She auditioned for Cirque du Soleil for seven years before getting the call. Now she's the one deciding who makes the cut. Dance Casting Specialist and Talent Scout Marqui Kumavat reveals what actually catches her eye in an audition room, why technique alone won't get you hired, and the business side of a dance career most young performers never learn. Plus, your shot at a backstage experience with Cirque's Drawn to Life at Accelerate Acro Convention.

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About Marqui
Dance Casting Specialist and Talent Scout, Cirque du Soleil

Marqui began her performance career early, booking her first major role at just 11 years old in the iconic Radio City Christmas Spectacular, where she later became Swing, Dance Captain, and Assistant Choreographer. Her journey eventually led her to Cirque du Soleil, where she currently serves as the Dance Casting Specialist. With Cirque, Marqui has held several key creative roles, including Senior Artistic Advisor for The Beatles LOVE and Dance Master for both Mystère and LOVE. 

Her choreography, staging, and direction has helped bring Cirque’s artistry to stages and global platforms around the world spanning performances at the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, Life Is Beautiful, The Today Show, and special collaborations for The Beatles, Loungefly, HP, and MGM.

Beyond Cirque, Marqui’s stage experience includes performances with Royal Caribbean, The Walt Disney Company, Universal, Feld Entertainment, and special events such as One Night for One Drop alongside Hans Zimmer and Walk the Moon. As an educator, she has had opportunities to teach at Steps NYC, TAPS Professional Program, Tremaine Dance Conventions, NYCDA, and CLI Conservatory.

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

Loren  0:00  
Hey everyone! Welcome to the Acrobatic Arts Podcast.

Loren  0:05  
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.

Loren  0:21  
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  0:32  
Today's guest has spent her career on both sides of the audition table. Marqui Kumavat is a dance casting specialist at Cirque du Soleil. Her own path started at 11 years old, booking a role in Radio City's Christmas Spectacular. Then her journey led to Cirque du Soleil, where she has also been a coach and artistic advisor, working with Mystere and The Beatles LOVE. Today, she's telling us how she got there and what actually gets a dancer cast. We're going to talk about what she looks for, what makes a dancer stand out, and the qualities that can make someone memorable long after the audition is over. And because so many auditions now happen through video, we'll also talk about how dancers can make that first impression count, even when they're not actually in the room.

Loren  1:29  
Before we begin, a quick reminder for anyone looking for professional acro training. Acrobatic Arts trains and certifies 1000s of teachers around the globe. You can learn more about our programs and upcoming courses at acrobaticarts.com. Now, let's welcome our guest for today.

Loren  1:51  
Marqui Kumavat. Welcome to the Acrobatic Arts podcast.

Marqui  1:55  
Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Loren  1:57  
You know, I'm extra excited to talk to you today. We were actually both in Melbourne, Australia, for the Victorian Dance Festival, but you were so busy with auditions that we never had a chance to connect. I'm glad you could make it today, and I can't wait to ask you a bunch of questions. 

Marqui  2:20  
I'm excited too!

Loren  2:20  
So take us from Radio City at 11 to where you are now with Cirque.

Marqui  2:25  
Yeah, I started Radio City when I was 11, 10, or 11 years old as Clara. I did that for three years. Kept doing some Nutcrackers in Orlando, and even though I'm from Michigan, I would just fly down with my grandparents to do Nutcrackers down here. And then when I was 17, I moved to New York City, and I toured with New York City Dance Alliance as an assistant for a couple years. Trained in New York with their teachers at Steps and Broadway Dance Center, and then kept doing Radio City.

Marqui  2:56  
Eventually, became the assistant choreographer, dance captain, and swing for the ensemble for many years. In between that, I did Tokyo Disney and I did Disney out in Florida. And Cirque had always been a dream of mine. And I auditioned for seven years. And I finally got a call while I was at Radio City one year. They were like we're very interested to bring you in for an audition and I was like very skeptical not gonna lie because seven years later you're like okay sure and I said I'm out of town and they they were like okay we'll call you back whatever and as soon as I got back to town they still said they had a spot open. They wanted me to audition, and so I went in for a 45 minute, like 30 or 45 minute, like quick audition, and I got the job like two weeks later. I have a photo of me lying on the ground, just like so excited, trying not to scream on the phone, so excited! One of those like dream come true moments, and I've been with the company for the last almost 13 years.

Loren  4:10  
I love hearing stories like that. For you to persevere seven years, and then yeah, you almost didn't believe it. 

Marqui  4:18  
Oh yeah, seven years, and when I got that last email. It's like you got to be really again. You want to see me again?

Loren  4:26  
Was there ever a moment that you knew this was the career for you and not just something you loved as a kid?

