Previous character performers or current. advice please :)

[DisneyLover0526]

Im 5'2 so not in the height range really. :/ Iv been a cheerleader and gymnast all my life.. and have had some dance experience. What should I do to prepare like dance wise? What steps should I know etc?

What roles should i practice before hand and should I bring a resume or head shot??? What shoes also should i wear?? Sorry thats alot of questions.

Since you're 5'2..you would be in the MUNK height..your friends would include Chip and Dale...King Louie...Dug...Mr. Penguin...Winnie the Pooh...and thats all i can think of off the top of my head lol...and since you have that good of a background already..you shouldn't have anything to worry about...
Now..a resume or a head shot is not needed...so dont worry about that....and for shoes...something small and comfortable for you to dance in..since I'm a dancer..i wore my jazz shoes...there were others people who wore sneakers..ballet slippers...keds..etc....its basically what you feel comfortable in...but i would highly recommend whatever shoes you wear to practice in for cheerleading...those should be perfect

 

[Kayticheer101]

Okay thanks! thats a big help! Im gonna try and find some some small ballet slippers or something maybe some keds. Because my cheer shoes are kinda bulky and I qould be more comfortable in those.
As for the auditions go...i heard they seperate the experienced dancers from non experiencced.. how does that go. How do they seperate you? Im confused on how the whole process goes and how long it takes. Once you start is it like an ongoing process and your done or do you have to wait and all that?

 

[Berlioz70]

DisneyLover: Can you clarify something?

Are the character performers and dancers (parade or show) in the same grouping?

My D wants to major in musical theatre in college; She has been dancing since she was 3, acting in community plays since 10.

She wants to do the CP and would LOVE to be a face character princess, but I believe her dancing skills would give her more opportunities as a parade or show dancer.

My D is 5'6" (and has a ballet dancer build - long and lean)....I know that means this is a common height and the competition is greater. But is there a height restriction for dancers?

Thanks!

I know this was sort of answered with conflicting responses... so I wanted to chime in as a current Entertainment Cast Member.

There are several different categories in Entertainment.

Equity: Dancers, Actors, Singers, Stunt Performers, musicians

Character Performers: fur, face, movers (not dancers), stilt walkers, puppeteers, attendants, etc.

5'6 is a fine height for a mover. Movers for girls range from 5 foot to 5'10. They do not use many girls too tall since they'll be taller than their partners, but I think 5'6 would be fine. Some numbers also do not have partnering... so the height doesn't matter.

Dancer heights vary. For example, the audition for Beauty and the Beast wants dancers 5'7 and taller. Where as the audition for the birds in Lion King wanted girls shorter (I think around 5'4).

Here's a breakdown of some of the shows.

Mixed locations:
Dream Along with Mickey: dancers, fur and face
Storytime with Belle: actor, character performers
Beauty and the Beast: singer, dancers, fur and face
Festival of the Lion King: fire eater, stunt performers, dancers (birds), movers, stilt walkers, puppeteers and fur
Fantasmic!: stunt performers, fur and face
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle: musicians, movers, fur
MiSiCi: actor, movers, fur
Block Party Bash: actors, movers, fur - jumpers are third party
HSM: singers, movers
Voyage of the Little Mermaid: singer, puppeteers, face
Playhouse Disney, singer, puppeteers

Equity Only:
Hoop-Dee-Doo: singers/dancers
Spirit of Aloha: singers/dancers
Finding Nemo the Musical: singers/actors
Flights of Wonder: actors
Pirate Tutorial: actors
Epic: actors/stunt performers
LMA: stunt performers
Tinker Bell's flight: stunt performer
Most shows in Epcot
Streetmosphere Actors

Character Performers Only:
Hoedown Happening: movers, fur
Celebrate a Dream Come True: movers, face, fur
SpectroMagic

Those are the ones I can think of, if anyone has one they want to know about let me know.

 

[DisneyLover0526]

Okay thanks! thats a big help! Im gonna try and find some some small ballet slippers or something maybe some keds. Because my cheer shoes are kinda bulky and I qould be more comfortable in those.
As for the auditions go...i heard they seperate the experienced dancers from non experiencced.. how does that go. How do they seperate you? Im confused on how the whole process goes and how long it takes. Once you start is it like an ongoing process and your done or do you have to wait and all that?

They would teach you the routine first...and depending on how good you danced...they would continue you to the advanced dance audition..and the same thing would go for that...they would teach you a harder routine..and you would have to dance it back for them...i'm really sorry...but i don't know much about the advanced audition...i never made it to the advanced audition....but i still made it as a character performer...

 

[bellaDisneydncr]

I know this was sort of answered with conflicting responses... so I wanted to chime in as a current Entertainment Cast Member.

There are several different categories in Entertainment.

Equity: Dancers, Actors, Singers, Stunt Performers, musicians

Character Performers: fur, face, movers (not dancers), stilt walkers, puppeteers, attendants, etc.

5'6 is a fine height for a mover. Movers for girls range from 5 foot to 5'10. They do not use many girls too tall since they'll be taller than their partners, but I think 5'6 would be fine. Some numbers also do not have partnering... so the height doesn't matter.

