Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / Summer Bonus Episode! Live from The Muny with the Cast of West Side Story!

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Summer Bonus Episode! Live from The Muny with the Cast of West Side Story! · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is Making the Impact, a dance competition podcast.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_04: Hey dance world, it's Courtney Ortiz, the host of Making the Impact.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_04: And I'm excited to bring you a special summer bonus episode, live with the cast of a website story at the Muni Investment Forest.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_04: This summer, I have the opportunity to hit the stage for my very first time since the pandemic, an image show that is very close to my heart.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_04: It's been an amazing journey being back at the Muni, and being a swing for my very first time in my professional career.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_04: And for all of the listeners who may not be familiar with the Muni, here are some fun facts.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_04: The Muni is the country's oldest and largest outdoor theater located in St.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_04: Louis, Missouri, inside of the historic Forest Park.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_04: Each summer, they produce seven different musicals in their season that run for seven days only.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_04: Westside Story was the fourth production in their 105th season and ran from July 15th through the 21st in 2023.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_04: Our cast consisted of 40 cast members total, from teen dancers to newbie professionals and Broadway veterans.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_04: Many of our cast have had a long history with the show, including myself.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_04: And some of our leads were even in the recent Steven Spielberg Westside Story movie.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_04: Which, by the way, if you and your dancers have not seen the new movie, it is a must-watch.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_04: West Side Story is a classic musical that has been gracing the theatrical stage for over 50 years.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_04: It takes place in the 1950s and is centered around two teenage street gangs in New York City, the Jets and the Sharks.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_04: The show is also loosely based around the story of Romeo and Juliet, with the lead characters in the show, Tony and Maria.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_04: The original production was directed and choreographed by the legendary Jerome Robbins, where he won the 1958 Tony Award for Best Choreography.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_04: Or in today's chat, we have cast members joining us from the Jets and the Sharks.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_04: And my position in the show as an offstage swing meant that I was required to understudy four of the shark girls and learn all of their choreography, spacing, traffic, partnering, harmonies, and speaking lines.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_04: This was my first time being a swing.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_04: And while I did not get a chance to hit the stage before our short contract was complete, I learned so much during this process.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_04: And I'm always grateful to revisit this classic and iconic musical.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_04: So let's jump on into our special summer bonus episode, coming to you live from St.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_04: Louis, post-performance with the cast of Westside Story.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_04: I'm so excited to be here.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_04: Thanks to my castmates for joining me on this fabulous chat.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_04: We are coming to you live from St.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_04: Louis, Missouri, right now.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_04: And we are all here performing in the Munis Westside Story, which has been so spectacular.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_04: And it's been a joy sharing this time with you all.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_04: And I'm so grateful that uh you came post it's 11 o'clock at night, almost midnight, here in St.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_04: Louis.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_04: And we're recording this podcast in my room after the show.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_04: I didn't do a show, y'all did a show because I'm the swing.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_04: So I got to sit back and watch and enjoy you on the big screen.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_04: But I'm so excited to be here and learn all about you.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_04: So I have five wonderful castmates here joining me on the Jets and the Sharks sides of things.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_04: So please welcome Macy, Ethan, Daniela, Tatiana, and Yorell to the podcast.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_04: Woo!
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_06: So excited, y'all! Thanks for being here.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_06: Yes, thanks for having us.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_06: Oh my goodness.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_04: So for all of our listeners out there, this is something special.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_04: This is gonna be actually a summer bonus episode.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_04: I don't think I told y'all that.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_04: So we're in the between our fourth season, about to launch our fifth season of the podcast, starting September 7th.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_04: Everybody put in the plug out there.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_04: So make sure you're hitting subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_04: But um, this is gonna be a summer bonus episode and a little special something that we're bringing to you because this is my first time performing since my I launched the podcast.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_04: So podcast started in 2019, pandemic hit, and next thing you know, I haven't done a show since then.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_04: So I was like, oh my gosh, this will be so fun to have like a cash chat.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_04: Let's get to know everybody that's here.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_04: So a quick little introduction from all of you if you want to share your name, who you play in the show, where you are based, where you grew up, a little bit about your dance training, and any career credits that you'd like to share.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_04: Let's start with Ethan.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, my name is Ethan Seth.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm from Clearwater, Florida.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: I play action in the show.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I grew up dancing in Duning, Florida.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: I was a comp kid.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: It was so much fun.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: It was very much like my I saw my sister dancing when I was three, and it was like Mike from a chorus line.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: It was like, I can do that.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: And then my brother got in the musical theater and I was like, oh, I can do that.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um but yeah, I did competitive dancing from seven until I was 17.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: And then yeah, and then I really just focused on musical theater.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_04: Nice.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_04: And where'd you go to school?
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: I went to CCM at the University of Cincinnati.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_04: Nice.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_04: And when'd you graduate?
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: Graduated in 2021.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: Oh.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um during the pandemic.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: And fresh.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, moved to the city, and I've just been auditioning, doing some shows, serving.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, keeping busy.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_04: And you are based in New York now?
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: Amazing.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_04: Love it.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_04: Great.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_04: Is it your and is this your first time doing West Side Story?
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: It is my second time doing it.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: First time I did it at City Springs in Atlanta.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: I played Riff and now I'm playing action.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_04: Love it.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_04: Awesome.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_04: Yay! All right.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_04: Well, thank you, Ethan.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_04: Of course.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_04: Moving on, let's go over to my shark girl Tati.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_05: Hi, I'm Tatiana Nunez.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_05: I play Consuela in the show.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_05: I'm originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, and I'm currently based in the city.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_05: I'm also a comp kid.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_05: I did competition dance for like 15 years.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_05: Went to a middle school of the arts, high school of the arts for dance.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_05: Um, in high school, I trained over the summer, summer intensives, Joffrey Ballet, and the Ailey School.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_05: And then I went to NYU Tisch for Dance.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_05: Uh yeah, that's basically it.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_05: When'd you graduate?
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_05: 2022.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_05: Ooh, even fresher.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_07: Yes.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_04: So fresh.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_04: And uh, I think I learned on this contract that this is your first musical ever.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_04: It is.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_04: I love that.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_04: We're gonna talk about that.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_04: And next up, let's chat with Macy, who's sitting right next to me.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_07: What's up, girl?