Marqui  4:35  
I think because I started so young, that really grabbed me in. I loved being backstage. The adult cast in the show every year like just brought me under their wings and taught me so much. They had so much fun, and I saw them having so much fun, and so I think I was hooked to them.

Loren  4:56  
Looking back, is there anything you wish someone had told you from? Start maybe something you had to learn the hard way instead of knowing in advance.

Marqui  5:07  
I think one of the hardest things when I was like 18, 19, 20, even 21, 22, auditioning was learning to not take it personally. I remember going in for like a dream audition at Joffrey Ballet, and that was my biggest goal at the time. And I did not get it, and I cried in the shower for like an hour. So I didn't realize at the time, like it's not, it's not you personally. It's whatever the needs are of the job at the time. And now being in this position, I see that so much, and I preach on that so much now. But I really wish I knew it wasn't a personal thing,

Loren  5:56  
Marqui that does lead me to my next question: that you've spent years now on the other side of the table, as you said, you are now the one deciding who gets cast. So when you're watching someone perform, what makes you stop and pay attention?

Marqui  6:16  
There's a couple things. I think I think a willingness and eagerness to just be in the room. I always say that a dancer who's really hungry and desirable at the moment is somebody who catches my eye very quickly. Somebody who artistically shines as well in their showmanship and performance is very eye-catching, especially in what we do for Cirque. And I always have said this story about somebody asking me at Radio City, like, what does the director look for? And I'm a broken record in saying this. I was like, I swear, she looks for like a sparkle in their eye. Like, it wasn't the best dancer, but it was this desire to be there and like shine. And I think that is something that you can't really teach in the person and instill in the person. Like they have to have that desire, and I think I see it now in the people that catch my eye first.

Loren  7:16  
We hear that a lot when we talk to directors about casting, artistic performance, and you sort of mentioned what that looks like, or that it's sort of magical, really. But what else would a dancer display when you see that sparkle in them?

Marqui  7:35  
I think that they don't have a guard up. I think they really are able to attack whatever it is being given in the front of the room, and I think that is something so special. Auditioning is hard. You have to lay everything out on the line. It's very nerve-wracking. You're in a new space. You're with people you don't know necessarily, and so especially in Cirque, some of the things that we ask for, like in the character workshop or are character driven, and we really try to break down those walls. And so, seeing somebody with that is important, and it's also very desirable to want to cast somebody like that.

Loren  8:20  
What about technique? How far can technique carry a dancer who maybe doesn't have that artistic quality yet? Do you know that you can work with someone like that, or like where does that sort of play into everything?

Marqui  8:36  
Yes, somebody who is insanely technical but doesn't have the artistic showmanship and the maturity in that yet. It depends. I'd like to say yes, they're definitely hireable, but they still have to really show that they have the ability to learn and grow, and that they're coachable. Because if they don't have those qualities, they're not coachable. We don't know that we're going to be able to get them to that place. So we don't want a stick figure on stage that is just mechanically going around technically dancing. We want somebody who's really going to absorb the audience into our world. So I will say yes, technique can take you a very long way, and we'll see. Like in the younger dancers, especially, or if if somebody really hasn't had that performance experience, if they have the ability to be able to be seen as coachable, and again, that's kind of letting the guard down and trying to apply the notes that are given in the room, but their technique is amazing. We'll still say yes, we can take the risk and try to push them later if they have the ability to be able to be seen as coachable, and again, that's kind of letting the guard down and trying to apply the notes that are given in the room, but their technique is amazing. We'll still say yes, we can take the risk and try to push them later.

Loren  9:40  
I'm just thinking about your seven-year experience. Do you think it's possible to get better at auditions the more you do the auditions?

Marqui  9:51  
Yes. Oh, for sure. I was a bad auditioner, and now I go out and teach so much to talk about, like how to. Be that because I wish I had so many these tools. Even though I grew up in the convention world, and you do those auditions, those mock auditions, sort of in for scholarship auditions and things like that, and you're given experiences in the convention world to audition for places. I still was not a good auditioner, so I think that yeah, I like to just I like to give back what I wish I knew.

Loren  10:25  
Oh, that's so sweet.

Marqui  10:27  
I also actually should add too because for Cirque, I was so upset that I didn't get it over and over again, and that was one, this was one company that I was like, I just threw it away though. Like that was one company I didn't take personally, and so I now being in the company or having gotten in the company my first year, I was like, oh, I wasn't ready for this then. I wasn't mature enough artistically to be able to be coachable in what they were looking for, and so as soon as I got it, I was like, "I see.

Loren  11:05  
And why do you think it was a company that you sort of just didn't worry about?

Marqui  11:10  
I think that one I put on the highest of pedestals, and so I was like, "If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.

Loren  11:17  
It was more of an experience for you, and and that's why you kept going back, but luckily you did.

Marqui  11:23  
Yep.

