Headshots: Find the Perfect Photographer

Getting your picture taken really shouldn’t be as painful as your first haircut at the barber. Your headshot is one of the most important tools in your kit. This is what gives someone an initial impression about who you are and gets you the attention you are looking for. Your photo needs to look like you on a good day. The hair and make-up should resemble you and the person looking at the picture should want to meet you. With hundreds of photographers out there how do you choose the right one for you?

1. Find someone whose style you like. Get recommendations from industry professionals and other actors. Check out the photographer’s website or portfolio to make sure you like their artistic style. Meet with or talk to him or her to make sure you “click.” In order to get the best picture possible, you need to be completely comfortable with your photographer on the day of your shoot. Even a really great photographer will not be able to get the best shot if you aren’t completely open.

I asked Suzannah Gold, a headshot photographer in Westport, Ct., her thoughts on this subject. She says, “Trust your feelings. If you feel excited and have a good connection with the photographer and feel like they get you….they will get you and you will know it. You will be able to be yourself and the photographer will capture something true and real about you. It’s one thing to look like your picture. It’s another to get a picture that captures what you can’t see – a feeling about you that will have the director, agent, manager or casting director excited to meet you.”

2. Love how you look. If you love how you look, you will be present, excited, and feel good about yourself. This makes it much easier for the photographer to capture your essence. A key ingredient to getting a good shot is how the make-up is done. Don’t do it yourself unless you know what you are doing. If you work with a makeup artist, be sure to use your own makeup that you know works for you. If you don’t feel comfortable with the way your makeup or hair looks, ask the artist or photographer to work with you until you absolutely love it. Don’t settle for shots you do not like.

3. Pricing. Headshots range from $99 to $1000 for a photo shoot. Going with the least expensiveoption may save you money up front, but if you don’t get the quality shot you need, it will be a waste of your money and time since you’ll just have to reshoot. It may not be necessary to go with the most expensive option either. It’s like choosing a bottle of wine – it doesn’t always have to cost the most for it to be good. Sometimes it’s just a matter of trial and error.

4. Ask Questions. Here are some questions to ask a prospective photographer:

How many shots do you take?

How many images will I get for the price of the shoot?

Do you shoot with studio or natural lighting?

What clothing should I bring?

Do you provide a hair and makeup person? Is this included in the fee?

Do you do the retouching?

If I am not happy with the results will you reshoot?

Finding a good photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make for your career. Do your research, choose wisely, and remember to be professional, courteous, and cooperative. This will help the photographer get the best shot possible. You will be so happy to have pictures you love!

9 Ways to Prepare Young Actors for Pilot Season

Pilot season is here. It is a nutty time of year when hoards of child and adult actors invade Southern California in the hopes of getting a big break on television. Traffic is crazy, managers and agents don’t have time to breathe, and temporary housing becomes scarce. Although many television shows are cast throughout the year these days, pilot season, running roughly January through April, remains busy with 100-150 broadcast and cable pilots cast and filmed.

If you feel prepared and ready to take your chance when the director says “action,” here are a few tips to make your pilot season a success:

1. Call a team meeting. Now is the time for you and your parents to meet with your agent and manager to seek their advice. Make sure they will actively promote you if you decide to pursue auditions during the season. If your rep is on the East Coast and you will be heading out west, find out if they have a West Coast office to serve you. I do not recommend that unsigned actors head out for pilot season in the hopes of landing an agent when they arrive. Many agents are too busy to schedule meetings with new actors at this time.

2. Choose East or West. Decide where you will be based. According to FilmL.A., roughly half of the pilots made during the season are shot in L.A. New York comes in second and may be a viable option if you live on the East Coast. There are also pilots produced in smaller cities, though the number in any one outside New York and Los Angeles may be limited.

3. Define your goals. There is no guarantee of landing a role in a pilot. It is a competitive business. Be prepared to consider your season a success having only gained audition experience, new skills, and a better appreciation for the business of show biz. It is often the perspective and skills you develop early in your career that lead to success in the future.

4. Put thought into relocating. Temporarily relocating for pilot season requires a significant financial and organizational commitment. It is necessary to secure temporary housing convenient enough to deal with last-minute callback auditions and a rental car to navigate the traffic getting there. School-eligible children will need to continue their education in a way that is acceptable to their local school if they are to work as an actor in either California or New York. Before relocating, it is also best to obtain the required state work permit and trust account for a child actor.

