I have another job..... I think

Hey Everyone,

Another week, and I still don't know if I'm going to be working for Wayne Sleep. I have been in contact with his assistant/producer/manager/whatever and I understand that I am their preferred dancer, but because I can't do that one show in November, it makes things complicated. I have volunteered for rehearsals that start on Tuesday so that I can be already learning material. They have agreed to this, but I still have no idea what I'm going to be dancing or when/if I'm going to sign a contract. So it's all very up in the air, but I'm pretty sure that something will come of it.

On a much happier note, I'm finally off to Luxembourg on Friday! This job that has been causing my schedule to be so awkward will finally be done. It's actually going to be like going on holiday. There is not going to be much work to be done, I'm going to be living in a hotel, paid a per diam and even class is not going to cost us anything.

I was on the STA travel website the other day and I've discovered that they have a sale on for their flights to Australia. Flights that are usually 600-700 pounds are now about 480! It is so tempting to buy a ticket because they are right at the time that my visa runs out. The only down side is that it does kind of lock me into leaving the Northern Hemisphere in May 2011. Obviously if I can't find a company to sponsor my visa in some country, then this is what I need. However, if a miracle does happen and I get work, I can just move the flight forward. The only possible scenario that would be a problem would be if I get the miracle offer, but need pay to travel to the country and/or for some set up costs. I do have some cash spare, but it could be a stretch. I think that if I get this Wayne Sleep job next week, I will go ahead and book it. That way I know I have enough money and work too keep me afloat, and if an unexpected miracle does happen I'll deal with the problems then.

Returning to Aus now doesn't sound like such a bad option. The government is cutting funding to the arts here like a kid with a new pair of scissors. So most of the big companies that I would need to sponsor me are not going to be looking to hire. I have also got some really good experience on my CV now, which would make it easier to get into a company back home.

I'd love to hear your opinion on this. Am I thinking logically and sensibly, or just making stuff up? Sigh, it always seems like I have to make a life changing decision every month here! Oh the drama of an artist's life!

Rodney Cuthbertson
DreamChaser

Auditions!

Hi Everyone,

It's a rainy gloomy Sunday here. As I write, I'm sitting on my bed listening to Yo-Yo Ma, looking over the chimney tops of suburban London and sipping tea. How cosily British is that!

As I said last week, there were two auditions on the books for last Tuesday, English Youth Ballet and Wayne Sleep's production. English Youth Ballet audition was first up. They were primarily after a girl, but where keen to see boys as well. We just did a quick ballet class and I was happy with what I presented. I thought that we where going to have to perform a solo and do some partnering work, but it turned out that was only for the girls. They were just interested in seeing boys in case of an emergency. Janet Lewis, director of English Youth Ballet, did seem very interested in my work though and told me that if she needed someone, she would definitely get in touch. A good outcome and maybe some work there.

Next in the day was Wayne's audition. I thought that there was going to be a hundred people there and that they would be all these amazing jazz and tap dancers. There were a total of four people in the audition for boys. Even better was the next surprise. No tap! That made my day completely. I didn't even care that my hours of tap practice were waisted. All we ended up doing was some pirouettes, batterie, mime and simple jazz. One of the easier auditions I've done.

The next day I got a phone call from Wayne's assistant asking me to a recall on Thursday. That threw my day into a bit of spin because I had to ring up and cancel work, but I managed to shuffle it all around. Come Thursday I was ready for what I assumed would be some serious dancing. Again I was wrong, all Wayne wanted to see was some pas de deux. It literally took 15 minutes! Shortest audition ever! And that's a record I'm sure will stand for quite a long time.

But this is where it gets a bit strange. I don't know a lot of details about this job. I know that it's a show that will be touring England from January to April with lots of performances. Apparently, they only need one boy and one girl for each show and they have chosen two casts. There is also going to be a performance at the end of November that I can't do because I'm in Luxembourg. That is where my information ends. I got the impression from the audition that Wayne was going to use me and he said that rehearsals will start from next week. However, I still haven't heard anything from his assistant so I can't confirm anything yet. I definitely need to find out more detail about the show, but there is nothing I can do at the moment but wait and be hopeful.

