside, right? Everyone is dressed in the latest fashions: bright patterned leggings and bras for the girls (so casting can check out your bodies; fresh haircuts for

all the boys in skinny jeans. One tall Latino dancer seems to be standing out in a purple kilt with matching hair. Good for him!) A tall, giant electric fan, without much success, is trying to circulate the damp air inside the studio. Youre feeling comfortable. Youre seeing people from dance class, but the majority you havent seen in your life! Who are these people and where di they come from? You ask yourself. You also spot some dancers who you look up to in the industry. Ah, you take in a deep breath. This should be good. The choreographer welcomes you in; she is none other than Liz Imperio. You love her work! Todays audition combination is a mixture of hip-hop and jazz elements. You are so into it! The moves are intricate with a lot of straight lines, a double turn somewhere in there, which most contemporary dancers have managed to squeeze in a triple somehow in one and a half beats. Its a wonder you can even move and turn in your small group. The choreography is only 6 8 counts. Piece of cake, as youve been taking class with as sometimes as many of 30 counts thrown at you. At the end of the 6 8 counts you are asked to freestyle a part until the music is stopped. You perform the high energy, dynamic choreography in front of the judges, as they look through your groups headshots and resumes in front of you. Thank GOD, some of your friends are in here, you hear your name being raucously called out a few times cheering you on! You manage to perform it perfectly under pressure. No count missed, youre just hoping youre delivery sparkled and the judges saw your cute hair.

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A girl in leather tights almost battements you on the side of your head toward the end. Whoa! You are asked to do the combination 2 times, one time switching lines, so each dancer can do the combination in front and back. The other dancers wait in the sidelines either cheering on their friends or frantically practicing the combinations. Thank you, we will call your agents. someone harks. Its the assistant. She waves everyone goodbye as the next 60 in the next Small group are ushered into the studio. You grab your things and head for the door. Every dancer must do it. Most complain that they are long, inconvenient affairs (at least for those cattle calls) Read: Cattle Calls refers to those auditions wherein all top the 5 agencies get the call to send everybody. Even veterans have to audition as well sometimes. Been dancing on tour for a certain pop artist and just got back to settling in the L.A. groove? Tough. You still have to be seen! Though, auditions have become better organized through time, they still consume a great part of a dancers life. Trust also, that you may get calls, literally hours, before a casting take place. (Thats the reason you have extra dance clothes in your car ALL the time, right?) The beginning for every single job starts with the audition process when it comes time to pick and choose the right movers for the job The competition will be fierce, but youve been taking endless amounts of dance class and even been picked out by teachers

at the end, right? No problem for you, you feel comfortable being watched and scrutinized!

What to expect at the auditions:

You will be presented and taught with short choreography (usually 8 8- counts with some room to free style) that will be taught either by the choreographer or the assistant choreographer. Usually, the combinations style will be similar to the one used for the job if not the actual choreography to the job itself. Pick it up quickly and pay attention to the details because you will probably get only 2 tries to impress the judges panel (casting agents, production people, choreographer, or artist). So get your computers on! (and by computers I mean your brain for picking up choreography! In the case that there are massive amounts of dancer at the scene, (hey, Ive been to large calls with at least 1000 dancers in line), you will be separated into groups to learn the combo. First, they would fit as many people as the studio as the L.A. Fire Department will allow. This group would leave the studio while the second group comes to learn the combination. The process repeats itself until EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE who is auditioning is taught the choreo. At that point, they then would be invited back one by one into smaller groups. This would be the place and time to really shine bright and give it your best, power/sexiest moves included! You could be asked to stay or go. If asked to stay, you would go onto the next round. (However many rounds depends totally on the casting people). Be prepared to stay here all day night. (Audition conditions are improving, but be sure youve cleared your schedule so you are stress and worry free while performing for the judges!) In some cases and some extreme circumstances, casting could be totally clueless as to who they

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want. In which case, they would go say something akin to: Thank go home and we'll call your agents.

