Photos by Ryan Lely
Whether you want to be in show biz or are just tired of being a wannabe in show biz, you don’t have to cross the Golden Gate to find a few golden opportunities. From ballroom dancing to voice over training to trapeze and aerial arts, local professionals offer a wide range of options for those wishing to upgrade their stage personas. And the experts all agree — it’s never too late to resurrect that dream of seeing your name in lights on the marquee (or at least on a laser-print playbill).
Voice-over for the new you
Madeline Wild has been doing voice training for 17 years. She works in her Sonoma studio with both adults and children to “explore, develop and define who they are.
“I love what I do and I love working with people. In order to really know who you are, you need to practice who you are. I teach people to speak from their hearts and help them to express their inner voice. I take other people’s dreams very seriously.” One former student landed voice parts for an Orville Redenbacher and Coca-Cola commercials.
Wild’s classes range from voice over training to accent consulting, online voice work and voice coaching for cartoon personalities, tour guides and broadcast journalism. In her recording studio, she works with clients to make demo CDs. And those wanting to get started at home can order her book, “Voice Over Workout. “
Madeline Wild and Radio Magic: 707.996.3073; www.radiomagic.com. For online voice work: www.ihearditontheweb.com.
Happy tapping, hip-hopping and social dancing
Sarah Duran believes former running back Emmet Smith has some great dance moves. “You see this athlete – he’s so big but he moves with so much confidence. I think ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is really one reason people want to learn ballroom dancing.” Through Sonoma Academy of Dance and Arts (SADA), adults can enroll in classes ranging from Adult Break Dancing, Hip Hop, Tap and Swing to Ballroom which includes the six social dances. “If you go for an audition, the first thing you’ll be asked is what can you do.” Duran says that anyone serious about breaking into show business should have diverse skills in singing, dancing and acting or “the triple-threat.”
The adult classes at SADA are taught by young, professional performers. In addition to voice, piano, guitar and drum lessons at SADA, improvisational acting classes will be offered in the spring with Ellen Marsh. Duran says adults enroll in classes for a variety of reasons – exercise, social opportunity or audition skills. “Dancing, music is great for building confidence. I see it in the kids. When you can really let go then you become a performer.”
SADA: 707.933.9933; www.sonomadance.com.
The puppetmasters
Lee Armstrong of Images in Motion comes from the time-honored Muppet tradition. She strongly believes puppetry offers unique opportunities for exploring character and story. “Puppetry is incredibly creative in that you can be anyone whereas on stage or in film, you are often limited by your age and physical shape,” she said. “One thing about puppetry is you see a of crossover between artists making the puppets and sets and also performing with them.” Images in Motion offers workshops for television puppetry.
Images in Motion: Lee Armstrong, 707.996.9474; www.imagesmedia.com.
Faces in the crowd: being an extra
For professional actors and actresses, being an extra can be about as promising as a cattle drive – across Nevada. But for those who’ve never been on a set or seen their face on screen before, being an extra can give people a taste of set life. Lauri Laube, co-owner of American Eagle Casting in Santa Rosa (“Bottle Shock,“ “Cheaper by the Dozen”) said, “People just need to have the time and the energy and the willingness to stand around and be ready. No formal training is necessary to be an extra.”
Laube says even an extra role can be a lead-in for bigger and better things. American Eagle Casting offers on-camera training for all ages, shapes and sizes. “We never know what kind of call we’re going to get day to day but being an extra means looking like a real person.” American Eagle plans to offer on-camera workshops all over Sonoma County (including in Sonoma) and currently offers reasonably priced head shots, which actors need for auditions for non-extra parts.
American Eagle Casting: 707.579.5794; www.americaneaglestudios.com/casting.html.
Busting out with Kate and the Bard
Hometown community treasure Kate Kennedy and her theater group, The Avalon Players, will be performing “Midsummer Night’s Dream” later this summer at Gundlach Bundschu winery. Even though she has her rowdy regulars, she always welcomes new talent and people who want to work the stage. Kennedy does private classes focusing on repertoire pieces for auditions.
Kate Kennedy: 707.996.3264; www.SonomaShakespeare.com.
Trapeze arts
Canadian-born Marek Kaszuba teaches all circus arts, but he specializes in flying trapeze and aerial arts. “Circus is incredibly unique performance art. It’s very athletic and requires spatial awareness,” he said. Kaszuba offers trapeze arts classes at Sky Farm Ranch off Norrbom Road in Sonoma. “When students first arrive, they see this beautiful oak grove and many times there is a class of experienced flyers on the trapeze. They think ‘Oh my God. I can’t do this. Usually within 15 minutes they are up on a trapeze.”
He says jumping off the platform of the trapeze is just the beginning. Through his classes, Kaszuba says students learn to “reconnect with a sense of body awareness.”
His students range in age from 16 to 88. “Basically if you can hold a broom you can hold a trapeze bar,” he said. “I’ve taught both the visually impaired, the deaf and carried a woman with cerebral palsy. You work up to the true sense of flying but eventually, as you progress, you learn to fly without your own safety line.”
Kaszuba says some students start with flying trapeze and go on to other forms of circus arts; a few have done stunt work. “Performing is good for the soul, the psyche and good for society. With circus arts a person is constantly engaged in the process, which is why I see it as a metaphor for life.”
Marek Kaszuba: 510.Help.Fly; trapezecdn@aol.com.