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_07: Hello.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_07: I am Macy McCowan and I play Velma in the show.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_07: I'm a jet girl.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_07: And I started dancing when I was two.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_07: Um, my parents both grew up on farms and know nothing about the arts.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_07: So it was kind of just they enrolled me in dance to get me out of the house and keep me active.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_07: Um, and then I started competing when I was four, and I grew up doing tap primarily until I was in, I don't know, like fourth or fifth grade.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_07: Um, and I won a little competition that took me to New York City.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_07: And so I went to New York when I was 10 and I saw a musical, and that was kind of when I caught the musical theater bug.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_07: So from there I came back, started doing like the community theater, still doing competition dance, and then I kind of realized that that was what I wanted to do and actually be serious about it and pursue a career in the arts.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_07: So I transferred schools in seventh grade to a performing arts school, and I went there throughout high school, and then I went to the University of Michigan, Go Blue for musical theater, and I graduated in 2022, and now I'm in the city just auditioning, and I'm here this summer, and I really haven't had a big summer stock gig since the pandemic because being in college performing was was kind of tricky, but yeah, I was really fortunate.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_07: I had my first professional job um whenever I was in eighth grade.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_07: I did 42nd Street at Music Theater Wichita, and then I was on the USA tap dance team, and so I lived in Boston on and off my sophomore year of high school and went to Germany.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_07: So I my background is primarily in tap dance, but I doing competition, I did all styles, and then yeah, you know, now I'm just trying to pursue that dream of being on Broadway one of these days.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_04: So you'll be there, I know it.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_04: It will happen.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_04: All right, we have two more people that are here, two more sharkies that are here, and let's uh Daniela, if you're cool with jumping in.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_03: Hello, my name is Daniela de la Huerta.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_03: I play Rosalia in West Side Story at the Muni.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_03: Very exciting.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_03: Um I was born in um Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and I was raised in Arizona, then I moved to New York, lived there for 10 years, and now I am back in um Arizona uh due to family stuff, and then hopefully I'll be back in New York City soon.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_03: I trained in professionally in ballet first.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I was a dancer at the um Arizona Ballet Company and then Boston Ballet Company, and then after that I went into musical theater when I had an injury, and then uh because I wanted to sing, continue dancing, so I was like, let me do musical theater because that's all of it, you know.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_03: Um I've been singing my whole life, and I didn't think that I was a singer because my whole life I was raised to be a ballerina until my injury happened, and then I was like, okay, I didn't know I could do singing and dancing at the same time until I left it, so it was beautiful.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I trained at um Amda, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_03: Due to um legal issues, I had to move to the New York campus, which was great.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_03: Both campuses are very different.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_03: I can talk about that deeper in the future.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_03: Love New York, so I stayed.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_03: And some of my credits are um I played Dora the Explorer on the national tour of Nick Jr.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_03: Live.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_03: Oh my god, that's it.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_03: This is so much fun.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I have played, I've been in this show West Side Story five times.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_03: I have played Anita three times, which has been an honor.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_03: My my latest credits recently are, I guess, um Kathy in the last five years.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_03: That was my latest one, so I guess that's it.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_04: You go, girl.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_04: And true triple threat.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, so all everyone here is, but I think that's what's so exciting to hear from you all as castmates, and also for one a dance podcast, because dancers usually just focus on dance.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_04: And to hear these credits and to hear what you're all doing and and the shows that you've done, and you know, what your dreams and goals are and stuff like this.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_04: I think it's gonna be really eye-opening for young dancers to see, like, oh, and you wanted to sing and you made that happen, and you started as a dancer, and now look at you, you're playing you know, roles like Anita and Rosalia and what's that story.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_04: Like, those are you have to be able to sing to do that.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_07: Can't just be if you're yes, that's a really hard show to sing.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, crazy.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_04: All right, and our final guest who is joining us is an old friend of mine, actually.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_04: We go way back 10 years ago, is when we met in New York City, but also good old Walla Walla, Washington.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_04: We did a gig over there.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_04: It was the best time ever.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_04: We had the best time.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm so excited to welcome URL.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: Hey everybody.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_02: My name is Yurel Echezarreta.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_02: I was born in Miami, Florida.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_02: We got some Florida up in here.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_06: Okay.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_02: Representing, we have so much Florida in our cast, it's ridiculous, and I'm obsessed.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, born Miami, Florida, first generation American, Cuban parents.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: Cafecito runs through my blood.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: And um, so I thought I was gonna be some kind of biologist, some kind of scientist, maybe play the bassoon.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: I played the bassoon for four years.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_02: I was on the diving team, the swimming team, the volleyball team, the team, the team.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: I was playing sports.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_02: I I did not know Broadway existed until my 10th, my sophomore year of high school.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because with Cuban-born parents, like they don't know about Broadway.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and they weren't talking to me about Broadway, they were talking to me about get a job, make some money so you can, you know, survive in this life.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_02: It was very much scarcity thinking.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: Love them, bless them, of course.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: And they paved my way for me to be exposed to resources and opportunities that allowed me to have the career that I've had and the life that I've had.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_02: So this the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of high school, the local community theater reached out to the high schools around town.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_02: And um they were like, Yeah, we need boys.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: We need boys, as usual is what is the case.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, and I was in the drama class, I was always kind of like energetic and slightly extroverted, even though I'm an introvert by nature, gain my energy at home.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: But uh, I was like, okay, I'm not doing anything this summer, community theater, let's do it.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_02: I went there, I didn't have, I didn't even know you go in there with sheet music and a piano.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_02: So I went in there, and but I was, you guys, I had a little diva in my heart from the start.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_02: I really think so.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: I was shy when I was young, but I but there was a diva.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_02: And so I literally went in there, I was like, I put my hair, my hair behind my ear, and I was like, I think I can sing the national anthem a cappella if you want.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: So, okay, and we were in this glass room, and the echo was ferocious, and I was like, I'm not rock, yeah, it's right.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_02: And literally, I I knew I was here and watched, and I got hired as a one of the, or not hired, I they they chose me as one of the leads.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: So my first show was Children of Eden.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, weird and um uh uh Kane in Kane and Japan in Children of Eden.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: And um Lost in the Wilderness.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: I sang Lost in the Wilderness, and that's when I knew that's when I knew I was center stage singing Lost in the Wilders, and I was just like singing my diva moments.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_02: It's such a hard first role, literally, but but me just fearless as ever just and like I sang it and I was like I was like, this is what I want to do, I think.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_02: And then the the choreographer of the show was the the head of the dance department at the local community or at the local arts high school, and she was like, We already had our spring auditions, but you need to audition and I said okay, girl.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: And so I auditioned for during the summer and for the musical musical theater department and the dance department, and um got into both, and but I wanted to do musical theater from the start.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, I just I have um natural physical abilities that always like you know it's it's interesting in my career.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_02: It was always like dance forward, dance forward, dance forward.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: But I was like, no, no, no, no, no, yeah.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_02: I like to tell stories.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: I want to sing, I want to act.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I enjoy dancing, I enjoy moving my body.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I went, started high school and tenth grade, uh, arts high school, discovered Broadway, discovered Bob Musical Theater.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: This is what I want to do.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: Fearless.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_02: I said, I'm only auditioning for the top schools.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: Periods.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: And and I went to the University of Michigan for that.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_02: My friend was there, and West Side Story on Broadway was auditioning.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I was not looking at Broadway.com, I was like, I'm here for school.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: And so he was like, yo, they're auditioning young, young, authentic Latinos who need to dance, who need to sing.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_02: Director, um, Arthur Lawrence, who wrote the musical in the 50s, is directing.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_02: And at that time he was 90 years old.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: So I was like, this this boo is not gonna be directing too many more shows.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_02: And literally, he passed away, bless, uh, one one to two years later.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I was like, okay, I'll audition for this one.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: And it the stars aligned.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_02: I it's six months later I was starting rehearsal, and um, I basically ended up leaving school, leaving um Umish with a heavy heart because I was like, I wanted to do that.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: But I was there and there were other dancers, and they were and there were dancers from the competition dance world, and there was dancers from the um who were like there was the free first musical, and there were dancers who were like, wait, wait, wait, I feel like musical theater is fun and it's more fun than the dance world, and I kind of want to do that.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: And so it was beautiful, and they were all like, Why are you gonna go back to school if you're here?
