DANCE before your audition!
A big saying at Aura Casting, a San Francisco commercial casting agency, is “Out of our heads, and into our bodies!”
As actors we have very active minds. It goes with the biz. Not only must we memorize our lines and cues for parts, but we are constantly strategizing, planning, and preparing our career choices and best avenues for success.
It can feel daunting at times.
One activity that really helps alleviate an overactive mind, as well as improve our audition game, is dancing beforehand. Yes, dancing! :)
Dancing gets you out of your head entirely. You are forced to just let go. It makes you happy, and it makes other people happy and inspired.
What if I am not good at dancing? It’s not about being good or bad - it’s about surrendering entirely, 100%. Your skill level is irrelevant. Besides, you never have to be embarrassed, since you’ll be dancing at home. ;) Kind of like singing in the shower, no one’s going to hear.
By giving yourself 2-3 minutes to free-form dance before your next audition, you will find your performance improves drastically. Find a song you LOVE moving your body to, and just jam out. Here at Aura Casting, we definitely know this method works!
Why dance before an audition?
Your brain will be working faster. With more oxygen circulating through your body, this means for your audition your cues/lines/beats will be timely, well paced, and energized.
You’ll feel more relaxed. Your muscles will loosen, and your face will look fuller and more open. Some of that nervousness will transform into contented, yet excited energy.
You’ll feel better prepared. You’ve already studied your lines and you’ve done your scene prep.... By dancing before an audition, you’ll feel confident and ready to nail it when your casting director welcomes you on Zoom.
You’ll genuinely feel happier. For commercial auditions, showcasing “happiness” is an emotional state commonly asked for by the director to the actor. So after you dance, you’ll be able to share some of that authentic, bubbly joy… as it’ll come naturally. :)