New Membership Process

  If you have any interest in performing as a clogger, please read on! And while BCC is of course a men's group, there is a portion of our audition process that is open to women as well... First of all, Barbary Coast Cloggers performs professionally throughout the year and is a significant commitment for those involved. However if you enjoy performing, it is a tremendous opportunity. The group is absolutely beloved in many circles. The group was founded in 1981 by Janice Yee Hanzel and has a long tradition of excellence. It is a board-governed non-profit and has been honored with numerous awards, exciting performance opportunities, and a solid reputation in the SF arts community.

BCC now has a three-phase system to get new folks involved:


STEP ONE - OPEN WORKSHOP
From 8-9 PM [August 2 and 9]

BCC will host a two-session intensive workshop emphasizing performance skills. Anyone who has a serious interest in performing with BCC or any other group is welcome (WOMEN TOO!!). During this workshop you will at times be asked to dance alone, and you will be given direct feedback about your dancing in front of others. If that sounds comfortable to you, great! If you think this will not feel good, that's OK too… but this is probably not the workshop for you. Everything will be handled as sensitively as possible, and I am the teacher. This workshop also serves a second purpose. It is a chance for the BCC membership to get to see where the men in the workshop are with their clogging so we can determine whether it is appropriate to invite some guys to audition for the team at a later date. Not being selected to return for an audition can be painful. I know from personal experience. I was not selected for a Barbary Coast audition the first year I clogged. If you think that it will be terribly painful for you not to get selected to return for an audition, I suggest that perhaps you not put yourself through this. It's really hard to get on to Barbary Coast.

Please note: All intermediate or higher level cloggers are welcome at this workshop even if you are not interested in BCC.

STEP TWO - AUDITION
From 7-9 PM [August 16, 23 & 30]

The audition for the team consists of participation in three team rehearsals. Those invited to audition will be assigned two dances to learn and memorize and will dance with the members throughout the evening. They will be expected to practice independently to music that we provide. Those auditioning are treated with total respect and made to feel welcome in the studio. It's not like "A Chorus Line". In early September the team may be prepared to offer some of those who auditioned apprenticeships with the group. Now this can be a SUPER hard situation. Sometimes the sweetest, most hard-working, dedicated folks do not make it past this level. Please know (in advance) that BCC is deeply grateful to everyone who auditions. We hope that you enjoy it and learn a ton of clogging. Again, if you think that NOT being offered an apprenticeship might tear you up inside or make you angry, I would ask you to think hard about whether you should put yourself through this.

STEP THREE - APPRENTICESHIP

2007 apprenticeships (if offered) begin on September 13. Apprentices participate in BCC nearly all the ways that regular members do. Apprentices are gradually worked into performances. Apprenticeships usually last about a year and they usually lead to an offer of full team membership. Men: If you have interest in BCC, great! You now need to do two things:
1. email me to tell me that you are interested and 2) show up on August 2 and we will take it from there. If you are unsure about this and would like to discuss it more, please ask me or any Barbary Coast Clogger for more information. If you think that you may be interested in BCC down the road, but perhaps not yet, tell me that. I may encourage you to come to the workshop anyway.
Women: Please consider joining us for the workshop starting August 6! It would be wonderful to have you. Also, please contact me if you are interested in performing. I can put you in touch with the right folks. There are many opportunities for you as well! BCC covers all the costs of studio time and there is no cost to participants in the workshop or to those auditioning. We meet in the same studio as the Monday night class.

Sincerely,

Matt Ellinger
Artistic Director
Barbary Coast Cloggers

Where: Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts, ring buzzer for Studio One
1519 Mission Street, San Francisco (near 11th, across from Goodwill)

Directions