When I was younger, I had aspirations of pursuing musical theater as my career. The notion seems hilarious now but as a young person, this was my plan. I went so far as to apply to the top musical theater departments in the country when it was time to choose a college.

As part of this application process at one fine institution, musical theater hopefuls had to travel to the school to perform a song, a monologue and a dance. I’d been singing and acting most of my young life, but dancing had never really been part of the equation. My mom had a friend who was a choreographer and I spent a good three months going to her house after school so she could teach me a dance (for the life of me, I cannot remember the song.)

On my big audition day, I aced the song and the monologue. The professors/judges in the audience (yes, it was like Fame) were smitten with me. I could see it in their eyes and hear it in their complimentary tone.

Then it came time for the dance.

I FROZE.

Literally stood there in a leotard on a stage by myself without taking a single step.

The disappointment in the room was palpable.

I was given the chance to redeem myself in a group choreography session (yes, exactly like So You Think You Can Dance.)

I could not follow at all. Like everyone moved left and I moved right. Hands went down and mine went up. Spins were happening while I stood still. It was mortifying and probably shaped a lot of the stage fright I have to this day.

Anyway. This is all a long way of saying- I bet none of this will happen to the kid below. This little dude is better at choreography than I will ever be at anything in my life.

Except getting waitlisted for the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at the University of Michigan. I am awesome at that.

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