On Tuesday, January 24th, Crazy Horse organized a casting at Cours Alzetta, a dance academy in Nice, to recruit dancers for its touring show. Thus, 24 candidates presented themselves before the expert eyes of Sofia Balma, the choreographer of Crazy Horse.
“The ideal is to have a classical background, because we can do everything,” Sofia Balma conceded to the candidates. “Obviously, you need to be a dancer. But body expression, silhouette, and the way of moving are important selection criteria. Physically, I look at the curvature, the face, and also whether the chest is beautiful and natural,” the choreographer confided. It is known that at Crazy Horse, all chests are natural.
Magic, eroticism, and aesthetics characterize the famous Parisian cabaret, now also established in Las Vegas and Singapore where two women from Nice are currently dancing. In turn, the 24 candidates, to the same jazzy tune, tried to convince the jury, uniquely represented by the choreographer. Not really magical, more sensual than erotic but all aesthetic, under the flashes and cameras, they unanimously impressed the privileged journalists covering the event. Enchanting looks, sneaky hip movements combined with tempting grace, it was hard to find faults in them. Yet they existed: “Tone up and come back to see me,” “lose some weight, at least two or three kilos: no more cakes and a mandatory diet with salad and steamed vegetables,” “too short.” Sofia Balma gave both the most insightful and cruel advice to a charming Italian named Veronica: “I’ll only take you if you get your nose done. Think about it and come back to see me.” Indeed, her nose, far from being a peninsula, nor even a cape, had a cute little bump at its peak.
“With the lighting, attention would have been focused on her nose. It’s a small flaw that can be erased. The nose is the only part of the body that Crazy Horse girls can alter,” Sofia clarified.
Other criteria: to measure between 1.66 and 1.73 meters and to be of legal age. A normal size with curves, far from the stick-thin stereotypes of models. A criterion of size that allows them to stand out from their direct competitor “Le Lido,” which only accepts girls of 1.73 meters minimum.
Three candidates from the Advanced Dance School of Nice by Serge Alzetta, where the casting took place, were selected. These three “locals” will finish their training in Nice before joining Crazy Horse. Eleven other preselected candidates will soon go to Paris. They will discover the legendary stage of Crazy Horse. “We want to see you nude and you will rehearse routines,” the choreographer specified.
It’s a kind of mini-training to establish the final selection. In 2006, between 10 and 15 girls will be recruited to join the touring show. Two other castings will take place in London and Lisbon. One certainty: dancers from Nice at Crazy Horse is a tradition that will continue.