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: Why are you gonna go back to school?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: So I was like, I think you're right, and I stayed.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_02: I ended up a year later, it was actually quite a toxic experience.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_02: West side story for me.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_02: A year later, I ended up booking my second show, Lakage of Fall, on the Broadway, and I said, I've made the right decision because it's a little scary to leave security, and I had, you know, you have to make that decision sometimes in life to leave things that you know for a new brave and new path.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_02: But um, I ended up doing Lakage, then I did Matilda, then I did Aladdin, then I did Head Over Heels, then I did Moulin Rouge, and within all of that time, it was about 10 years.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_02: Also, within that time, Courtney and I did a dance big the Walla Walla dance festival and walla walla uh Washington.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_02: And um we we chopped down on those onions.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: They're not for their onions.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: And um, and then literally the last, no, no, Moulin Rouge was the last time we did the job before that was West Side Story for Steven Spielberg with the movie.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: And so, and I and I've done West Side seven times, I've done Bernardo three times.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_02: I'm playing Bernardo right now at the Muni.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: I just came from playing Bernardo at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's been such a blessing to be with two talent, really talented casts, and to be able to explore that role.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_02: And so, yeah, now um during the pandemic, I said, I want to live somewhere else because I was in New York for 11 years, moved from there when I was 19.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_02: I was 31, I was 31, and I was like, I need to do something else with my life.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I'll go to LA now because that's what I've always wanted to do.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not there just for auditioning and the career, I am there for the lifestyle.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: I need to do something for my life, not just for my career.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_04: But that's me.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_04: I would love to jump in and chat about just West Side Story, but also dance.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm sure so many people who are listening are familiar with West Side Story.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_04: I hope that you are familiar with West Side Story.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_04: If you have not seen West Side Story the movie, please go watch your rel in the movie, y'all.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_04: He just said that he was in the movie.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_04: We actually have two, three cast members that were in the movie.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_04: Kyle, you, yes.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_04: So we have three cast members who uh are in the the recent Steven Spielberg movie, and it is stunning.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_04: It's absolutely breathtaking.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_04: The choreography is beautiful, it's not the original choreography.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_04: Who choreographed it?
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_04: Justin Peck.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_04: Justin Peck, yes.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_04: And on our end, actually, here at the Muni, we are not doing the original Jerome Robbins choreography.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_04: It's kind of like a mashup.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_04: And I know, like, the with my history with the show, I've only ever done the original Jerome Robbins choreography, so it was definitely a little tricky for me to learn something that's slightly different.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_04: Um, the counts are slightly different here.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_04: It's like the same, almost the same, but it's not, and it kind of really messes with your head a little bit.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but I know, and I'm sure you've you've done the original.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_04: Have you ever done the original OG?
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_03: I have not.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_03: Um, the beautiful Natalie Cortez taught me.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, she went to my dance studio growing up.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_03: She played Avita with when I was in Avita with her.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: She said, You're gonna play Anita next time that you do the show, and I need you to learn the original.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_03: And then after that, I booked it.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_03: And I called her up and I said, Thank you.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: I love her.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: She and I did West Side together on Broadway.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: I love her.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_02: That's where I met her.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_04: Put it out there, y'all.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_04: Like, that's how it works.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_04: And even just hearing that, like, and we talked about this last night, like about just like networking and how things are supposed to happen and in the industry.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_04: It's so true.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_04: Each job will I mean, even just hearing your old story, like each job will lead you to the next.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_04: You learn something in each job that's going to take you into your next job, and you're gonna take that with you.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_04: And this was definitely uh an exciting learning experience for me because it was the like the most different website I've ever done.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_04: Because I've only ever done this is what it is, and thank you, Jerome Robbins.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_04: Like, that's all that I've and I've been on both sides of the gang as a jet and a shark.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_04: So this time I got to just stick to the shark girls, y'all.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_04: I love it, and it's nice.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_04: It's been so great to be here with y'all, and it's a very fast process here at the Muni, as we know.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_07: We so incredibly fast.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_07: It's it's and sweaty.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, see we rehearsed everything outside, everything is outside.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, it has been it's been like 95 degrees every single day, and we are rehearsing outside.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_04: We maybe go inside for like a rehearsal, and that's it.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: But even for notes, let's be outside.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_04: Right, right.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and our performances are outside.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_04: Obviously, we're in the largest outdoor theater in the country, 11,000 seats out there, and y'all are sweating and running for your lives every night at 8:15, is when we start the show.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_04: So, anyway, let's hear about how this journey has been for you.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_04: What I kind of said like the challenge for me has been obviously swinging is new for me, but then also learning new material.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_04: That's definitely been interesting.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_04: Eurelic on your end, how is it for you coming off of another show?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_04: You just did West I Story original choreography a week before we started this.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_04: How is that like how has that shift for you?
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, um, I'm a I'm an open kind of person and I I wanted to come at the second go at it in such a short span of time.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_02: You're right, it was literally one week from closing to start the next uh rehearsal for the next.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, I want to um come at this with freshness.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_02: I want to, my challenge as an artist is to take something that I developed and I collaborated with Creative Team to develop uh Bernardo and his choices and what's rooted in there, and and learning the original choreography and learning the original intentions of West Side Story from uh Josh Brigas, who uh yeah, he he he downloaded the information from an original source of Jerome Robbins.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um and my challenge was to come to the Muni and how can I make this something new?
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_02: Because I don't want to just you know copy paste.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_06: Right.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um that's just too that's easy and I like challenge.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: But anyway, yeah, I was open to it.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_02: I was open to it.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, of course, it's like like you know, reshifting in the moment, but um and in the heat.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: But um, but it I you know, I was open to it.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: Good.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I love that.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_04: What about all y'all?
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_04: Because everyone here, it's it was new aura, obviously, for all of us, regardless if we've done the original or not.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so how was the how was the quick process of learning this material for y'all?
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_04: Challenging?
