Dance Nation - Self tape auditions

Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers' plots to take over the world. And if their new routine is good enough, they’ll claw their way to the top at the Boogie Down Grand Prix in Tampa Bay. The role of Vanessa/The Moms has already been cast. Seeking six female and two male performers. Most of the characters are teenagers but are played by adults of any age. Dance is an important part of the show and will be choreographed, but performers need not have any dance ability, training or experience. To submit an audition, please prepare the appropriate side. 

DANCE NATION has won many awards including the 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Best Theatre of 2018 New York Times, Best Theatre of 2018 The Washington Post, Best Theatre of 2018 Forbes, Best Theatre of 2018 BuzzFeed, Best Theatre of 2018 The Stage, Best Theatre of 2018 Vulture and Best Theatre of 2018 Independent. 

The playwright Clare Barron has given explicit instructions about her work:

• Although the play takes place, when the dancers are 11-14 years old, the performers should be any age. She notes, 'There is no need for any of the actors to resemble teenagers. (In fact, please resist this impulse!) And the more diverse the case the better. Barron notes; 'At times we should be palpably aware of the actors' real ages and their distance from this moment in their lives'.
• On the choreography she notes: The dances should take up time and space and be fully and gorgeously embodied performative events, even if the actors possess no real dance talent. (In fact, better if the actors possess no real dance talent)
• She notes: Cuteness is death. Pagan feral-ness and ferocity are key.
• Everyone is nice. Everyone is vulnerable. And everyone is trying their hardest.

Character Breakdown

All characters speak with a general American accent

DANCE TEACHER PAT (M): The head of the dance studio. Adult male.  DanceTeacher-Sides.pdf

AMINA (F): The star dancer. BFF's with ZUZU. Actor might be a woman-of-colour. Any age.* Amina-OptOne.pdf /  Amina-OptTwo.pdf

ZUZU (F): Always, always, always second best. BFF's with AMINA. Actor might be a woman-of-colour. Any age.*  Zuzu-Sides.pdf

CONNIE (F): A talented dancer who thinks she should play the role of Gandhi. Actor should be South Asian.*  Connie-Sides.pdf

LUKE (M): The only male dancer on the competition team. Any age.*  Luke-Sides.pdf

MAEVE (F): The oldest and least talented dancer on the team. Any age.*  Maeve-Sides.pdf

SOFIA (F): Knows what’s up. Any age.*  Sofia-Sides.pdf

ASHLEE (F): Future president of a post-apocalyptic USA. Any age.*  Ashlee-Sides.pdf

ANY/ALL (F): anyone who is auditioning for any other specific role and/or would like to be considered for all roles  ALL-Sides.pdf

*Please be aware that the roles of AMINA, ZUZU, CONNIE, LUKE, MAEVE, SOFIA and ASHLEE may include brief partial to full nudity. 

A note on intimacy and use of strong language in DANCE NATION: this play includes strong language, moments of characters engaged in self-touch, moments of characters discussing genitalia and bodies in a graphic manner, as well as discussions of rape and suicide. Characters also display moments of getting ready onstage, which may require actors to get dressed or undressed onstage—how and how much they undress will be determined by actors’ boundaries and does not need to be fixed. An intimacy director will be attached to the show and all rehearsals will be grounded in the principles of intimacy direction.