It's a common dilemma for any skill-based student group on campus: Do we take in students who already show talent or inexperienced ones who will enable us to expand student opportunities at Brown? Ideally, students would be able to step through the Van Wickle Gates and try their hand at any activity that newly strikes their fancy. I wish this could be true for every class of student groups, but sadly practical considerations demand otherwise.
As an active member of a student dance group, I share this view in reaction to Friday's column by Lucia Seda '12 ("Are we humans, dancers or both?" Sept. 23). The recent column accused dance groups on campus of trying to emulate the professional, thereby leaving out the inexperienced dancers who bravely show up to auditions. Dance groups are in no way duping students into thinking they will make the cut regardless of skill level. There are videos on YouTube, and current members of the company are available to talk or demonstrate. Both give an accurate depiction of what might be expected. Moreover, whatever the end result, auditions are fun. They are a way to meet new people, get exercise and potentially introduce someone to a new art form. Companies don't hold open auditions in order to wrangle in the highest number of interested students. Audition turnouts have no real effect on the reputation of a student dance group.
Another point I'd like to respond to is the complaint of ambiguous expectations. A dance company cannot say exactly what it is looking for because there is no way to put concrete guidelines on an art form. Each member of a group sees auditionees differently, so there can be no uniform calculation of performance components. Falsely advertising a certain standard for auditionees would be a gross misrepresentation of the process.
As for the audition itself, the seemingly intimidating assigned numbers and stints of choreography are not meant to scare people away or give a false impression of professionalism. Numbers are necessary in order to keep track of a room full of nameless faces. Choreography gives the auditionee an opportunity to show both technique and expression. I've never been to an audition — or heard of any friends who have — that does not use this format, regardless of how casual or formal the group is. Dance groups do not mean to intimidate or give an air of superiority. They aim to conduct auditions in the most efficient manner possible.
I have never seen any student campus dance group presenting a professional facade to the Brown community. Groups pride themselves on being run — both administratively and creatively — by students. As for the alleged mimicking of "real" companies, there is no mimicking. These are real companies. Our logos and attire are unique to a specific group. They are used to show pride and identification with a group, not to put on airs. Almost every student group on campus makes T-shirts. Why should dance groups be held to a different standard?
Despite my frustration with the previous negative portrayal of dance companies, there is a bigger problem at hand here I would like to address. I would love for student dance groups to have the ability to take on any student who shows interest. But they can't. It's a matter of space. Brown's campus lacks adequate performance spaces for student dance groups numbering more than 20. And don't even get me started about rehearsal spaces. With an undergraduate population of over 6,000, you would think there would be more than two and a half rooms with full mirrors available for creative student use.
These restrictions limit the growth of current dance companies. Without the space to expand and with a growing interest pool, there is really only one solution: to become more selective in the audition process. In some cases, this creates highly-skilled groups that might be difficult to join for someone who is new to dance.
The most important message I can send to dance novices on campus is this: A rejection from a previously established group is not a rejection from the greater dance community. One way to get involved is to take classes offered by the University. But since there is currently only one department studio, chances are good that what is offered either won't suit you or will conflict with another class. Another great way to remedy the lack of opportunity for inexperienced dancers is to start your own group. But this is also not a very feasible solution, since these new open-door dance groups would have nowhere to rehearse.
I would love to see more students get involved in dance at Brown. Sadly, I also believe we can't see a truly egalitarian expansion of the dance community until there is more space available for dance groups on campus.
Jacqueline Braslow '14 is choreographing in her bathroom. She can be reached at jacqueline_braslow@brown.edu
