Schaumburg dance group trying out for 'America's Got Talent'
A Schaumburg dance company has only 90 seconds to state their case this weekend as they audition for a spot in an upcoming episode of “America's Got Talent.”
Dance Stellar Productions and its artistic director, Christine Zayas, received a personal invitation to audition for the NBC show after the year-old company placed third in a Dance Slam competition last month at the University of Chicago.
The coed company landed their audition by performing a near three-minute hip hop routine called “The King is Back,” featuring break dancing and some acting.
However, they'll have only about half that time to make a winning impression on “America's Got Talent” producers.
“Nigel Caaro, one of the (show's) producers called me a couple of days after the Dance Slam,” said Zayas, of Addison. “I had no idea that was one of the prizes.”
It turns out that the top three companies at the Dance Slam won auditions with the show. Each will have a private audition with “Talent” officials on Sunday at McCormick Place in Chicago.
“I'm not worried about the audition, these are really talented dancers,” Zayas says. “The most challenging thing will be cutting the routine down.”
John Schmitz, founder and artistic director for Dance Chicago, liked their routine well enough that he booked them in Dance Chicago's main festival, with a spot in its Jazz Cabaret on Saturday at Stage 773 in Chicago.
In evaluating the group, Schmitz pointed to their high energy and active choreography, as well as the sophistication in their music and production. His advice for their audition Sunday? “Blow them away.”
“In other words, nonstop action,” Schmitz said. “I'd take the most complicated parts from the routine and focus on getting them extremely tight.”
Zayas teaches dance at the Schaumburg Park District's Community Recreation Center. A little over a year ago, she decided to offer the dancers she trains a chance to perform at a higher level, in an auditioned company, and Dance Stellar Productions was born.
The group is based at the Pilates Plus facility in Schaumburg. Its 24 members range in age from 16 to 20 and come from Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows and Addison.
Most are students who attend Schaumburg or Conant high schools. Others are recent graduates, including one from the former Driscoll Academy in Addison.
Zayas worked with her former classmate from Addison Trail High School, Mike Rumishek, to choreograph the winning routine. It was one of the first routines the company performed in competition, and it consistently earns high marks.
“The style is just different from other companies,” Zayas says. “We have a talented group of dancers and their technique really shines through.”