5. Keep healthy. If you head out to chase your dream, take care to exercise common sense, patience, good humor, and self care. Maintain good health and find effective ways to deal with stress. Without good planning, it’s not easy to eat right or keep your sanity when dealing with traffic in an unfamiliar city, while on your way to the third audition of the day.

6. Sharpen your skills. Don’t wait until the day before your audition to meet with your acting coach. Work with your coach to help you develop the best approach for different show formats such as one-hour dramas, half-hour situation comedies, animated productions, Nickelodeon/Disney, and sketch comedy. For example, child actors will want to understand what the casting director wants when he calls for “big” and “over the top” while auditioning for Disney or Nickelodeon, or what pacing and timing is all about. In addition, enroll in workshops and ongoing classes. On-camera and improvisation workshops are solid training for whatever auditions are thrown your way.

7. Have the proper materials and equipment. Quality electronic and hardcopy headshots and resumes are required materials for any working actor. Have them ready before the season starts. In addition, be prepared to submit video auditions with little notice. Adequate video for audition purposes can be taken on most high quality smartphones or consumer cameras mounted on a tripod. Shoot the video in a quiet room with a blank wall and sufficient lighting. Open a Hightail account, formerly YouSendIt, or DropBox to submit the video files; most videos are too large to email. Make sure not to post your audition on your public website or YouTube channel unless it is password protected. Many projects are not meant to be viewed by the public in the preproduction stage. Violating that policy is likely to cost you the part.

8. Look for other opportunities. Projects such as commercials, films, episodic television, voice-overs, and theater are cast during pilot season and year round. While seeking roles on a pilot, look for these opportunities too. They can provide valuable experience, exposure, and compensation.

9. Remember that it’s OK for kids to pass, sometimes. Pilot season is a wonderful adventure, but it is also hard work. I advise young actors to follow-through on every commitment they make and every callback they get. However, there are times when it is best to let an opportunity go by and head to the zoo, Disneyland, or the beach instead. Avoid exhausting young actors by scheduling downtime with the same commitment as you give to following through on acting opportunities.

This pilot season appears to be getting underway a bit early; my clients have already had some auditions and are preparing for what promises to be a busy and productive season. With the proper preparation, support, and attitude, your season will have the best opportunity to be busy and productive too.

3 Ways to Prepare Young Actors for Success

“I BOOKED THE JOB! I booked the job! I’m so excited! Now what do I do?” Be prepared when opportunity strikes by building these three tips into your everyday life and you will be ready to make your next job a success. 

1. Increase your skill set. Young actors often perform comedy in roles for sitcoms, film, theater, and commercials. Though we all have had funny moments, it is actually hard to be funny. It takes timing, honesty, and a unique way of appreciating life’s crazy moments. The best place to learn these skills and many others is in an on-going acting class—you won’t learn them in a weekend workshop, while preparing for an audition, or after you have landed a role in your first pilot. Classes provide guided instruction and practice in the same way it is necessary to work with a music teacher to learn the violin. It would be foolish to go straight to the violin recital without instruction and practice; don’t make the same mistake with your audition. Go to class to learn the craft and expand your skill set. 

2. Get organized. Young actors and their families are often overwhelmed when they wait until landing a role to develop a system that supports schoolwork, acting, personal, and family commitments. Avoid burnout by organizing and coordinating schedules through a shared family calendar, such as Google Calendar, that can be accessed from any smartphone. Coordinating in this way gets young performers to be much more thoughtful about what they do with their time and makes it possible for families to manage priorities—both of which are essential skills to making it as a happy and well-balanced working actor. 

3. Practice collaboration. Although we practice monologues all the time for auditions, there are very few solo shows in which to perform them. Acting is largely a collaborative art performed in scenes with other actors. While this is obvious, the skills to perform collaboratively are not always obvious to young actors. First, acting is about truth; you cannot be collaborative unless you truly practice it. Get to acting class early to help set up chairs or volunteer for community service, for example. Second, practice exceptional listening skills when acting in scene work. You cannot receive from your partner unless you are truly listening. Always notice how your partner sounds and looks, and adapt your response appropriately. That will help you give the director what he wants: a natural performance. 

Be ready when you hear these words, “Congratulations! You have landed the role and you are a real working actor!” Do not overlook the commitment and preparation to successfully work in the industry as many aspiring young actors initially do. You learn these skills by proactively trying them and experimenting. So, try them out and I’ll see you in acting class. By the way, come early to set up the chairs.