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: Really challenging.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_05: You had an extra few days.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, had some extra time.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: I just think like this job is such a testament to like what you know and like your training.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like you just have to each day come in with fresh eyes to say, okay, this is what we're doing.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: Because I'm still finding out new things about the show, you know, even tonight while it's up.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's crazy.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: You just have to like adapt.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: Because the amount of times that I've auditioned for the Muni, I'm now thinking like I am now the actor that can like keep up with the pace, you know.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: Because I was thinking, like, when I first auditioned like my freshman year of college, I was not ready to do this.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: It is so, so fast.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_04: I think that's important for young new dancers to hear too, because you're gonna try it so many times.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_04: You're gonna try so many times, and you're not gonna get it, and you're gonna know you're not gonna understand why I didn't get it right away.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_04: And you're gonna get discouraged, and you're gonna feel like that I'm not good enough, and whatever it is.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_04: You know, you said you auditioned many times, you've auditioned before.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah, I before West Side, I had only auditioned one time, and that was my freshman year of college too, and I got cut immediately.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_07: And it was one of those things, it's kind of crazy now looking back because that was the year they were doing Chicago, and everything kind of ended up getting shut down because of the pandemic, but I actually felt like I had a really great audition, right?
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_07: And I walked away feeling so confident, I'm gonna get a call back.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_07: And then a bunch of my classmates got callbacks, and I was like one of the only ones that was cut immediately.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_07: And then what's crazy is I came back this year to St.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_07: Louis to audition, and I auditioned for Westside in all of their season, and I walked away feeling like this was one of the worst auditions I've had ever.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_07: And I woke up and had a callback for Westside the next day in my inbox, and and then I, you know, I ended up going in again for it in New York.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_07: Kind of same thing.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_07: Like I felt a little bit better about my audition, but I still in the room I was looking around.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_07: People had come in off the Hamilton tour to audition and like were straight off of Broadway.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_07: Like it was so intimidating.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah, it was one of the most intimidating rooms I've been in really since like I moved to New York and have auditioned.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_07: Wow.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_07: And so I really like I called my mom and I was like, there's no way I'm gonna get this.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_07: I thought maybe I had a chance in St.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_07: Louis, but there's no way.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_07: And it's just crazy how the stars align.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_07: But they remember you're fresh year.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_07: Like I mean the good wheel.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_07: Potentially, and you worked with the choreographer.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_07: I did, I did work with Parker last year.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_07: Helped someone at Hossaminana.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_07: Um, and it was kind of crazy.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_07: Like, I was supposed to be in the female ensemble of newsies, which, if you've seen newsies, like you don't do anything at all.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_07: Like literally, like the first three days of rehearsal, I was called maybe a total of 30 minutes.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_07: We were not dancing anything out of nowhere.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_07: The next day, like he added me in as one of the named newsies, and then I ended up understudying Catherine and Metalarkin because everyone was getting COVID and having to like drop the show.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_07: And um, and I think that kind of showed Parker my ability to learn really quickly and shout out to the competition world, like being able to retain 15 different dances at one time and like learn really quickly and have like the experience of doing master classes and picking up choreography quickly and having to, you know, perform it.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_07: Like whenever you're competing, you're not just dancing.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_07: You even if you're not singing, you're still acting, you're still telling a story through your movement.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_05: Right.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_07: And I think that carried over into my audition at Westside.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_07: Parker remembered that.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_07: And I had I had actually last year I emailed Michael Baxter, the artistic director of the Muni, because I had had double ankle surgery.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_07: And I asked him if there was any way I could submit my audition for like legally blonde late.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: The viral, legally blonde.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: Literally, the viral, legally blonde everywhere.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_07: And he was like, I'm so sorry, casting is already like the decisions have been made.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_07: And it was crazy, like the opportunity with Parker kind of fell into my lap at the last minute because it was one of the very last summer stock auditions that they were having.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_07: And I it was in Texas, which I'm from Oklahoma originally.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_07: I don't know if I said that in my introduction, but it was close to home.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_07: So I ended up being able to go.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_07: I got cast, and then I feel like that ultimately Michael Baxter remembered me, Parker remembered me, and then you know, I ended up here, and it's just crazy how whenever you're meant to be somewhere, like you're placed there at the perfect time because kind of like Ethan was saying, I don't know that I'm kind of always up for a challenge and pushing myself outside of my, you know, what I think is a limitation, and I I want to challenge myself, especially while I'm young, but I think I would have been completely overwhelmed and I don't know if I would have been able to have as much of an enjoyable experience had I got cast my freshman year.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_07: I don't know that I was ready.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_07: I think I needed those four years of college to train and get me to where I am now to be able to be thrown into a process that is this fast and this crazy.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_07: And I mean, we learned cool.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_07: The girls, since the boys had extra rehearsal, they literally taught all of cool to us in like less than 30 minutes.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_07: Wow.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that was insane.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: We all learned it.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_01: We had so much time.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_07: And you know, at first it kind of felt like in one ear, out the other.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_07: But when I went home and shout out again to like dance competitions, my dance teacher used to make me like write all my choreo down.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_07: So I came home that day since I was released early.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_07: I wrote down everything they taught us.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_07: I went over it, and the next day I woke up and I was like, okay, wait, I got this.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_07: I can do it.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_07: I'm ready to go.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_07: And I don't know that you know, if I had been here even last year coming out of ankle surgery, like I don't know that I could have physically or mentally like been able to withstand like the challenges that this place presents.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_07: And it's so rewarding and fulfilling knowing that I can, yeah, but I don't know, you just you end up where you're meant to be whenever when it's meant to happen.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_04: And I know that like Tati, this is a new experience for you in the musical theater world.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_04: This is your very first musical ever.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_05: Like I don't know.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_05: No, I I knew I wanted to dip my toes into theater because I love tap dance as well.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_05: Like my um competition studio is heavy tap dance.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, we run the SoFlo Tap Festival.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_05: Oh my gosh, yes.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_05: Uh so it's always been there.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_05: When I went to NYU, I made it a point to still take tap class in the city because it obviously was not offered at the university.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_05: My senior year at NYU, I started taking vocal lessons because I was like, if this is what I'm gonna do, if this is what I'm going to attempt to achieve, I need to like do all the things, take all the steps to prep for when that door opens.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_04: Who told you to do that?
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_04: Was that in your head?
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_04: Or did your someone else tell you that?
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_04: Did your professors at school tell you that?
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_05: My professors at school did not tell me that.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_04: But like, how did you know that?
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_04: You know, did you just say, like, oh, I see people singing on Broadway, I should learn how to sing?