Loren  11:24  
So now, is there a common thread in what you look for across different companies and productions that you've been casting for, or does it change completely depending on the project?

Marqui  11:37  
It changes completely depending on the project. We look for so many different things. Nothing is given far in advance. You know, we do so many events, so many small projects. We have our big shows, of course. The you know big shows in in Vegas that are there and they stay for a really long time, and our touring shows. But we have a lot of stuff on the side, and those side projects come at you fast, and all of a sudden, you know, someone joked recently. They were like, "We want someone who's this height and looks like this and does these skills." And then after a second, he stops and he goes, "And I want them with blue eyes and brown hair, and I want them to be a Gemini." And like we was just joking at the time because he was like, I know what I'm asking for is a little insane, and so it's anything and everything, and it's very interesting and picky.

Loren  12:29  
It must be so fun. I know it keeps you on your toes, but your job is never boring.

Marqui  12:35  
It is never boring. Like every week, I'm like, "What you want? What you want? What now? Okay.

Loren  12:43  
A lot of our listeners are teachers of dancers and and acrobatics and circus performers, and they're training students right now who probably some of them want to end up in an audition room like the ones that you are in. What's the one thing you wish more of them were building right now with their dancers?

Marqui  13:07  
That's a great question. First, I will say I hope that the teachers instill in the parents to say at a certain age it's the kids that have to take over their own business because we are our own business at that at a certain point in time, 16, 17, 18, especially. You know, parents email me, and I will call  without, and the kids have to take care of their business. Whether the parents say trying to say that they're their manager agent, the kids have to take care of their business. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-year-olds. Like at that point in time, they're their own business. So I hope that the teachers continue to instill in the parents that and just say, trust us. We are trying to get your kid ready for the professional world.

Marqui  13:57  
They need to be the ones to email. They need to be the ones to call on the phone if they're running late or if they're gonna miss something for whatever reason, it's a business. They're a business at that point in time, so they have to learn how to do that. And I think that's one thing that I hope that teachers remember as much as we're putting in and instilling technique and showmanship and performance and all of these elements to create this amazing artist. It's also the business side. Your resume should be done for performance and for dance. That is very different from what like a college is going to give. If you're going to turn in something to, you know, I don't know why I'm thinking. Like if you're going to go work at McDonald's or something, it's a very different resume.

Marqui  14:41  
So your performance resume is done. You have a very clean headshot that looks like you, and especially when you're young and you're changing all the time, you know that that headshot is changing too. And then a good demo reel. Your demo reel, especially when you're young, you're 18 years old, and I have so many people I mentor are asking me like, what do I put in a demo reel? I don't have any performance experience. I'm like, go outside and find a really cool mural downtown and film yourself in front of that doing a four counts of eight, two counts of eight. Go to a different locations downtown and have your parents just film you on your iPhone. It's good quality and put these clips together to make sure that you're showcasing different personalities, different genres.

Marqui  15:26  
There's so many dancers that are versatile these days. So seeing every genre in a demo reel, and your demo reel when you're 18, 19 doesn't need to be long. It can be a minute and 15 seconds, a minute and a half. If that's the best that you have, that's okay. And then with demo reels too, it's that's your that's your package, that's your selling, that's your interview, and making sure that it is edited well. You can do it on iMovie. The first 15 seconds of that video is is so important. It's your hi, hello, nice to meet you. This is who I am, and making sure it's very captivating is very important. So I think that business side is something that may be missing a little bit, from what I see, in young dancers.

Loren  16:12  
And I know there's a lot of dancers who also are listening, and they're trying to get hopefully an audition with you. And you mentioned the video. Is there anything else you could help them with when creating their video if they can't make it in person?

Marqui  16:31  
So your video demo, like your demo reel, that first 15 seconds should be very, very well thought out, very artistic, pulled into the camera, and then your next best genre and then your next best genre and never repetitive in tricks or steps or movements like it should all be very different. And for a dancer, I highly recommend somebody watching your demo that is not biased towards you. A dance teacher is great at that, and so making sure that it really showcases your your best self and what we think of ourselves as our best self might not be what we want to put on that demo reel. Something that I also, when I look at my old ones, I'm like, interesting choices, interesting choices. I did trick after trick after trick, and I'm like, this doesn't really get me anywhere. So I think that is very, very important.

Marqui  17:26  
And then when we are asking for video submissions, I get that they're tedious, and I get that a lot of stuff is video submission. But because we're in an age where it's not going to go away, we do 50-50 for us. We do 50% live auditions and 50% video auditions. For the videos, there's not enough time spent doing your homework into what you're auditioning for in the show specifically. We have this wonderful thing called Google, and you can research in abundance about what you're auditioning for, and looking at the character, looking at the makeup, looking at the costumes, the environment that the dancers are in, what the show is about, how many tickets are sold for I don't you know how how many really how many seats are in the theater, so you know how big to project. I feel like our video submissions come in weak, very very weak. If they come in really quickly, I'm wondering if they took enough time to really invest in themselves. And for us, it's okay to take that full time. It's okay if I say the due date is one week from today. You take that time and you really invest in that video submission to be strong and good, and maybe multiple takes. Chances are, if it's decent, I'm going to ask you to refilm, anyways.