3 Reasons to Support Your Child’s Acting Dreams

“Help, my son wants to be an actor! Can’t I talk him out of it?” No, and why would you want to? You are so lucky your child has a passion that gets him out of bed each day. So many kids flounder because they haven’t found that “something special” that motivates them. Statistics show that most child actors won’t end up pursuing acting as adults, but there are still countless benefits they can gain as they make the journey.

A parent who recently brought her daughter to me for a consultation was concerned about all the negative effects the business has on a child, with the prospect of having to face rejection at the forefront.Rejection is part of life. Why not look at it as learning life’s lessons early on? Out of her fear and just plain not knowing, this mom was trying to do everything she could to sabotage her daughter’s dreams. I pointed out to her the many positive assets this business has to offer her child – building self esteem and confidence, learning how to speak in public, social interaction, risk-taking, listening skills, independence and responsibility, improved reading skills, and learning to think on your feet. After hearing these things, she left my studio excited to give her child a chance at pursuing her dream.

1. Acting builds self-confidence. I have taught countless shy introverts as well as kids who were afraid to get up in front of others for fear they weren’t pretty enough, talented enough, funny enough, or even smart enough. One of my students, who is now the associate director of graduate studies and lecturer on physics at Harvard University, attributes his teaching success to his acting and improvisational training. Some of my former students have gone on to pursue professional careers as actors while many others are successful in their chosen careers as chefs, journalists, teachers, business execs, theater company producers, casting directors, and many others. The one thing they all have in common is self-confidence.

2. Acting opens doors to other careers in the entertainment industry. Many of my colleagues in casting, management, teaching, producing, and directing were all actors. We all studied theater in the hopes of the big acting career. At some point in my journey – my late twenties to be exact – when I wanted more stability and financial security, I took the leap to the other side of the business. My acting training and love of theater has enabled me to have a happy and thriving career in the entertainment industry. My parents have no more regrets that I was a theater major; it now makes sense.

3. Some children choose acting because they have no other choice. It’s in their DNA. They act because they have to. Nothing else will satisfy them and fill them up the way getting on stage or in front of a camera does. If they have a choice, they will find it. Until then, support them! Don’t stand in your child’s way of self-empowerment, happiness, success, and becoming the best they can be.

I hope this has given you some food for thought if you have a child who longs to pursue acting. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, so please leave a comment below and let me know your biggest concerns. Or, if you have already gone through this as a parent, I’d love to hear what made you decide to go ahead and support your child as they followed their acting dreams.

Why Kid Actors Should Train in Film, TV, Theater, and Commercials

The entertainment industry may be tough, but an actor’s advantage is that acting comes in many forms. Film, television, and theater are three popular mediums in which young performers work. With the boom of the advertising world, commercial acting became a way for actors to break into the industry and make very comfortable livings. A young actor should be well rounded and able to handle any situation they are given. How should a young actor prepare for all of these challenges? Let’s discuss three popular acting mediums and how to train for them.

Theater
The theater is a space for performers to discover themselves. It is only in theater where you perform something from start to finish, unlike in film or on television where scenes are shot out of sequence. Taking classes that focus on voice, movement, and acting technique is essential. The theater is a big space—young performers must learn to command any space they are in, no matter the size of the stage or audience. For musical theater, make sure your child discovers the story behind the song with an acting coach. Musical numbers require acting to tell the story—something of which many young performers are unaware.

TV/Film 
The most important aspect of film acting is naturalness on camera. Young actors have an advantage: charisma only a child can possess. It is essential to develop artistry in which children can let their personalities shine through without showing their technique. The camera picks up everything the theater can hide. Therefore, mastering on-camera technique is essential to good film acting. A young actor must know how to convey their personality and have their presence read on film. Knowing camera geography—your best angles, physical relation to other actors, and awareness of the space—is a must.

It is easy for the most talented young actors to freeze on camera and become lifeless. The best remedy is constant exposure and practice in front of the camera. Working in any film setting including student films is one way to gain experience on set. Acting classes to develop skill and camera classes to learn the technicality of film acting is a great start for young actors eager to appear on the big screen.

Commercials 
An actor’s job in a commercial is to sell a product. Sometimes casting directors will ask you to cry to a can of tomato sauce. You must be willing to act your most ridiculous self—and act it well. Many commercials have no dialogue and rely solely on improvisational skill. To adequately prepare for whatever a casting director will throw at your child, have them take an improv class whenever they can. Improvisation helps you get out of your head and focuses on finding the unusual thing in life and living it truthfully. It helps performers engage without thinking or second-guessing choices. Often children can appear coached. Improvisation helps kids learn to act instinctually while maintaining their technique and confidence. It is a great tool in acting and also in life.

