James Gray Masterclass

James Gray is a Broadway choreographer and actor. James has many Broadway credits and has come to Ada to choreograph and direct ONU's production of Young Frankenstein in the spring. While he is visiting Ada this fall, he is preparing for the auditions of Young Frankenstein, and taught a a dance masterclass. I don't dance or act, but I attended his masterclass to watch for a class credit. Before I arrived at the class, I had visions of the choreographer forcing me to participate and I got nervous. Luckily, I sat down, he gave me a weird look, and then forgot about me for the rest of the night.

The class started with a long pep talk about how the dancers and actors should love themselves before they audition so they could present the best work they could. He also talked about how saying you 'can't do something' is the nice way to say that you 'won't do something.' I admit that during this part of the pep talk I grew nervous again that he would decide I would be more useful on the dance floor.

In James's two hour masterclass, he taught two dance combinations. The first was a jazz dance, and the choreography was quite humorous. The dancers were acting like zombies and bitten vampire victims and they made it look easy and graceful! If I were on stage, the choreography would look like an actual dying victim. The second combination taught was a tap number. Although it is difficult to listen to audition tap, as it is messy and obnoxious, I stayed for the whole two hours!

It was interesting to see all of my theatre peers dancing in their leotards and emoting to the director so they might be remembered tomorrow at their real auditions. However, I continue to believe that my place is behind the curtain.