Loren  18:48  
So what I'm hearing is that the dancers should take the time to make an amazing video, just as amazing as they are, to show off their skills because it really does come across to you when you're watching. So,

Marqui  19:05  
oh yes

Loren  19:06  
I know I've heard of people who have done video auditions and they put together clips of them in a group, like group routines. And I, you know, I don't cast, but I like how would you even pick out the person who you're trying to see.

Marqui  19:23  
Not a fan of that. Yes, right. I understand. Like if somebody has enough footage or something, and they're trying to put that in their demo, I get it. But yes, not a fan.

Loren  19:35  
Right. I think it goes back to you. You just have to put the energy in because how we do one thing is how we do everything, and so

Marqui  19:44  
Yes, there's hundreds of people submitting, hundreds, hundreds, and so when we think about it, and I see this time and time again, and they'll just rush a submission, submit it, and go, and I'm like, you have to think of yourself in an audition room when. You're doing a video audition. Think of yourself in an audition room. How many people are around you? How many people do you think are applying for this job and are auditioning for this job? And in an audition room, you would not do it 50% You would do it 100% And so we've lost a little bit of that desire through video auditions. And I know it's hard. I know it's tedious because there's so many, but for us, it's very important.

Loren  20:27  
And since we're talking about getting seen, I want to make everyone aware that for our listening audience, there's actually a real chance for everyone to get to audition for you, you are going to be a part of our Accelerate Acro Convention that's presented by Acrobatic Arts. It is the biggest acro convention in the world. It's touring in Boston, Phoenix, and Lakeland, and we've partnered with Cirque du Soleil in a couple of ways that are unique. A Cirque representative will be at both locations. They're going to be watching the advanced level dancers who are 16 years and older perform on the Friday night, and one of those dancers per location is going to win an exclusive backstage experience to Cirques Drawn to Life in Orlando, plus a one-on-one mentoring session with Marqui herself!

Loren  21:25  
And there's no separate application needed. So as long as you are in Accelerate, you can be a part of this, and I think that's just so amazing. And I did get to see Drawn to Life last year, and I loved it. I cried. I laughed. It was very special. Marqui, you will actually be in Lakeland personally. You will be holding a separate open call for contemporary jazz dancers who are 18 years and older, and this will be on November 19th in Davenport, Florida.

Marqui  21:58  
Yes, we're super excited to collaborate again together, I think this is such a good opportunity for us to see dancers from around the world. Those little special events that we've been doing have been popping up a lot more, and I will say a lot of times they want to hire local. So we're trying to expand our roster is very heavy in the states and Canada, and so we're trying to expand our roster out. And so I'm excited to see people from around the world at this audition. We're gonna do some material from our show Mystere, and we're gonna do some character, in-depth character work as well, which I'm really excited about. And then I think I'm going with everyone to Drawn To Life after, so I'm excited about that.

Loren  22:39  
For a dancer who's hoping to catch your eye, maybe at the open calls that are coming up? What do you want them to walk in knowing?

Marqui  22:50  
I want them all ready, guards down, ready to envelop the world of Cirque, which just means a lot of character and artistic showmanship, and I think that requires you to just-I always say, like, hug your insecurities really tight to you, and then take them off and like throw them far away.

Marqui  23:13  
And because there's one part in this workshop that we really dive into that character world, and it requires you to just let your guard down and go with it, and people have the greatest time. I have the greatest time teaching it and leading it, and so I just hope everybody comes in just with an open mind and just ready to get into that world. And again, technique is second for us. It's really that artistic ability.

Loren  23:40  
Well, I hope everyone can tell how genuine you are and how much you care about the dancers who are displaying themselves, because you understand from both sides how difficult it is and how long it can take to sort of understand that world. So, listeners, if you want a shot at this backstage experience with Marqui and the audition, everything will be linked in the show notes. So make sure you check that. As I mentioned, check your Accelerate information as well through your email.

Loren  24:12  
And Marqui, I just want to thank you so much. We're super excited for everything you're bringing to Accelerate and to the Cirque world. And it was a pleasure meeting you today. Thank you for coming on the podcast.

Marqui  24:24  
Thanks for having me.

Loren  24:31  
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. Sharing the show is one of the best ways to support the podcast.

Loren  24:49  
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  25:00  
Thanks for listening, everyone, and have a great day!