Acting is acting is acting. But remember, no matter what medium in which you are performing, learning to live truthfully is what it’s all about!

4 Tips For Young Actors Auditioning for Period Pieces

What do the Broadway shows “Annie,” “Mary Poppins,” and “Newsies” have in common? They take place in another era. Period pieces are fun projects for kids. Being plopped into a different time with unusual clothing under interesting circumstances makes the experience rich with fantasy and compelling to master for young actors.

Despite the allure, it can be difficult for a young actor to audition well for these kinds of roles because we are all products of our own time and place. Casting directors want to see the “real” you while easily imagining a child of a different era. You can do this by making a few adjustments to your audition preparation process. Follow these tips when auditioning for period roles to travel to another time!

1. Dress neutrally, with a hint of yesterday. Start with the audition uniform. I recommend that boys dress in khakis and a button down shirt and girls dress in a classic skirt and neutral blouse. Don’t worry that your 19th century character may have worn knickers. The point is to not get in the way of the casting director envisioning you in the appropriate dress, and 21st century clothing, makeup, hair and shoes have a way of doing that. However, a hint of history in your appearance can often be memorable. Hair pinned up in a proper manner, for instance, can be just the thing to express your 19th century persona.

2. Act the part. “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Pretending to be from another era may require the child actor to soften an attitude. Hands on hips, tongue out, and a bratty attitude may not work in another time. For example, it wouldn’t be credible for Michael Banks, the character in “Mary Poppins,” to have run a nanny out of the household with that kind of behavior.

3. We’re all the same. It is a mistake to treat characters from a different era as wholly different from people today. Connect to them emotionally the same way you would connect to a contemporary character. Stiff, unyielding clothing doesn’t make a character have a stiff personality. Play the emotional connection with honesty, and you are sure to make an impression.

4. Follow the rules. So if characters from different eras are just like us, then what’s the difference? The difference lies in the rules and expectations of society and what a character would have understood about the world in that time. Here’s where a little research helps. But don’t get bogged down in transforming your personality. Again, a little hint of the time is all you need. The observance of a small detail of period etiquette, for example, can help make your portrayal of a character believable.

Playing a character from a bygone era is fun and challenging. Casting directors, however, do not expect you to master the entire period in the audition. They are looking for a young actor who embodies the spirit of the character and who they trust to master the additional details to successfully play the part. Prepare to accomplish that, and you may find yourself living in some very interesting times.

Choose the Right Summer Camp for your Young Actor

As a former child actor, all I wanted to do was eat, breathe, and live theater. For me, that meant spending my summer doing show after show after show. I wanted to be with kids who “got” me. I didn’t hang around with the popular crowd or the intellectuals. Socially, my comfort zone was with the theater geeks. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend eight weeks of my summer than fitting in and doing what I loved. As an adult, I also spent my summers at theater camps directing and teaching so I have some experience with these programs that might be of interest to you.

1. Does your child want an overnight or day camp? I was only seven years old when I went to a sleep-away camp for eight full weeks. I was very independent and loved a sleepover every night of the week. This may or may not work for your child. Today there are lots of available options ranging from two to eight weeks of overnight camp. If your child does not like to be away from you and may get homesick, then choosing a day camp may be the perfect solution for now. Either type of theater camp program will offer the same kinds of activities with classes in acting, voice, dance, and rehearsing and putting on a show. I think the main difference is that the overnight camp experience will teach your child independence and responsibility while fostering close-knit, lifelong relationships with other young performers.

2. Does your child want only theater or an all around camp experience? Overnight camps, such as Stagedoor Manor, focus only on theatre arts. Although there is an outside pool, there are no sports or fine arts programs. Their goal is education, performance, and community. They validate kids’ passions and encourage them to build relationships with other kids like themselves doing what they love – theater! Agents, managers, and casting directors love to visit this camp in the summer to scout new talent. There are also options such as Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts. This is another wonderful sleep-away camp, which places a strong emphasis on the performing arts. However, they also offer a wide variety of programs in everything from a circus to art to cooking. Industry pros also visit this camp in hopes of discovering the next big star. Another option is a camp like Long Lake Camp for the Arts in the Adirondacks. This unbeatable, spectacular mountain setting offers a non-competitive, full-camp experience in addition to the performing arts. This camp has a different vibe in that campers can choose daily what they would like to do.

