As we all stood facing the theater from the stage, the woman speaking to us from the house microphone was a petite ginger haired lady with a sweet face. She introduced herself as 'Laura' the head dance captain for the entire show and gave us a rundown as to how the audition would proceed. She would show us step by step the dance number we were to learn, a series of multiple high kicks and a showgirl walk from one end of the stage to the other. The audition would take about 4 hours with eliminations, groups of 10 each performing the dance number and 5 at a time executing the high kicks. Seemed easy enough except I did not know what a ' Showgirl Walk' was? I would later learn by watching all the other dancers and emulating what they did. I was very nervous but very confident. Confident? Yes, in a way, I knew what I was capable of and I would make it look effortless.
The audition began. I stood up front in my lime green two piece leotard and watched closely as Laura showed us the routine. She explained that the routine was the opening extravaganza number in the show. It was the dance number with the golden staircase where all the dancers would cascade down at a high rate of speed, wearing 4ft headdresses, 3.5 in heels and tons of feathers and rhinestones. It was fast paced with lots of turns and high kicks.
We would randomly move the lines back and forth so the dancers in the back could get a chance to be seen. Within the first hour there were eliminations. Sitting in the house theater observing us was the producer and entertainment director Mr Lee, a few others I did not know and my handsome mafia man who I will later reveal. I would not be at this audition if it wasn't for him.
Eliminations were now down to 30 dancers as I think we started out with way over 50. I was not eliminated. The remaining dancers that I stood with, all had their hair teased high on their heads, glossy red lips, outrageous fake eyelashes and fake smiles. I was not one of them. I hoped to be different and stand out. Stand out I did.. fresh from the dance studio to the stage. I heard one dancer comment "Shes so young."
We all took a breather from the hour long dance routine and moved to the side stage left. It was time for the famous "Showgirl Walk" from stage left to stage right and back.
My most challenging moment.
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