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_05: My mom is a used to be a vocalist, so she it's always been in like the back pocket of like you need to do this.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_05: So then, yeah, I just kind of took it upon myself, like, this is what I need to do.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_04: And that's like you have to do in the industry, you have to do that.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_04: Like, sometimes things aren't gonna be spoon-fed to you all the time, especially at school for dance.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_05: You need to be independent, you need to do things yourself, you need to figure it out, you need to market yourself.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_05: Like, there's all these things that are not handed to you.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_05: Um, so I did that.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_05: Um, there was like acting for dance, that was a course at NYU that did help as well.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_05: And I did pre-pro for Funny Girl, and I was like, Oh, if I I can tap dance in a show, I can, you know.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_05: So it was just the singing and acting was my like, hmm, let's see how this goes.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_05: So, yes, I was a little bit thrown into this.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, you were, but in the best way possible.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_05: Like I immediately was, you know, was like shocked.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_05: But I was also like, this is uh this is going to push me forward.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and it's like I have to say yes, even if I feel some type of way, even if I feel slightly insecure, like this is what should be happening if I want to do this.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_05: So I was nervous, but on the first day, I think I just needed I prepped a little.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_05: I was like, let me let me take a vocal lesson, let me go over the script, let me do these lines with my acting coach, something.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_05: Um, and I had a great support system within the sharks because there's a lot of y'all who have done consuela before.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_05: Um, so I asked all the questions.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_05: You know, the choreography, I was like, okay, right.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_05: The dance part, I'm like, cool, you got that.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, yes.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: And you have one of the best moments in the show.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: Like that line is so much fun.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_05: I know you know the show.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_05: So I had to just you just have to own it.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_05: So I just trusted myself.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_05: And I feel like even though this was very go, go, go, I think that worked better for me because that's kind of how I function.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_05: Um, so yeah, I'm really happy to be here and experience this, and now I'm like, I can do this.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, you got it under your belt.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_04: You got the Muni under your belt.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_04: And for all of our listeners out there, I in the intro, I kind of gave a little rundown of as to like what the Muni is, but it is such a huge, prestigious regional theater.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_04: It is the it is like one step below Broadway.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_04: So, you know, not everyone's going to get a job here.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_04: It is very hard to get a job here, and we are also talented and blessed to be here, but we all deserve to be here because we are talented and we have put the work in and we have put the time in, like you said, knowing when it's right and using our experience to get us in this position that we're in at the Muni.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_04: And for you, like this is like I said, like when I first met you, I was like, This is I cannot believe this is your first musical at the Muni.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_04: That's from here, you're you just are going up from here, girl.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_03: Like, it's just like you know, you're such amazing.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, and so young, and and honestly, too, it's so important to hear about just getting thrown into things because that's really how you learn best.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, you can take all the training, you can do so many things, but until it's like it is on you to make this happen, you figure it out.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_04: You're like, all right, you want me to do lines?
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_04: I got it, no problem.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_04: You want me to sing?
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_04: Sure, I got it, no problem.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_04: You just figure it out.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_04: And sometimes it's harder when you're just kind of you know scared and holding back because you might not feel like you have the training to do that, or you might not feel like you have the experience to do that, but it's getting thrown in.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_02: So much of it is uh we're talking about such beautiful points here.
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_02: So much of it is like fake it till you make it.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_07: Literally, like fake it till you make it.
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_02: Inside your head, like you have to tell you have to be so vigilant on what happens between your ears, because that can most often dictate whether you will be successful or whether you will stumble.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_02: And it's okay to stumble.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_02: We learn in the stumble, but but you you gotta you gotta you gotta just say, I got this, even if you're scared.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_02: I can do this even if you feel like maybe you can't.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_02: You got to, you got to, until because the more you do that, the more your brain, there's it's like this weird, subtle transition in your brain that it goes, oh I I do have this now.
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_02: Because, oh, because look, I just I did I did just do it.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_02: So you see, you have to be you have to be, you have to safeguard what happens in between your ears.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_02: That's so important.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_02: And I love something that Macy brought up, which was when things are supposed to happen, they will happen.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_02: Uh that's something I'm still trying to take on myself.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's to not chase, it's to attract.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_02: And that's another, I think, quick very valuable thing in this career that will give you success is is breathe, exhale.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_02: If you didn't get an audition, that is a okay, there's a million down the line for you.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_02: And in that moment, you celebrate your brothers, your sisters, your they's to uh with their successes because we just gotta continue lifting each other up.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_02: And that way you're not living in anxiety and you're not living in your stress, and you're not living in your scarcity.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_02: You are living in your faith, you're living in your bravery, and and you're armoring yourself up to go take on this thing that's a beast in front of you.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: And that's something I'm still trying, I'm still I'm still trying to do.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_02: I still find myself chasing little things, little no, no, no, no, no.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_02: Let them come to you.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, yeah.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_02: Because it's because it they will come to you, what is meant for you will come to you.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_02: And and why don't you greet those things with with peace and with groundedness?
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm just obsessed with what we're talking about.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, go, Daniela.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um, that being said, like I just want to add, because this is something I'm also working on, is when we're talking about like things should happen when they happen, we tend to look at that when like good things happen to us.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_03: We're like, they happen when they happen, like of course, and so that we also need to think about when they aren't happening, just to like jump on what you're saying.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_03: Like, whenever things aren't happening, when you don't get that audition, when you don't get that job, you just be like, it happened for a reason.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_03: Like Macy said, she didn't get it in her freshman year, so she had those four years to train and like get herself strong.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_03: Same thing with me.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes I don't get an audition, and I'm like, I didn't get the audition, but sometimes you know, you book the room.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_03: That's so good.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, let me tell you, I when I moved to Arizona, it was under very stressful circumstances, and I had to call my agent and I was like, Look, I'm in Arizona now, I'm not in New York.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_03: Can I still book like audition?
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_03: Can I book?
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_03: And he said, I don't know, we'll try.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_03: And uh my agent was like, Hey, you should fly out to New York for this muni audition.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_03: And I said, I can't.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_03: I don't have the finances right now because I'm dealing with my own life stuff.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_03: I said, But I've worked with Michael Baxter before.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_03: Ask him if he will have me just submit.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_03: And uh I submitted and then I got booked.
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_03: When I moved, I was like, oh no, like because I'm not in New York, because I'm not in LA, maybe like I'm not gonna book as much.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_03: And then the one of the first gigs out of Arizona that I booked is the Muni.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_04: I'm like, okay, well, and important in that, like, don't be afraid to ask because the least that someone can say is no.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_04: Is no, you have to ask you you put that out there and you said, Listen, I can't be in that room, but can you at least ask for me?
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_04: And look where it got you.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and sometimes it's like when you send that email at the perfect time and it hits someone's inbox, then they might have been thinking about like, oh, I need exactly that right now.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_04: Wow, perfect timing.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely, totally.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_04: And you know, you never know.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_04: You never know when that's gonna be.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_04: So good for you for putting that out there.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_04: And also, what I wanted to ask, and kind of like segueing into just like more of like the aura and dance aspect of the West Ed story in general, on your end, Daniela, you grew up training at ballet, and this show in general, especially the OG choreography and this choreography as well, is very heavily rooted in ballet foundation from Robin's there's a whole ballet in West Eight story if you've never seen it.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, you have to have ballet training to do this show.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_04: Do you feel like that that has helped you for the five times that you've been doing the show and you've done Anita?