Also just in, I have been invited to take class with Springs Dance Company. They are a modern Christian contemporary company that Claire dances in. This has been in the works for a while now and I have no idea what it will lead to, but it's another stream of possible work.

Well that's it for this week. Lots of interesting things happening and God willing, there will also be some work as well.

Rodney Cuthbertson
DreamChaser

Busy, Busy, Busy....

Hi Everyone,

I'm not homeless anymore! Yipee! I finally got this very nice room and share the house with a family of three and one other lodger. They are very nice people and the place is extremely clean. The house is on top of a fast food shop on a small high street. At first I expected that it would be somewhat noisy, but it is actually really quiet. The rent is very good value even though it is more than I was hoping to pay. I'm sure it'll be worth the extra five hours of work per month. Especially when this is included with the room.

From Blogger Pictures

It's only backyard London suburbia, but autumn colours do make it look rather pretty.

This week has been all about the dancing. There have never been so many opportunities coming up for dance work. I've got two auditions on Tuesday so I've been frantically getting my ballet feet back. The first is for the English Youth Ballet which has been in my diary for a while. I'm going to have to perform a solo for that one which will be a challenge. The other is for a choreographer called Wayne Sleep who is casting for a show that will go on tour early next year. I was recommended for the audition by Ian Knowles who teaches regularly at Pineapple. The audition notice said that they needed a boy for jazz/classical dance, but when I spoke with the choreographer's assistant, he told me to bring my tap shoes! So I'm going to have to tap.... again!!!! So I've brushed the dust off the tap shoes and have been getting some practice in. I actually enjoy tapping quite a bit, but I really don't have enough experience. As long as I do better than I do in the Billy audition I'll be happy. And frankly, that won't be difficult.

Well a bit short and sweet this time, but I'll have all the audition gossip for you next week.

Till next week,

Rodney Cuthbertson
DreamChaser

I'm Homeless....

Hi Everyone,

It's been a real manic week this week; hence the late post. I was working all last week at the London Eye helping children make masks for Halloween. It was pretty chilled work, but after seven days of glitter and paint, I had wearied of it a bit. However, I was getting paid an extra pound per hour which over the 35 hours will really add up.

All this work was great, but unfortunately it fell on a week when I also had to move from my current room as the land lady was moving to America. Every other time I've been able to find a room within a week. This time, I haven't been able to find a place with three weeks of searching. For some reason, the market seems to be flooded with people looking for places. For example after I finished work on Friday, I lined up two places to view that night. These had been on the web site less than 10 hours and when I called they were available. It took me about an hour and a half to get to the first one which was in North London. But, when I arrived the guy told me that the room had been taken 20 minutes earlier. Somewhat frustrated, I walked back to the station through the rain which had started. The second house was in South London, so I was making my way through the tube maze and was waiting at London Bridge for my millionth train of the day when my phone started ringing. It was the guy at the next place telling me that the room had been taken. All in all, one of the most waisted Friday nights of my life!

So yesterday I packed up all my stuff and I'm now sleeping on Claire Talbot's (my partner from Royal Opera House) floor. It's a lovely house and she and her flatmates have been very accommodating. Hopefully, something will come up soon and I'll be able to move on.

As for ballet dancing, there are a heap of auditions that have been posted for companies through Europe. Most of them are by invitation only, so I'm going to send off to as many as I can and see which ones reply. I've also got an audition for English Youth Ballet. If nothing comes out of those two, then I know that I have to seriously consider Israel's offer. I want to have a firm decision on that before we got to Luxembourg at the end of the month.

That's my box of woes for the week (lols). Till next time,

Rodney Cuthbertson

DreamChaser