Master the Art of Understudying
My phone rang and it was my Director at Missouri Contemporary Ballet - I picked up and she said:
“What leotard size do you wear?” I responded and she said “OK, great. By the way, you’re going in for Charlotte this weekend.”
The call didn’t come as a huge shock, as one of the dancers had sustained what had appeared to be a serious injury earlier in the rehearsal day. After visiting the doctor, we learned she would in fact be out for the shows that upcoming weekend.
The part I was to go in for was not one that I had ever rehearsed - in fact, I wasn’t even present for the creation of the piece and was not an official understudy. Even so, I wasn’t worried - I had been studying this piece for months and felt confident I could handle it. Plus, this wasn’t the first time I was going to go on at the last minute.
Early on in my career, I realized that there’s more to being a valuable asset in a professional dance company than how high your leg goes or how many turns you can do. I worked on those things, sure, but I also staked my claim as the dancer you could rely on. The one who pays attention, knows everyone’s parts, and is ready to go on at a moment’s notice.
If you can be this person, you will become a force to be reckoned with. It can feel disappointing to be cast as an understudy when you really want to be out there, but it can lead to incredible opportunities. There is always a real possibility that you will be going on and you need to be ready. Here’s how:
The Basics
There are some incredibly important rules of thumb when it comes to being a great understudy:
Take it seriously
First and foremost - take your role seriously. I have seen so many dancers blow off their role as an understudy (like, not even showing up to the rehearsal). This is never OK - being cast as an understudy isn’t an insult. You have been entrusted with a huge responsibility and your role matters.
Always stay out of the way of the main cast
Just like when you’re dancing in groups or going across the floor in ballet class, the group that is up has the right of way. You can practice steps in the back, but as soon as they move near you you must back away for them to proceed. Same with understudying - once you know the part, dance as full out as you can without interfering with the main cast. If you aren’t able to do much full out, make sure to always do your port de bras and timing - then try to steal a few moments when the studio is free to run any big turn or jump sequences that you haven’t gotten to do full out.
Don’t be distracting
Of course, it’s not enough to stay out of the way - it’s also important to not distract from the main cast. Even as an understudy, you should be fully engaged in the rehearsal process. Don’t talk to other dancers, don’t practice random steps, don’t just sit on the floor. Your energy is important - bring your full presence into the space.
Embody corrections even if they aren’t given specifically to you
Once again, this mirrors ballet class. If a correction is given assume it applies to you even if it was not directly said to you. It is also important to pay attention to any questions that are asked and the answers so you avoid asking the same thing later on.
Stay warm & stay ready
You never know when you’ll be called in to run the piece during a rehearsal or what will happen during a performance prompting an understudy to be needed. It can get tedious being in rehearsals for a part you don’t know if you’ll ever dance, but don’t get complacent. Assume you will be asked to go in at any time - keep your muscles warm and your brain sharp!
How to REALLY Shine
Sometimes you’ll be cast as an understudy for a specific role. This is fairly straightforward. You learn the role, be respectful, pay attention, and stay ready. But it’s not always that cut and dry.
Often, you will be one of only a few dancers understudying a much larger group piece. In this case, you are expected to be able to go into many different spots at a moment’s notice, as opposed to being able to focus on one role. Here’s how I tackle this scenario in three steps:
Learn the choreography
Seems obvious - but start with the steps. If there are group phrases that everyone dances learn this choreography inside and out first. Pay attention to the details, the counts, and the movement quality. Once you have these basic phrases in your body, you can move on to the next step.
Learn the patterns
Are there specific traveling patterns that are important to the piece? Think crossovers, menages, diagonals, etc. Figure out how these work so that you understand the logistics and can avoid collisions no matter whose part you go into.
Learn individual parts
Once you feel confident with the overall vibe of the piece, it’s time to start learning individual parts. Each rehearsal, choose one dancer to focus on. Learn their steps, spacing, counts, entrances, and exits - all of it. Rinse and repeat until you’ve got all the spots down pat!
What if you get thrown in before you’ve had a chance to learn all the parts?
Just go for it! Trust that you have been doing your homework and while you may not nail every step, you have developed the critical thinking and observation skills to hang in there. Stay hyper-aware and watch the other dancers if you get lost - they’ll be there to help!
The opportunity to step in as an understudy could be your chance to prove yourself. Be ready to rise to the occasion and watch your career flourish!
Meet the Author
Caitlin Sloan is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI.
Caitlin received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.
She danced professionally for nine years with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet (now Mareck Dance). Caitlin has taught at schools all over the Midwest, most notably serving as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Youth Company Director for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She is currently on faculty at the School of Madison Ballet.
Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina® in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Follow @thebrainyballerina on Instagram for your daily dose of dance career guidance and inspiration.
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