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_04: You know, you have to be a triple threat, very strong dancer to be able to tackle that Anita track.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I I think the ballet training definitely helped, especially like when we're we are doing the ballet itself.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_03: And it I mean, essentially just to pull up and like be strong.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_03: Because like if you're not pulling up, you're gonna fall out of that double, or like you're not gonna be able to hit that jump, or the final America pose, right?
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_03: Leaning forward, you have to be like sitting, you have to be standing up or like pulled up.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, I very much feel like ballet helped me.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_03: Not that ballet helped me when I was in ballet, and they were like, oh, you know what has ballet in it?
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_03: West side story.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_03: I wasn't trained in ballet about like musical theater world, but when I did get into musical theater world, I remember uh when I was when I did my first Westside, they're like, oh, you know, the men in it were doing bar, like ballet bar before they did the show, and I was so they can get centered, and I was like, Oh, great! Like I feel ready to do this, I feel prepared.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_03: The only way that I feel like ballet really helped me is like just to be strong.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, you have to have a strong technical foundation to do the show.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_04: Like, this is such a dance show, and for dancers that are listening, like I and I know because I'm I'm definitely like the most dancer dancer sitting in this room alongside of y'all.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_04: Like, and I didn't really tell my story, but I don't need to because the podcast people know my story.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_04: But like I was a comp kid and did not learn how to sing at all until I moved to New York City and played ketchup my entire professional career, even to this day, because I never learned how to sing properly.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_04: So, like that has always held me back.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_04: But then I'm like super, super technical jazz dancer.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_04: So that helps me in these types of jobs where it's a strong dance-heavy show.
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_04: It's like I have the style and the foundation, but sometimes that's not all that you need.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_04: You have to still be able to know how to sing.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_04: So, like, yes, there are there are musicals out there that are looking for strong dancers who have strong causal training and ballet training, but there's a lot that aren't.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_04: There's a lot that need more triple threat style dancers and singers and actors who can cover the lead, who can understudy this, who can be a swing, that type of thing.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_04: And I think it's important to we I always talk about the emphasis of ballet because I think, like, especially in the competitive dance world, a lot of dancers are like, I don't like ballet, it's my favorite.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_04: But like, I wouldn't know that at all from dancing, like that you don't like ballet.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_01: I grew up with it, but then like quickly, once I found my like part of competitive dancing, I I quickly went to the parts that were like story-driven.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_01: If I it was like a character name, I would give myself a name for every solo I had.
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_01: And then it just I don't know, I went so far into jazz and like tap.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_05: I was kind of the opposite.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_05: I loved competition dance, like everything about it, and heavy tap dance.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_05: And then I made it a point to go heavy on the ballet.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_05: Um, after like being into a school of the arts, like we just did ballet and modern.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_05: So I had both of those and continued to like continue my training at you know, Joffrey and Ailey, like doing Horton, Ballet Hispanico, um, all those things.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_05: So I was like, the foundation is definitely necessary, you just have to trust your technique within the show, essentially.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, yeah.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_07: Because I I grew up at a strictly competition studio until I was in sixth grade, I had never taken a ballet class.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_07: Really?
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_07: And I did all styles of dance at my school.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_07: Wow.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_07: And then I knew whenever I was like getting serious about going into dance and musical theater, I switched to a studio like an hour and a half away from my house.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_07: Actually, where Eloise Cropp also grew up dancing.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_07: Oh wow.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_07: Um and whenever I went there to be on the competition team, you had to take ballet four times a week.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_05: Wow.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_07: And you had like you had to take jazz twice a week, tap at least once a week, hip-hop at least once a week, but you had to take ballet four times a week.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_07: And I got there and I was like, well, this sucks.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_07: I hate ballet, I'm terrible at ballet, but I literally watched my dancing and to this day, no offense, I still hate ballet.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_07: Like, I do not enjoy it at all.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_07: I hate putting on a leotard, I hate putting on my tights, I hate putting my hair in a bun.
• 43:17
  SPEAKER_07: Like, I do not enjoy it.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_07: But my dancing completely changed within like even in a year, like I for doing it four times a week, four times a week.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_07: I saw the biggest difference, and not even just in you know, jazz or like my musical theater solos, but like in elements of hip hop, even like just my lines and the way that I was able to move my body in ways that I had never been able to because I had that strong foundation and that technique.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_07: And I think, you know, I went to college with the intention of like one of the reasons I wanted to go to Michigan was I wanted to focus on singing and acting.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_07: So I kind of took a step away from dance for a while.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_07: But I always say, like, especially before coming to the show, I threw myself back into dance classes very heavily because I knew how much this show demanded of you.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_07: And it's like riding a bike.
• 44:13
  SPEAKER_07: Whenever you have that strong foundation and that strong technique, it comes back to you and it helps everything.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_07: Like I truly believe if I didn't have that, like I would not be the dancer I am today.
• 44:28
  SPEAKER_07: And I wouldn't have been able to step away from dance for almost four years.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_07: Like I was still taking class here and there, but in comparison to dancing 20 hours a week to taking one dance class, maybe two a semester.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_07: Wow.
• 44:42
  SPEAKER_07: Like drastic.
• 44:43
  SPEAKER_07: It's crazy.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_07: And even though, even though I did take a step back and I just said I hate ballet, I did make a point.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_07: I took ballet every single semester of college, whether it was through musical theater or through the dance department.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_07: That's great.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_07: Because it's just so essential to even me not being a ballerina, like to doing this show.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_07: There's no way I could do the show if I didn't have that foundation and technique.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_04: It's hard to get to a point when, like, and that was the same for me.
• 45:12
  SPEAKER_04: I hated ballet growing up.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_04: I was the rebel at my studio and they did five days a week.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_04: I did three days a week.
• 45:17
  SPEAKER_04: I did the bare minimum, like as little as I could.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_04: I didn't want to be there for five.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm going to make that these three like really, really important.
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_04: And I focus on my technique and like I feel like I have a strong foundation.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_04: But it's hard when you're getting pushed in so many different directions and you don't know what you want in your career when you're young, when you're training.
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_04: Like you knew you want to do musical theater.
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_04: You were comp kid turned musical theater.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_04: Like you knew your path.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_04: I didn't, I knew I wanted to dance, but I didn't know what that actually meant.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_04: I just knew I wanted to be on stage.
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_04: But then you get to New York and it's just musical theater.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, let me rephrase that.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_04: There is more in New York City than just musical theater, but what pays the bills is musical theater.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_04: And that was hard for me because I moved to New York as a contemporary dancer.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_04: I moved to New York thinking I'm gonna be in a modern dance company.
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_04: And then I looked at what it paid and I was like, I'm not gonna be in a modern dance company.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna be on Broadway.
• 46:06
  SPEAKER_04: Hello.
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes.
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_04: You know, because I don't think that's talked about a lot either is like the reality of being an artist and that struggle in general, just getting the jobs like we've talked about, like when we book a job, when we don't book a job, good auditions, bad auditions, that type of thing.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_04: But then also what that job is.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_04: Is it your dream and you're not getting paid that much, but but it's your dream job and you don't care?
