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SYTYCD - All done!
Current mood:  accomplished
Now that So You Think You Can Dance auditions over, I thought I would fill everyone in on what happened, here on a blog. I'll definitely let everyone know when it airs... in case they decide to show my audition this year.
Well, the day started by Kyle and I arriving at 5:45am. The Orpheum Theater's website said we couldn't line up before 6am, so we thought we were getting there early. Yea right. Apparently they let people start lining up at 5am! The funny thing is that Kyle and I ended up standing in line in the EXACT spot as my brother and I had stood last year.
This year I was prepared because we had borrowed two super comfy fold up chairs to lounge in from my uncle. We sat there for quite some time while the girl in front of us in line yelled and screamed her head off to get the producers' attention. The good side of her making a scene was that she got Hok and Dominic from last season to come hang out right next to us. I tried not to look like a dork with my staring, but it was pretty cool to see them right there! Finally, the line started to move and we were on our way in. Half way to the front, two producers remembered me from last year and pulled me out of line to do some dancing shots. They pushed me into the middle of a busy intersection and taped me dancing there! It was fun stopping traffic with my dancing :)
It was even more fun to learn that I made the girls behind us in line super jealous with all the attention I got...besides, you can't miss a highland dancer in a bright red national costume.
Once I got to the front, I had to say good bye to my darling Kyle and go sit for hours until my audition. Meanwhile, Kyle spent 5 hours in a local Starbucks, listening to crazy stagemoms ranting about their perfect daughters. Poor Kyle.
I got to make small talk with strangers while I was packed into a tiny theater seat. Of course I met some interesting people, and of course everyone had to ask me what style of dance I would be doing. I guess my costume kind of sticks out. After who knows many hours, it was my line's turn to go and audition. Surprisingly, I still maintained my cool and didn't get nervous. Lucky for me, I was able to choose the style of music that I would dance to. The producers looked at me oddly when I chose to dance with the hip hoppers, but I explained that I needed to dance to upbeat music. When it was my turn to take the floor, Jeff the judge/producer, remembered me and pointed out that I had changed from a blue kilt to a red costume. He asked what music I would like and I told him "Sexy Back" would be perfect. I took the floor and nailed it. To my shock again, Jeff gave me my golden ticket!! I was so stoked since he had been cutting TONS of people. On to the Winners Circle...
The Winner's Circle was the same as last year... sign away your life, tell your life story, and dance like an idiot in front of a camera. Again, lucky for me, they had my bio saved in their system and I only had to update it a little instead of a half hour autobiography. When I went to the "dance like an idiot" area, I was ready to look good. I made a fool of myself last year, so this time I danced cute and fun, while still being classy in my national costume. Hopefully they show it this year :)
The next day was our big audition. Before we even got to warm up, we had to do our pre-interviews. I guess this is so they have footage of you explaining your whole background for the audience. I had been preparing my on-screen interview skills, so this year it was a sinch. The producer who interviewed me this year was the same as last year and he even noted that I was more collected than before. Sweet.
The producers added another round this year and made us freestyle dance in front of the big judges as a preliminary round to our solos. I got a little nervous that I may be cut, but Nigel kept me to see my solo! How exciting..especially since he was cutting a lot of great dancers. When the solos started, I saw Kyle come into the theater and he got to watch! It was so comforting to know he was there watching me :)
After watching about 20 solos, it was my turn. STILL I wasn't nervous! I think it was because I had spent a year learning to calm my nerves for this occasion. Anytime my heart started to race, I closed my eyes and breathed. Usually I talk myself down before an audition like this, but not this time. I can vouch that positive talk does WONDERS! Really! When they called me to the stage for my solo...I felt so calm and confident. Nigel smiled as I entered the stage and took my position. The music started and off I went. I nailed every move and every position. Of course I could have pointed my toes a bit more in my leaps, but hey, I'm no Kari. At one point in the dance I mentally blacked out and came back in, and miraculously was still dancing perfectly. This goes to show you that you cannot dance on an empty stomach without water! Nigel had me do almost my WHOLE choreography... a 2.5 minute dance. It doesn't sound very long, but when it's super high energy...you get drained quickly.
When he stopped my music, I came to the mic at the front of the stage with a huge smile. I was absolutely satisfied. I had done what I had come to do and nothing that the judges would say could bring me down. Of course Nigel had his little critiques, but they overall liked it. Nigel tried to bring up my "stag's head" hands and how they're not "prickly" and I decided this was my only chance to tell him he was wrong. I let him know that I had adjusted my fingers since the previous year, although the hand positions he wanted to see were by SOBHD textbook standards... wrong. The prickly fingers that he wanted to see are a style that's about 20 years old and no longer in practice...which he didn't know. I told him and he shut up :) Mary Murphy didn't have much to say besides "It was just OK for me." Mia Michaels... my favorite choreographer smiled at me and told me that I'm a person that people would like, but not ready "just yet." I could tell that at this point I would be cut, and so Nigel turned my getting cut into a cultural lesson. He wanted me to tell a bit about my Scottish heritage, teaching, and my newly formed highland dance team.
After I left the stage, I got my bag and walked through to my exit interview. The producer asked me a bunch of questions...as though she were wanting me to be upset about the situation. Normally, I would be crushed... but this time I was satisfied. I could tell that she was really confused by my happiness. After the interview, I almost skipped off through the lobby to where I saw Kyle. I was being followed by a camera crew, as if to see if I was going to cry. They soon lost interest when I hugged Kyle, smiling, and we left.
The producer asked me "Why won't you come and try again next year?" Why? I really have no reason to. I would LOVE to make it onto the show in the top 20, launching my dance career... but it's not going to happen via this show. I went in front of the judges, danced my absolute best, and it didn't make them put me through. What good would returning every year to this audition do if they just simply do not like the style of dance. I see it as an unnecessary exertion of energy to go back. I did what I wanted to do...danced my best... and I'm happy.
Thank you again everyone for being so awesome through this process. This year definitely wasn't as dramatic as last year...though I appreciate all of you caring about the outcome :) I must be crazy to audition for all of these things and it's all of you that keep me sane.
6:16 PM
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