We’re launching our Spotlight Series by revisiting the very first episode of the Acrobatic Arts Podcast, featuring Rick Tjia, dancer, choreographer, educator, and freelance casting director.

This episode focuses on how teachers can help dancers leave a strong impression at auditions, support them after emotional outcomes, and guide them through video auditions clearly and professionally. Practical, direct, and immediately applicable for anyone supporting dancers on audition pathways.

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About Rick Tjia

Rick’s early training years began with tap dancing, eventually branching out into professional studies of classical ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary dance (training with teachers like David Howard, Finis Jhung, Christine Busch, Bruce Marks, Laura Young and Geri Houlihan). He also trained in other disciplines (trumpet, physics, and later on, guitar studies and various studies in business).

After an extensive career in dance and acting that includes performances with Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet and Delta Festival Ballet, as well as three years of work in film and television in Los Angeles doing hip-hop, jazz, and ballet (with choreographers like Twyla Tharp, Joe Layton, and with film directors like Mark Rydell, and James Brooks), Rick joined La La La Human Steps in Montreal in 1993, with whom he danced and toured the world for 8 years. As with many dancers and musicians, Rick is also a composer, a dance and acrobatic choreographer, and judges dance competitions, and teaches various workshops around the globe.

During his 16 years as a Talent Scout specializing in dance at Cirque du Soleil, Rick’s contributions to the Casting Department also extended itself to contributing to and drawing up new operational and business strategies, as well as contributing to creative and innovative internal and external strategies of various types.

​Rick also works closely with International Performing Arts & Theatre (I-PATH) through leading dance education in the 21st Century. 

In 2016, he joined the creative team of the Cirque du Soleil Big Top touring show Volta as an acrobatic choreographer, and In 2018, he started up the online choreography market Choreography Online with two partners, which had its official public launch in September, 2019.

Through Choreography Online he continues to cast for various live show and film projects, teach a Diploma in Choreography Program online, and manage Choreography Online’s International Online Dance Competition.  He is also an integral contributor to JamarGig, a new and innovative online casting and audition management system.

Rick is also still a freelance casting director.  If you are a professional performing artist who would like to be considered for future casting calls, please open a profile in the Choreography Online Casting database here: http://casting.choreography.onl/ 

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

Loren  0:01  
Hey everyone, welcome to the Acrobatic Arts Podcast! I'm Loren, and I will be interviewing some of the top leaders and innovators from the dance and acrobatic industry. If you are a teacher, performer, student, or a lifelong learner like myself, you are sure to find these episodes intriguing and full of inspiration. Acrobatic Arts is passionate about providing current and relevant information for everyone, so please sit back and enjoy as we share our passion with you and the world.

Loren  0:36  
Today's episode is part of our Spotlight series where we revisit conversations that continue to resonate across the dance community. This episode first aired on January 5, 2021 and it remains one of our most listened to and shared conversations. It's an episode many dancers and teachers still reference when it comes to preparing for auditions and understanding what artistic directors are really looking for.

Loren  1:01  
Before we jump back into this conversation with Rick Tjia, we asked him to share a quick update on what he's been working on since this episode first aired. Since 2020, Rick and his team have been producing the international online dance competition, a multi company audition experience presented in a competition format. The competition now also partners with the United States tournament of dance. Rick has also launched Jamar gig one, a performing artist network designed to help dancers and circus artists connect directly with dance companies, production companies and casting directors. The platform now supports over 11,000 performers worldwide. With that context in mind, this conversation is just as relevant today as it was when it first aired. Now it's time to shine the spotlight on today's guest.

Rick  1:53  
So in any audition situation, there are basically two things to think about. There are things that you can control and things that you cannot control. The things that you cannot control are really not worth talking about or even spending energy on. So just concentrate on the things that you can't control. The things that you can't control are basically three things. 

Rick  2:12  
One, what you do, how well you can do it, and how two, your personality and your professional, professionalism, and three are superficial requirements. And when I say superficial, I'm talking about things like how you dress, how well you look like a character, et cetera. 

Rick  2:28  
So let's talk about the first thing, what you do, how well you do it, and how basically we're talking about technique, the technique in whatever dance style or acrobatic style you do. Very, very important shows are looking for people who can do show after show, night after night after night. Without technique, you will definitely hurt yourself, and you will not last a long time. 

Rick  2:49  
The second personality and professionalism. Now, when I say personality, I'm talking about the artistic side of what you're doing. And professionalism, obviously, how well you follow directions, how you react when you make mistakes, how well you integrate what a director tells you to do and how to do what you're doing. Auditions are an integral part of this profession. If you become professional, you will be auditioning a lot, and no matter how good or bad you are, there will always be someone who likes you and someone who does not like you, and even if a director loves you, they have to think about the actual role that they are trying to fill. So never, ever take anything personally. Auditions are about seeing who you are and what you can do. It's also about seeing how well you work on a daily basis. So if you're asking what to prepare for an audition, a few weeks before the audition, then it's too late. You should be preparing every single day of your life. Then once the audition is over, the rest is out of your control, so there's no point in even thinking about it anymore. After that, you leave, you continue your life and hope that they call you. 

Rick  3:59  
So let's talk a little bit about auditions on video. This is becoming more and more a reality, especially with the distances involved in casting and with the internet and social media, it's becoming a very, very important part of casting. Now, people who receive videos to cast a certain project. For you, it may be one video, but for us, it's many, many videos. I receive, maybe 100 per month or more. So my decision is made in the first 15 seconds, the preliminary decision. But that only means that I'm trying to see whether or not I want to see you live in an audition. So get to the point I don't need a long intro. We don't need to be artistic about the actual video. Be artistic when you're showing your technique, but the video itself, it's pointless to make it artistic, since the preliminary decision is made within the first 15 seconds, I would say that one video is good and 32 are not. 

Rick  4:59  
Remember that in your video, I am looking to see what you can do, not the other 50 people behind you. So group clips are not recommended. Hollywood movie trailers are not a good example to follow. Those are made to see how good you look on camera and not really how well you do anything. The clips are usually way too short for us to make any sort of decision. If it takes too long for us to make a decision, then it's much easier for us to cut you and go on to the next 1000 candidates. 

Rick  5:27  
If you are sending a video for a dancer audition, then there's no point in sending a choreography reel if we are looking for dancers. That usually means that we already have a choreographer. 

Rick  5:37  
No slow mo! Unless you can actually do that in real life. 

Rick  5:42  
So my next point is, read the instructions. Don't send what they didn't ask for. The follow up point to that is, read the instructions. 

Rick  5:52  
Any video that is filmed in the dark is pretty much just a dark video. 

Rick  5:57  
Videos are videos, and photos are photos. We don't need to see a slide show in a video. When we open a video, it's usually because we want to see well a video secondary skills are exactly that secondary. If you're applying for a dance audition, then dance should be first, and anything else should be secondary. 

Rick  6:17  
All in all, the best demo video for auditions is just a minute in a studio of each thing that you do, each skill that you do, and Leave it at that Good luck and happy auditions!

Loren  6:44  
If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe and follow so you never miss an episode. And if you know a dance teacher, student or parent who would love to hear this discussion, send it their way. 

Loren  6:56  
Sharing the show is one of the best ways to support the podcast 

Loren  7:01  
Until next time, find power in your strength, freedom in your flexibility, and know that we are here to support you on your acro journey!

Loren  7:14  
Thanks for listening everyone, and have a great day!