Power Tips:

I have often heard that teal is a likable color so try to wear at least one color that stands out. I would open up a fashion magazine to see what's up and in the latest trends! You must look what is called "bookable"

auditions. They broke for lunch around 3 PM. Perfect, I thought because I was teaching a kids class at 4. I get a call saying they want me to to be back at 6. Shit! Time conflict! There was no way I could both teach my class AND attend the call back. What was I to do? I decided on the spot to keep my word and not let the kids hanging, and seriously, in a decision that I look back on today I drove to the kids. I mean, I weighed the pros and cons, it was an audition in which the outcome itself would be unknown, 2) it was Jamie King! I thought in all earnest, well I'll just come back as soon as the kids' dance class is done. I told the casting director via phone that if they could wait for me I would come in and audition again for the call back ASAP. Foolishly, I thought I could do it. However, as soon as I got to the casting studio, they were already packing the lights. :-/

Bookable means the job could be shooting in five minutes and you would be ready! Your hair done. Your make0up flawless and your wardrobe on point! Like you have been styled by a professional stylist! you could literally be plucked out and you could dance and do the job already. You are not wearing dance clothes for training and going to the gym!

After the audition.

So now that you have finished auditioning, what next? Chances are, if you are chosen you will be put on hold or avail for the project! Which is GREAT! You are one step closer to booking the job! Otherwise, perhaps casting and the production company decided to go another route in terms of who they wanted to hire. Have no fear, this is common and tomorrow brings another day so you can work and try again!

Have a change of clothes available in your bag or in your car! There is nothing like auditioning in something you feel very uncomfortable in. It is uncomfortable and thing about castings are: you have to appear ultracomfortable already!

Timing is everything/ You can't have it all. True story here. I remember the time very vividly. It was during the auditions in front of Jamie King (Madonna's tour director, Britney Spears director, directed Michael Jackson's Immortal for Cirque du Soleil). They were searching for male dancers for Ricky Martin's next world tour. I made it to the round 2 of the

WORKING CHOREOGRAPHERS
To consistently work as a dancer, you must start developing relationships with working choreographers in the field. Some choreographers specialize in commercials, others in a specific

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style, some work with just very specific artists, other choreographers do all the TV stuff, some do the Vegas shows, etc. How does one catch the eye of a big choreographer? Well it first starts with your training and how hard you are working. The second is to look for them through their regular classes and workshops. Choreographers teach throughout the year as well and if youre good, you may just be handpicked to do small groups. Other ways are through auditions and referrals. Know first the type of dancer that specific choreographer likes to work with. You may also focus your work on style based on a choreographers work. If know, for example that a certain choreographer works with an artist, I would be sure that that choreographer sees me before the audition maybe in a workshop setting. This increases visibility! For example, a friend told you that he works with Rich and Tone. They do a lot with Chris Brown and youre also interested in working with Chris Breezy, so I know that I need to meet them before hand and the best chance to do that of course is in class! Provided is a list below of some of the big names, legends in the dance world: Rich and Tone. Current and past projects: Madonna, Chris Brown and many more. Napoleon and Tabitha Duomo. The Jabbawokeez, Mobbed, etc. Marty Kudelka. Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, and many more. Brian Friedman. Britney Spears Laurie-Ann Gibson. Recently, Lady Gaga.

Gil Duldulao. Janet Jackson! Sensual, fluid, jazz-funk, very stylistic choreography Travis Payne. Michael Jackson! Style old school, hard hitting, and athletic choreography. Mia Michaels. Contemporary. So You Think You Can Dance. Contemporary style!

Afterword
Writing this piece has been everything from cathartic to sometimes downright stressful. Im a dancer and I do have trouble sitting still at a desk, much less sitting down to write every free moment morning for the past 2 months. It has however, been excellent getting to know and love the process of writing itself. Similar to choreographing a dance, Ive found the act of writing has the same quality as putting together a dance: Structuring the ideas so that it makes sense/ taking parts from other aspects of my education and combining it some other things Ive learned: all to arrive at the final output, except now instead of a performance, I have a finished work on paper. Instead of composed of movement, I have here composed of words. Through writing this piece, Ive come across a few realizations and somehow truths which about my adopted hometown:

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We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T. S. Eliot

As I finish this, Ill be coming back home after more than three years in Europe, hopefully with a fresher insight to my work and a new lens in which to see L.A. and my friends and family.