There’s no one way to become a professional dancer, but in ballet, years of disciplined training is typical. And if you want to join an elite company like American Ballet Theatre, you’ll never be done training. The majority of top dancers began learning their art more than a decade before stepping onstage as a pro, and many of them don’t magically earn top spots at prestige companies straight out of their hometown schools. ABT’s Studio Company is the final training step that prepares dancers for a professional career; more than half of ABT’s current main company danced in the Studio Company. Landing one of the 12 spots in the “StuCo” isn’t easy. Among artistic director and former ABT soloist Sascha Radetsky’s tasks is finding those promising dancers. He spoke with Backstage about how ABT hopefuls can give themselves the best chance to be chosen.
How to Become a Dancer How is Studio Company different from the main company?
We try to foster new choreography and engage all reaches of our community through dance by representing ABT in a wide variety of venues. We’re like the elite, smaller, younger version of ABT that is really mobile. We’re much more flexible. We typically present 35 to 40 performances per year and tackle a really diverse repertoire, from the most recognizable classics to more obscure rep and neoclassical modern. We try to have each year reflect what the main company’s rep looks like.
What makes the ABT Studio Company experience different from other second companies?
I think one of the most unique and worthwhile things that we can offer dancers is the opportunity to collaborate with the choreographer, to learn how to be of best service to a choreographer and be able to take ownership of creating something. Something kind of special happens when you have two young, earnest, sincere artists in the room working together. They’re willing to try anything, and they don’t have nine other hours of rehearsal that day with five other choreographers like the main company does. What distinguishes us from a lot of other second companies or top levels of schools is the range of repertoire, the performance opportunities, and the new works with great choreographers.
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What can dancers expect from joining the Studio Company?
When we’re not touring and performing, we have a pretty robust and rigorous curriculum of classes in New York. They have technique, pointe variations, character, strength and conditioning, weightlifting for the guys, Pilates, music, dance history, acting, and physical therapy. And then they have some one-off workshops and work in other styles of dance like modern and tap. We try to put those finishing touches on their training, but produce budding artists, not just athletes and technicians. Besides the performing, it’s just getting that experience onstage and working with choreographers.
What is the audition process like?
One way is to submit video auditions. We require that you have classwork, and if they want to include variations, that’s a bonus. There are instructions to include certain exercises and movements—adagio, pirouettes, etc. A lot of times, they’ll include a classical variation and a more contemporary variation, résumé, headshot, all that jazz as well. For the live auditions, they just come in and submit a résumé and take class. If we see people who we think will be a good fit for Studio Company or if someone is promising on video, I’ll usually invite them to take class with us in New York so we can get to know them, or I might try to pop in and see them in their environment.
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What are you looking for in prospective company members?
For ABT, I know that [main company artistic director] Kevin McKenzie thinks of the classics and how a dancer will look dancing them. There’s also considering height and how a dancer will fit into a corps de ballet, and if boys can partner. My predecessor was really good at spotting the potential and looking past maybe some “unrefined” aspects of someone’s dancing. If I can see something special emerging out of that person, we can fix those elements with some time in the Studio Company. Rarely are they finished dancers. It’s all about the potential, and our job is to allow that potential to emerge and flower and flourish. We also want to take the dancers who want to be in ABT. If the dancer is just testing the waters but their real goal is another company, then I would say probably try to pursue that dream and save the spot for a dancer whose dream is ABT.
What shouldn’t dancers do in an audition?
If we’ve invited them to take class with us, these are obvious things, but don’t sit down during class, don’t wear extra stuff, just wear tights and a leotard or tights and a T-shirt. That’s the requirement for the rest of the dancers, so stick to that. If you’re invited to watch a rehearsal, come watch a rehearsal. Thank the teacher after class. Be respectful of the other dancers who are there. Defer to them. Don’t talk during class. Don’t run them over. Maybe don’t rush to the front in the first group. Just be mindful that you’re entering their space and offer them respect.
READ: Exercises every dancer should know.
What type of experience or skill level should dancers achieve if they want to be considered for Studio Company?
We want to see a high level of training, but it depends on the dancer. Some dancers come from small schools and have very limited experience, but they’re really good. Or maybe they don’t have a ton of classical ballet training, but they have enough and they come from a jazz background and have incredible quality of movement, musicality, and athleticism. In those cases, we feel the classical elements can be improved at Studio Company. We have a dancer now who is 20 and she came to us with tons of experience. She guested all over the world and won competitions and is really capable. We also have dancers who haven’t done any competitions and come from more regional schools but their other virtues outweigh those things. We’re trying to select the best dancers in that age range, 16–20, in the world. So, generally speaking, the highest level of training is what we’re seeking.
What advice do you have for dancers who aspire to join ABT?
Being curious and hungry, studying different types of dance and music, and doing your research is just as important as how many pirouettes you can do and how high you can jump. There are different routes to success. It doesn’t always come down to sheer virtuosic technique. You can be a successful dancer by being an exceptional actor or a really incredible partner whom all the dancers want to work with or a super-quick learner who knows all the roles and has the ability to jump into a new spot on short notice. Be a value-add in the room. There are many facets to being a professional, and they’re all important.
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