3. What size camp is right for your child? Again, there are many options when it comes to camp size. With about 290 campers, the staff at Stagedoor knows everyone by name. Even smaller, Long Lake has 250 campers per session with a staff of 160. Frenchwoods can have upwards of 800 campers. When you are interviewing camps, ask the question, “How many campers do you have, and how many are in a bunk?” Only you know if your child will do better in a smaller or larger camp community.

4. How much will it cost? Sleep-away camp used to be affordable. At today’s price tag of $3000-$5000 for a three-and-a-half-week session, some camps have become cost prohibitive for many people. Here’s the truth – they are all expensive! Here’s a secret tip – everything is negotiable. Ask about scholarships. I know that some camps want and need boys, so they may offer a discount or even a free ride in some cases. If you don’t ask, you will never know what might be available.

As we all know, the school year can be stressful on kids, especially young working actors who carry the burden of both work and school. Summer camp should be fun!

Keep this in mind as you choose the best summer camp experience for your young performer.

5 Tips for Educating a Child Performer

Your child has booked a job. Congratulations! There are many things to celebrate, but also countless details to plan. Your child’s schooling is perhaps one of the most important ones. As a parent, you are your child’s advocate. It is up to you to ensure they are devoting much needed time to their education, while supporting them in developing their career. 

While some schools might have no problem with missing an occasional day or two for auditions or TV and film shoots, when your child books a long-term production, schooling and attendance become different matters entirely. Education laws vary from state to state, but most require a tutor for children who work for three or more consecutive days. 

Here are five tips to make the process much easier for you, your child, and their school.

1. Develop a relationship with your school. A family needs to have a healthy working relationship with its school district. It is important for parents to meet with the school’s principal and guidance counselor to confirm that your child is in good standing with the school. It is also important to develop a close and respectful relationship. Remember, you’re all on the same team. 

2. Obtain a work permit. All performers under the age of 18, or those who have not yet graduated from high school, are required by law to obtain a free Child Performer Permit. If you choose to homeschool your child, it is your job to obtain that work permit, and to show the state that your child is receiving a proper education as defined by the local school district. The entertainment industry is not covered by the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), thus the reason for state-by-state work petitions. If you live in New York State you can apply here; if you live in California you can apply here; and if you live in any other state, contact your state’s labor office.

3. Consider your child’s academic standing. New York and California have some of the most comprehensive educational laws for professional children to ensure that schooling is not neglected. In New York, a letter from your school district, signed by your principal or district supervisor, confirming your child is in good standing with your school is required in order to obtain a work permit. California requires a letter grade of ‘C’ or higher in every subject before granting a work permit to a child. It is crucial for your child to maintain academic excellence.

“Getting a grade of ‘C’ gets you a permit, but being a good student requires more than just eking by,” says Alan Simon of On Location Education, the nation’s premier education service for child actors. “A child should be able to meet the homeschool’s requirements, with a thorough understanding of his or her assignments, and a willingness to work them through with the tutor, wherever the location may be on a given day. Schooling on set is a discipline, just like playing a character is.”

4. Get tutoring on set. According to SAG-AFTRA, if a minor is guaranteed three or more consecutive days of employment, the production company is responsible for providing the young performer with a tutor. All productions are required to provide a clean, well-lit, and quiet workspace for children. The producer shall provide schooling equipment and supplies. However, the minor’s parent or guardian must, if permitted by the child’s regular school, secure school assignments and books for use at the place of employment. 

5. Homeschooling. Parents may turn to homeschooling for their child’s education, whether they find their school to be uncooperative or prefer an even greater role in their child’s education. There are plenty of excellent homeschooling programs. Online schools are becoming more popular, as they allow family flexibility when planning lessons around set work. 

But it can be a hard balancing act when a parent takes on the role of a teacher. It is a decision that only you and your family can make, based on the needs of your child. On this topic, Simon says, “The parent has the right to homeschool the child if they want to, but they should think very carefully if that is their strength. It seems easier to homeschool when your child is elementary school-aged, but as they get older and the work becomes more challenging, the family may want to rethink their options.” 

Education is perhaps the most transformative aspect of a child’s life. Child performers have the unique task of balancing academics while pursing a professional career. Show business is a crazy, yet incredibly rewarding ride. As you embark on this journey as a family, it is important to keep the central focus on your child’s growth, both emotionally and academically.