Dancer heights vary. For example, the audition for Beauty and the Beast wants dancers 5'7 and taller. Where as the audition for the birds in Lion King wanted girls shorter (I think around 5'4).

Here's a breakdown of some of the shows.

Mixed locations:
Dream Along with Mickey: dancers, fur and face
Storytime with Belle: actor, character performers
Beauty and the Beast: singer, dancers, fur and face
Festival of the Lion King: fire eater, stunt performers, dancers (birds), movers, stilt walkers, puppeteers and fur
Fantasmic!: stunt performers, fur and face
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle: musicians, movers, fur
MiSiCi: actor, movers, fur
Block Party Bash: actors, movers, fur - jumpers are third party
HSM: singers, movers
Voyage of the Little Mermaid: singer, puppeteers, face
Playhouse Disney, singer, puppeteers

Equity Only:
Hoop-Dee-Doo: singers/dancers
Spirit of Aloha: singers/dancers
Finding Nemo the Musical: singers/actors
Flights of Wonder: actors
Pirate Tutorial: actors
Epic: actors/stunt performers
LMA: stunt performers
Tinker Bell's flight: stunt performer
Most shows in Epcot
Streetmosphere Actors

Character Performers Only:
Hoedown Happening: movers, fur
Celebrate a Dream Come True: movers, face, fur
SpectroMagic

Those are the ones I can think of, if anyone has one they want to know about let me know.

Thanks for this, Brenna. It's nice to have a clear layout of what's what. Now I can know for sure.

 

[gunner52589]

Hey, I'm new to these threads, but I had a question. I am thinking about trying for the College Program next spring, but I wanted to be prepared. I am currently a theatre major at my college, so I would really like to be a character performer in the program, but I am 5'10" and I have a trouble learnign a dance on short notice, such as at auditions (although once I learn a dance I'll know it forever). I also heard that if you audition, you have to wait longer to find out if you are in the program and the other jobs you show interest in continue to fill up, so there's a chance that not only will I not make it as a character performer, but I won't even make the program. Any suggestions on whether I should take a chance at auditions or take a safer route?

I posted this in another thread here, too, but I really just wanna get as much input as possible. I don't wanna completely miss out on this opportunity because of something like this. Thanks!

 

[Firedad]

Is the dance audition done for character hopefulls. My daughter is very used to being in costume and acting as a silent character, but has no experience in dance.

 

[Joanna71985]

Is the dance audition done for character hopefulls. My daughter is very used to being in costume and acting as a silent character, but has no experience in dance.

Yes. There is a dance part in the CP auditions.

 

[Kayticheer101]

They would teach you the routine first...and depending on how good you danced...they would continue you to the advanced dance audition..and the same thing would go for that...they would teach you a harder routine..and you would have to dance it back for them...i'm really sorry...but i don't know much about the advanced audition...i never made it to the advanced audition....but i still made it as a character performer...

SOooooo.. you made character performer.. and didnt make it to the second dance round? thats awesome!!! maybe i have a chance then haha

 

[missalice]

I know for us, it's very different. ICPers have audition "letters" instead of audition "numbers" when we do the audition, so it's clear that whether or not we're a great dancer, we get advanced to the "animation" portion of the audition (where hopeful CPs get put), which is where they ask you to do the really BIG improv movements. But regardless, there is the "dance" portion (which I actually heard is really simple), and then the "animation" portion if you want to be a character.

 

[Kayticheer101]

Hey, I'm new to these threads, but I had a question. I am thinking about trying for the College Program next spring, but I wanted to be prepared. I am currently a theatre major at my college, so I would really like to be a character performer in the program, but I am 5'10" and I have a trouble learnign a dance on short notice, such as at auditions (although once I learn a dance I'll know it forever). I also heard that if you audition, you have to wait longer to find out if you are in the program and the other jobs you show interest in continue to fill up, so there's a chance that not only will I not make it as a character performer, but I won't even make the program. Any suggestions on whether I should take a chance at auditions or take a safer route?

I posted this in another thread here, too, but I really just wanna get as much input as possible. I don't wanna completely miss out on this opportunity because of something like this. Thanks!

okay ill try to answer your question.. haha but Like in my case.. i already got accepted before auditions.. so if your accepted before auditions they just give you a role that you checked off as well.. but then after auditions if yo umake it your role is switched to that one. if that makes sense. but if they havent responded to you yet on whether or not you are accepted..you can still go and audition. I would audition. You dont have to wait longer.. it depends on your interview. If character performer is the onyl thing you checked then yeah you will have to wait till after auditions but checking other roles is a good choice. hope this helps

 

[gunner52589]

okay ill try to answer your question.. haha but Like in my case.. i already got accepted before auditions.. so if your accepted before auditions they just give you a role that you checked off as well.. but then after auditions if yo umake it your role is switched to that one. if that makes sense. but if they havent responded to you yet on whether or not you are accepted..you can still go and audition. I would audition. You dont have to wait longer.. it depends on your interview. If character performer is the onyl thing you checked then yeah you will have to wait till after auditions but checking other roles is a good choice. hope this helps

It does, thank you! This makes me feel a whole lot better!