I auditioned for 'West Side Story' just like everybody else, and I nearly had a heart attack, because I hadn't danced in about - oh, I don't know, about 15 years.
The fact that I have done films down South didn't boost or hamper my chances here. In fact, I was still shooting for both my Telugu films when I met Ashu sir for 'Mohenjo Daro.' During the audition, he gave me five scenes with lengthy dialogues. Once I cleared them, he gave me a song to dance to. So, my Bollywood entry was no cakewalk.
I wasn't a dancer learning to play Baby Houseman. I was Baby Houseman learning to play a dancer. I was someone who'd never done any Latin dance. I'd taken jazz classes and ballet growing up in New York, so I had dance in me, and I knew I loved it, but I'd never done a dance audition.
It never occurred to me that I'd have a dance company.
When I was younger, I used to want to be, like, a back-up dancer, and my mom was like, 'Well, you know, you can do that, but you might want to choose another career.'
I've always wanted to be a professional dancer, I'd always wanted to be a ballerina. I trained for 13 years but it never came to be.
Upon graduating from my acting program at The Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA, I went to my first tap audition. It was for the 1st national equity tour of '42nd Street.'
I'd get sent home from the first audition of So You Think You Can Dance. My dancing is sort of controlled spasms. I fully accept it might appear ridiculous. But it's passionate!
I did an audition for Henry Hall, a well-known dance man at the BBC, when I was about 15. I have lost the letter I was sent, but it said: 'your voice is unsuitable for broadcasting.'
Seeing 'Revelations' made me want to be a professional dancer.
I've done tons of Debbie Allen musicals. I was a dancer in 'Glee,' and I was a Laker girl for three months.
I went to ballet school for nine years, and there was an agent for the whole school who happened to be there visiting one of the performances. She suggested an audition.
I went to an audition for a Harry Belafonte Roaring Twenties special for choreographer Donald McKayle, but I failed.
I am seriously thinking of making dance as my major profession.
I was an apprentice at the San Francisco Ballet, and a casting director came to one of our rehearsals to scout talent for 'Center Stage.' I landed the role of Jodie.