4 Reasons Young Performers Improve With Improv

Recently, I heard from an old student of mine, now a graduate studies faculty member at Harvard University, who said, “I learned a lot from your improv classes, and I find myself using those skills all the time when I teach.” The mastering of improvisational skills tends to be wildly underrated. When parents have the option between choosing acting classes for young performers, improvisation usually falls to the bottom of the list, yet its application reaches far beyond the world of acting. Improv training provides a competitive edge that leads to success in many important areas of life.

Children need to play. Fueling the imagination and exploring creativity is what it’s all about. Once a child starts to “act,” they are doomed. Working without the script, learning to work spontaneously, listening to their instincts, and getting in tune with others will promote creative growth for a young performer. Students who study improvisation with me find themselves hooked on the practice. They learn to conquer their fears, work collaboratively, laugh, and most importantly, have fun.

Improv builds a strong foundation. Acting classes for young performers focus on building a foundation for understanding the craft. Actors learn to dissect and understand the scripts and their characters, listen to their partners, and make important choices that are in line with character objectives. Improvisation is an excellent way to apply these skills and expand through practice. The device used most often in improvisation is “Yes, and…” It means that you say yes to anything thrown at you by your partner in a scene, then start your own contribution with “and...” It is not simply enough to say yes to what your partner is doing in a scene, you must say, “Yes your hair looks great today Jessica, and I hear you were voted homecoming queen!” It’s important to add information for the scene to keep moving forward. Only then can an improviser discover more and more wonderful things! Learning to listen and respond appropriately are important skills to master in life. Doing so creatively brings joy and passion to what may otherwise be a structured and restrictive daily routine.

Let your child live in the moment. Improvisation is just as valuable for a seasoned child performer as it is for someone just starting out. There is always room for your child to expand his actor’s toolbox. Improvisation is about trusting your instincts to respond honestly in situations. It requires a great deal of listening and living in the moment. Acting is not intellectual; it’s about working from your heart. As we grow older, we tend to live in our day planners and seem to drift away from the present. Let your child harness the gift they still have. It will teach them to not only live in the moment during an improvisational class, but also in their work on set and on stage, and most importantly, in life. 

It’s great audition prep. Actors need to be versatile and ready for anything thrown their way. It’s important to know if a child can take direction and be adaptable to any change that may occur with a script or while on set. Your child might be given a new script during the audition or asked to read for a different role. If your child wants to succeed in her cold-read, she has to be able to trust her instincts with the material and live in the moment with confidence. Your son might be at a commercial audition and the casting director might ask him to talk to a can of soup as if it’s his best friend. While many actors might choke under the pressure, your child has improv experience where he’s done far sillier things. He will be able to say yes to that request and make the audition memorable to a casting director. “Yes, and…” does not just hold true in an improv scene, you child needs to say, “Yes, and…” to herself and her abilities.

4 Ways Young Actors Can Dance Toward Success

In dance, your words are your movements. However, it can be very difficult for young performers to tell a story without words. Regardless of whether students come to me with exceptional dance training or not, it’s the acting of the piece—not the choreography—that always presents the biggest challenge.

I see this all the time at auditions. The young performers who book the jobs are the ones who bring much more than proper technique; they communicate the story through their bodies as if they were telling the story with words. Here are some tips to dance your way into booking your next job:

1. Train with improvisation. Improvisation is the perfect training ground to communicate without words. And it is not just for acting class. Kids love it, so my advice is to practice in the checkout line (especially when it’s long), on interminable car trips, and anytime when boredom is about to turn into crankiness. The skills they learn will be the bridge that joins movement for acting with movement for dance.

2. Understand the piece. Before lacing up your tap shoes, learn the story behind the dance. What is the choreographer trying to communicate and how does the movement tell that story? Many, if not most, young performers overlook this critical part and instead go directly on to mastering the dance routine. The expression in your dance will immediately improve if you avoid this common mistake.

3. How does dance move the story along? Janine Molinari, choreographer and founder of Dance Molinari, tells her students, “Dance is often integrated into the performance, as it can advance the plot and character in the same way that singing a song advances the story.” With this type of understanding, dance communicates something honest and specific, and it turns movement into meaning.

4. Show it on your face. My mama always said, “Don’t forget to smile.” When performers bring understanding to the routine, it’s not just a plain old smile; it’s connection and expression that shows on their faces. When joyful dances are accompanied by the same big grin I see on a water slide at a Disney park, I know my students are getting it.

We all know that it is important for actors to move well. What young performers also need to know is that it is equally important for dancers to act well. Know more than the dance steps; know what you are trying to say with the movements you are making. It will make your dance performances stand out at auditions and in every job you book!