If you’re an aspiring dancer interested in musical theater, pick up a copy of “Beginning Musical Theatre Dance” by Diana Dart Harris, a comprehensive beginner’s guide designed to prepare upcoming dancers for the realities of where music and theater intersect. Harris has a B.A. in dance education from Goucher College and an M.S. in exercise physiology from Southern Connecticut State University, and teaches and choreographs regularly for a wide variety of institutions including New Haven Ballet and Dance Academy of Connecticut. She directed her own dance program, Dance Arts, from 1991–2001.
How did you get started in musical theater?
My interest was instilled early on. During my senior year in high school the musical director asked me to prepare a combination to use for auditions, and eventually to choreograph a show, which I kept doing in college. I majored in dance therapy before eventually transitioning away from performing, and have been teaching and choreographing ever since.
Musical theater employs a wide range of skills. How does the technique compare to other forms of dance? For musical theater you have to be skilled in a variety of dance forms and styles; you can’t specialize in one technique like jazz, ballet, tap, or modern. You need a strong background technically, and the singing and acting component that goes with it.
What can beginning dance students expect from your book?
The book covers basics like what kinds of clothes and shoes are appropriate for lessons and auditions. It’s technical; the steps and positions are described and demonstrated by the Web resource. It goes into detail anatomically, which isn’t always taught, and approaches dance from a health-based stance. It’s a jumping-off point and gives exposure to each style, what to expect at auditions and when you’re cast, and eventually how to move on toward more advanced placement.
What inspired the book’s creation?
While teaching my class I couldn’t find a good introductory textbook on musical theater dance, and when I asked around, I discovered there wasn’t one. So I planned my syllabus and wrote it to use as a textbook.
Any tips for those starting out in musical theater?
My biggest tip for going into auditions is do your homework and don’t show up cold. Be prepared, have decisions in place, and have an idea of what’s going to be expected so you’re not suddenly shocked. And don’t be tentative by any stretch of the imagination. Just go for it. They’d rather see you make a big mistake than hesitate.
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