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_04: Are you willing to sacrifice that?
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_04: Or are you looking for the job that's going to make you feel like financially stable and secure?
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_04: Because everybody needs something different out of their like adulting life.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_04: You know, it's and it that's hard to navigate, especially when you're young.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_01: But those jobs and things come to you.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_01: Like there's times when you're supposed to be doing it, and other times, like I have to remind myself that I have to remind myself that things have to freeze in me, even when it's not happening.
• 46:53
  SPEAKER_01: Like I'm supposed to be serving right now, I'm supposed to be going to class and just like grinding it out.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_01: And then suddenly I'm like, oh my god, I'm at the muni.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what?
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's like I'm supposed to be here right now.
• 47:05
  SPEAKER_01: I wasn't supposed to get the job last time.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that New York thing, like you just gotta find your place there, whether it's in audition rooms or just a job outside, like you have to find things outside of musical theater or dance or whatever.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_07: Having a life, yeah, it's so important creating a life for yourself there is so important to being able to sustain this career in the long run.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_07: And I haven't even been there a year yet, but that's I mean, my like you just you have to.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_07: It's the only way you have to have a community, you have to build a community.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_01: To think like that to work at the mutiny, I thought you would have to go to Missouri, like that was my only chance.
• 47:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh huh.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_01: I remember coming, like I came three times during college, and then I didn't come the fourth time because of COVID.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like so mad that other people got it and I didn't.
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then I like I'm not auditioning.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_01: So the legally blonde year, I was like, I am not auditioning, absolutely not.
• 48:00
  SPEAKER_01: If they want me, they'll call me.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then I got a got a self tape for it, and I was like, I'm not even in Missouri.
• 48:08
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my goodness, it was crazy.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_01: But then just to think that all of our paths led us here during a podcast, and we just put all of us back to like the mute.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's so interesting.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's so interesting.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_05: It really is.
• 48:21
  SPEAKER_04: Go, Tati.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_05: I just wanted to touch on what you're talking about about how your perception of like New York City dancing is uh very theater or Broadway pays the bills, but also trusting freelance.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you do that like crazy.
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_04: You do so many things.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_05: And I yes, I think, yeah, trust freelance as much as that seems like it's not sustainable.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_05: Um, and I think my background with tap dance, contemporary, ballet, point, whatever it may be, that is why I'm able to be bing, bing, bing, bing.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_05: It's also like I get bored, so I don't want to be doing the same thing.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_05: Um, and that's kind of how I've been functioning post-grad, doing contemporary dance.
• 49:00
  SPEAKER_05: Like it's little things every once in a while, you know.
• 49:03
  SPEAKER_05: But I think being able and being malleable and diverse and versatile and having a comp background, having a concert dance background has really helped me in that way without being focused on one specific thing.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, the more you can do in this industry, the better.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 49:18
  SPEAKER_04: And we're we very much talked about like musical theater over this conversation because we're obviously here doing a musical.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_04: And like, you know, the the triple threat aspect of being a musical theater performer.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_04: But then there's so much more we can like dive deeper into being a dancer and what kind of dancer you are.
• 49:34
  SPEAKER_04: Are you a contemporary dancer?
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_04: Are you a jazz dancer?
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_04: Are you a commercial jazz dancer or are you a theater jazz dancer?
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_04: Like we could go down the road, and the more of that you are, the more opportunities you are going to have.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_04: Whether they are one-off little gigs or you're dancing with a dance company, and then in the summer you're off and you're here at the Muni.
• 49:52
  SPEAKER_04: Like you can blend it all.
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_04: I think that that's kind of what you're saying.
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_04: And I think that a lot of dancers don't know understand how to do that either.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_04: Is well, I just want to be on Broadway, so I just am gonna focus on Broadway, but you do, but you have this opportunity to dance contemporary dance in a company or a gig or whatever, or go to Walla Walla, Washington and dance together and meet new friends.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_04: Like you just yeah, you it's hard to juggle it, honestly.
• 50:15
  SPEAKER_04: It's it's tricky, and things will align when they're supposed to.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_04: I know that for me, sometimes I'm afraid to like take a lower-paying gig or something that I'm excited or passionate about because I'm like, well, what if some what if another job calls?
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_04: And then and then you know what I mean?
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_04: And that's a that's a hard thing to navigate as a professional, too, is like our crazy schedule that just does align, but also like there are times where you have to make a decision on a job.
• 50:41
  SPEAKER_04: Sometimes you have too many offers and you're like, which one is better?
• 50:44
  SPEAKER_04: Do I want the longer contract?
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_04: Do I want the shorter contract?
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_04: Do I want the show that I'm really excited about?
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_04: Like, which one do I pick?
• 50:50
  SPEAKER_04: And that's tough to figure out too, as a freelance artist.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_04: Well, y'all, I'd love to wrap this up because we could chat all night.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_04: I would love for all of you to share a little bit of wisdom and guidance to our young audience out there.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_04: We don't have only young dancers listening, FYI.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_04: We are actually our primary listener are dance parents.
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_01: Dance moms.
• 51:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, dance moms.
• 51:14
  SPEAKER_04: They love the podcast because they want to learn about what is next for their kid.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_04: They want to understand this world because most of them, like you said, your parents didn't grow, didn't know anything about the arts.
• 51:26
  SPEAKER_04: Like, neither did mine.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_04: All of us got thrown into dance because we were just dancing around our houses, and next thing you know, we have a career in this.
• 51:34
  SPEAKER_04: And the parents don't understand most of the time that you can make a career out of this.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_04: And that's why I really wanted to sit down with y'all and share that with the world because to our listeners, did y'all hear their introductions?
• 51:47
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, hello, everyone has made it in the industry, and they all went to prestigious schools, they've been in movies with Steven Spielberg.
• 51:55
  SPEAKER_04: Like, we are doing it, and you can do it.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_04: Any dancer can do it if that's their dream.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_04: So I think it's important for I would love for y'all to share any guidance that you want to say to whoever you'd like to speak to out there, to just give some words of encouragement and inspiration for our next generation, our the parents, dance teachers out there, like what should studios be working on in their in the classroom to prepare them for jobs like this, like you know, any type of guidance that you want to share as your like final thoughts.
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_07: I would just say because I I really love to teach, I learned that during the pandemic, and mentor young dancers.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_07: And for me personally, my journey as a dancer in musical theater, going to Michigan, like it's never felt linear for me.
• 52:45
  SPEAKER_07: And I have never really felt like things were ever handed to me.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_07: And I always say, like, it's so cheesy, but my go-to motto and like live quote is hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
• 52:58
  SPEAKER_07: And no matter where you come from, what your background is, if this is something you want to do, like it is gonna be really hard work and you're gonna get a lot of no's.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_07: They always say it's a hundred no's for one singular yes, and sometimes it's even more no's than that.
