Annual Auditions

Members of the 2011/2012 USU Dance Companies.

During the first week of September, many college students are still cycling through their newly purchased back-to-school outfits.

While some choose new designer shirts, pants and shoes, others choose spandex, gym shorts and sweats.

Just after Labor Day, hopeful contenders at Utah State University come to audition for the school dance companies.

“This year, over 150 people tried out between all three days,” said dance director Krissy Smith-Fry.

Three days: one day for the contemporary team, one day for the hip-hop group, and one for the newly formed break-dancing crew.

Although contenders were divvied between multiple days depending on their dance preference, deciding who to cut and who to keep was not easy.

“It was very difficult,” Fry said. “I think My Bad was the easiest because it is a very specific style and there were not as many that tried out.”

Because recruitment has been a challenge, Fry asked that her assistants and returning members help in the selection process.

“My director and I would give feedback to each other and then decide together who we thought would bring more talent to the company,” said Kumiko Osterloh, a captain for the Vilociti hip-hop team.

Aside from judging, the assistants also helped to choreograph the audition routines.

“This year I was able to choreograph two routines for our prospective dancers,” Osterloh said. “I taught them the choreography to both pieces and then I sat and critiqued.”

Using a rating system to gage each applicant, Osterloh and other returning team members compared notes after each routine.

“Me and my assistants make a ‘yes, no, and maybe’ list,” Fry said. “The ‘maybes’ are the hardest ones to pick from. Occasionally, we throw in a returner to see how they compare.”

17-year-old Viliami Matangi was one individual who received a unanimous ‘yes’ from the returning members. Though he had impressed others during his audition, he was unsure of his own performance.

“At one point, they said ‘improv.’ I didn’t know what that meant so I just stood there,” he said. “I had fun, but I never thought I would make the team.”

With each person who made the companies, there are numerous others who didn’t.

Lori Truman, a senior in the graphic arts department, opted not to audition this year having tried out twice before.

“I thought if I didn’t make it the past few times, I probably wouldn’t this year,” she said.

Because returning members participate in the selection process, Truman feels that prospects are often deliberately and subconsciously selected due to prior friendships.

“It seemed a little bias because people trying out knew people that were already on the team,” she said. “People on the team would say ‘I danced with her in high school,’ but because I’m from out of state, I didn’t go to high school with anybody.”

Natalie Thatcher, a junior in communications, also chose not to audition this semester.

“Because I didn’t make it the first time, I didn’t want to fail twice,” Thatcher said. “If it is something that I really wanted, maybe I would have taken dance classes and tried out again.”

Thatcher’s observation mimics the advice given to all those who wish to audition again.

“Take a class, whether it’s modern, jazz, or hip hop,” Fry said. “Take a class and always come back to try out. Every year is different.”