The Role of an Understudy
You look at the cast list bright-eyed and with a heart full of hope. Scanning your finger down the list you frantically search for your name and there it is. No… not in the slot for the lead, but in parentheses next to it. Understudy. Your heart automatically sinks but not so fast, dear reader! All hope is not lost.
An understudy, although it may not feel that way, is an extremely important role in the show. Dancers are always getting hurt. It’s an occupational hazard and is sadly unavoidable. Even if the odds of you ever getting to perform the role you’re understudying are slim, you still have your job in the show. Firstly, of course, it is your responsibility to be ready to perform the role you have been asked to understudy should the original cast be unable to for any reason. Being the understudy may seem like a slap in the face, but in fact, it’s a vital role. Many famous dancers such as Marianela Nunez, Polina Semionova, and Kathryn Morgan got their big break because the dancer performing the principal role was unable to go on, and they were called to perform in their place.
There is a proper etiquette to being an understudy, and only the most noble of dancers can handle it well. You must stay back and not interfere with the dancer’s rehearsal. Overstepping the boundaries by getting in the dancer’s way while they rehearse or standing in front of them could quickly make more foes than friends. But at the same time, you must do the steps and prepare yourself physically for the role, making sure you can do the choreography and know it by heart. It’s a difficult balance, and the casting director entrusted the duty to you.
So smile, my friend.
And keep dancing!