• 53:17
  SPEAKER_07: But at the end of the day, it's about tenacity and knowing that you do this because you love it and you're passionate about it, and you have to show up every day, put yourself out there, advocate for yourself, work hard because at the end of the day, that's what's gonna get you the jobs.
• 53:34
  SPEAKER_07: And I there's been so many times where I don't feel like I'm the most gifted or the most talented in the room, but because I continue to show up and try to be the best version of myself and work hard, it always pays off in the end, even if it doesn't happen right away.
• 53:56
  SPEAKER_07: It happens like we were talking about earlier, it happens whenever it's meant to, the stars will align.
• 54:01
  SPEAKER_07: And just don't become discouraged, stay strong in your faith, as Yurel was saying, and like in your bravery and who you are as an artist and as a person.
• 54:12
  SPEAKER_07: And if you have a dream, go for it.
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_07: Because I'm from Oklahoma, middle of nowhere, with parents who knew nothing about this career.
• 54:20
  SPEAKER_07: You know, little Macy seeing like going to New York and seeing a Broadway show for the first time would be so proud of how far I've come.
• 54:29
  SPEAKER_07: And you know, I always wanted to be at the Muni, I always wanted to be living in New York.
• 54:34
  SPEAKER_07: It was always a dream, but there was always a part of me that was like, that is a crazy wild dream.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_07: But I'm here living it, I'm here doing it, and you just have to keep going and have to keep believing in yourself, showing up and working hard every single day.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_07: And then, you know, the sky's the limit.
• 54:55
  SPEAKER_02: One thing I learned, um, so this is gonna be a little I guess it could potentially be controversial, but not really.
• 55:03
  SPEAKER_02: You have to teach, sometimes you gotta teach people how to treat you.
• 55:07
  SPEAKER_02: And you're gonna be in jobs as a dancer, it's might be your first job, and you're just and you just think, oh, I'm just a dancer, I'm not even a role, or I'm not this, or I'm not that, or I'm just a swing, or things.
• 55:19
  SPEAKER_02: And people are going to treat you a certain way because they are they are living under certain assumptions in their mind, and they're looking at you through that lens.
• 55:29
  SPEAKER_02: And just because this person might be the director, might be the producer, might be this big head of whatever department, and they are living under certain assumptions and a certain perspective and looking at you in that way, it does not make it true.
• 55:44
  SPEAKER_02: You have to be an advocate for yourself, you have to teach them how to treat you.
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_02: And you can do that respectfully.
• 55:53
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 55:54
  SPEAKER_02: Do it in a respectful manner.
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_02: But just because you are in your first job, in the dance ensemble, do not make yourself less than.
• 56:04
  SPEAKER_02: You are just as equal as anyone else in the room, in the space, and you deserve your the respect.
• 56:12
  SPEAKER_02: You do, and it's really easy to allow people to do things and say things because you don't because you're going to tap into scarcity thinking, you don't want to lose your job, you don't want to risk your reputation, you don't want to risk your career career.
• 56:25
  SPEAKER_02: But nothing and no one should stand between your value and your truth.
• 56:31
  SPEAKER_02: And um it's very hard and it's very scary.
• 56:34
  SPEAKER_02: But find the respectful way and do it because um at the end of the at the end of the day, you are going to look back at yourself and it's gonna raise yourself up, your self-esteem, your your perspective in life, your tenacity to go for what you want.
• 56:50
  SPEAKER_02: And also these people are gonna look at you and be like, oh, okay, okay, I hear you, I see you, and they're gonna respect you, and now they're gonna look at you, and when you ask for something, they're gonna look at you with a new lens, and that's your responsibility.
• 57:05
  SPEAKER_02: Don't victimize, activate.
• 57:08
  SPEAKER_04: Go, Ethan.
• 57:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, go live some life, go like, go get a dog, go like like you're gonna train.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_01: It sounds like you know, everyone's gonna train, go to ballet class, all that stuff, but like I don't know, you're gonna spend a lot of time like auditioning and like waiting for things to happen.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_01: Don't wait, just just live your life, you know, have a good time, and that the stuff will come to you.
• 57:28
  SPEAKER_03: I just want to quickly say to um parents and teachers to trust your rising star, your pupil, your kid, your student, anybody.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_03: I think just trust in their talent that not even just their talent, just that as a person, you know, because you can tell a person every day, just like go study, you know, you need to do this, you need to do that.
• 57:54
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, but like also trust that they are going to do their work.
• 57:59
  SPEAKER_03: We're not always going to be children, I guess if that makes sense.
• 58:04
  SPEAKER_03: And we need to learn to trust in letting them grow.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um, because for so long, I'm sure a lot of us were told something else.
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I was uh first generation, not even first, I just became a citizen a year and a half ago, and I was told to be something else, you know, and I trusted that I was going always going to be a performer, but no one else did.
• 58:25
  SPEAKER_03: Like my teachers were like, this is just a hobby, right?
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_03: You know, or your parents were like, this is not gonna be a full-time thing.
• 58:32
  SPEAKER_03: Trust that I'm going to make this what I'm gonna make it, even if it doesn't become a big thing.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_05: I'll just leave it at my dance teacher and my mentor always said, just be the best thing you can be.
• 58:50
  SPEAKER_04: We hope you enjoyed our special summer bonus episode featuring the cast of Westside Story at the Moon.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_04: Shout out to my fabulous cast members Ethan, Macy, Daniela, Tatiana, and Uurelle for joining me on the discussion.
• 59:03
  SPEAKER_04: Be sure to follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with what they're working on next in their professional careers.
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_04: You can find Ethan at EthanZep, Macy at Macy and Mick, Daniela at III Daniela, Tatiana at Tati Munez143, and URL at URLE.
• 59:22
  SPEAKER_04: Also, don't forget to follow the Muni on Instagram at the Muni and visit their website to learn more about their upcoming productions, future auditions, and how to buy tickets for next season at Muni.org.
• 59:36
  SPEAKER_04: Season 5 of Making the Impact is right around the corner.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_04: Mark your calendars, dance world.
• 59:41
  SPEAKER_04: New weekly episodes begin on September 7th and launch every Thursday throughout the dance season.
• 59:47
  SPEAKER_04: Don't forget to follow Making the Impact on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere you listen to podcasts.
• 59:55
  SPEAKER_04: And if you want more exclusive episodes, support our podcast by joining our Platinum Premium membership for only$5 a month.
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_04: Subscribers receive free Making the Impact stickers, shout-outs live on the air, ad-free listening, and exclusive access to our QA episodes for members only.
• 1:00:11
  SPEAKER_04: Join now at Impact Dance Adjudicators.com slash Platinum Premium, or click the link in our show notes to learn more.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_04: We hope you're having a fabulous summer filled with dance, and we will see you in season five.
• 1:00:22
  SPEAKER_04: Until then, keep dancing.