There is a thriving dance community in Los Angeles. As a lifelong dancer myself, I always encourage my child and teen acting students to explore dance and movement so that they can be more versatile as actors.
Some of my students pursue full-fledged professional dance careers alongside their acting careers, working on commercials, films, and television shows as dancers. As child dancers enter early adulthood, they also have opportunities to audition to go on tour with musicians and to dance in music videos.
If you want to start your child on this path, then you need to find an agent. So how do you get representation for your child? Here’s my advice.
1. Practice, practice, practice!
Of course, the most important thing you can do as a dancer is dance! So, make sure your kid stays in class to strengthen their technique and make dancer friends. Some dance studios in L.A. that you can look into include EDGE Performing Arts Center, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Debbie Reynolds Legacy Studios, and Millennium Dance Complex.
Some of these studios offer special scholarship and intensive programs for young dancers who aspire to be full-time professionals. For example, when your child turns 18 they can apply for admission into the EDGE Performing Arts Center’s Scholarship Program.
READ: How to Become a Dancer
2. Know the main agencies.
There are five main dance agencies in Los Angeles that represent children who are 17 and younger. They are Bloc Talent Agency, Movement Talent Agency, Clear Talent Group, McDonald Selznick Associates, and Go 2 Talent Agency.
Do your research. Look at the agency websites and search for them on IMDb Pro. Read up on their clients and representatives. See what kind of training and experience all of the dancers who are represented by these agencies have. See if the agents were once dancers themselves and where they trained and performed. You’ll want to be knowledgeable about these companies and the specific agents who work with child dancers when you go in for a meeting.
3. Attend an open call.
All of these agencies hold open calls on a regular basis. Look at their websites to see any information about upcoming open calls or call to find out when the next one will be. They may note the specific styles of dance they’re interested in seeing or the guidelines may be more general. As you prepare for an open call, help your child choose their strongest style. Choose an easy-to-move-in outfit that expresses their personality and relates to their chosen dance style. When you get to the audition, remind your child to have fun and be themselves.
4. Have the dance teacher request an agency visit.
On occasion, dance agents will visit dance classes to watch new prospective talent. So, if your kid or teen is training for an extended period of time at a dance studio and you feel they’re ready for representation, you could talk to the teacher about requesting an agent to come and visit the class. There is no guarantee that the teacher will ask or have a strong connection to an agent, and there is no guarantee that the agent will be able to come. But, if you’re feeling confident about the work in class, this angle is worth a shot.
5. Get a referral from a friend, choreographer, or teacher.
If your child has been studying at a dance studio for a while, chances are, you and they have made some great dancer friends! You can always talk to a child dancer and her parent about the possibility of a referral to an agent. Of course, be tactful. Build a solid friendship based on your shared love of dance first and foremost. If a fellow dancer is willing to introduce you to her agent, then great! Also, if you have a strong connection with a choreographer who has an agent (choreographers are typically represented by the same agencies that dancers are), you might inquire about getting a professional referral through them.
6. Keep exploring their passion for dance!
Enjoy the journey and keep exploring your child’s passion for dance. Try new styles and teachers. There is always something new to learn. The more choreography they are exposed to, the better. Even if you think your child is a certain “type” of dancer, such as a jazz dancer, you never know when you’ll end up in an audition and they’ll be asked to do hip hop moves. This happens to all dancers. We are inevitably at some point in our careers called out of our comfort zones and asked to perform a style of dance at an audition that we are less experienced in. So, make sure your child is practicing their strong styles and practice those styles that they are less experienced in.
Be flexible, be prepared, be adventurous, and, most of all, have fun!
Check out Backstage’s dance audition listings!
The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them,
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.
