BWW Blog: Hillary Reeves of Camp Broadway - Becoming a Triple Threat

In keeping with my advice-giving for young people, I thought I'd address the question of becoming a "triple threat." As I've mentioned before, working at Camp Broadway has made me an official source of guidance for a lot of parents and young performers. The early phone calls were intimidating, I'll admit. Why anyone would trust what I had to say was baffling, but rather than backing away, I decided to face the challenge head-on, and I've learned to go into rehearsal settings, auditions and shows with an eye that's geared toward taking away tips that are helpful for young people wondering what to do next in their journey toward being a performer.

If there's one thing I've noticed above all, it's that everyone generally comes into the room feeling confident in one area and underprepared in another. "I'm a strong singer," I'll hear, "but I'm not sure I can keep up with the dance combinations." I can totally relate, too.

As a kid, I was trained as a singer. I sang whenever or wherever I could. I was in a million choirs, I took chorus classes at school, spent the evenings rehearsing with my church's music groups, and spent the weekend at private voice lessons. I pursued singing because I felt successful at it. My work was rewarded with praise which fed into more work, and eventually it was all I knew.

Then came auditions for the school musical. Since my choir teacher was directing, I was pushed to audition. There were roles in The Music Man that needed strong vocals and that's where my strengths lied. I was cast and had a great time, but when the next year rolled around and Crazy for You was selected, I felt paralyzed by the notice on the auditorium door that read "there will be a dance audition." I sucked it up and went through with it (to be cast in a non-dancing role; it was all for the best!), and after the auditions passed, I toyed with the idea of taking dance lessons.

My mom picked me up from school one day, likely following a rigorous rehearsal day in which I felt particularly challenged by my lack of dance training, and I casually mentioned my idea. "I think I might want to start dance lessons," I said... meekly. "That's great, sweetie! Let's sign you up!"

That's when it all became real. I was fourteen at the time and I imagined myself, uncomfortable in my own skin, entering into the beginner ballet class with my tutu and duffel bag, surrounded by a bunch of 3-year-old classmates, also just starting out in their dance training. The image horrified me and I told my mother that I took it all back pretty much immediately. She brought up the possibility a few more times, and each time I considered it for a moment, only for the thought to be chased away by my imagined and totally premature humiliation.

Years passed by and I got older and older, only to wish I had started dancing as a teen. I thought about it pretty often and wondered if challenging myself with dance classes would have changed by pursuits at all; certainly it would have shaped me in many ways, but by that time I was eighteen and definitely too old to get started, I believed.

Eventually, college rolled around. I began my freshman year at Fordham University at Lincoln Center. I pursued the liberal arts, but I was surrounded by performers of all types, particularly my first roommate, Jackie, who was attending the Fordham/Ailey BFA Dance Program. We got to know each other and I saw some of her performances-- some of the most incredible I'd ever witnessed. Talking about our backgrounds and pursuits one night, I told her how much I envied her dancing. "I always wanted to study dance," I said, "but I didn't develop an interest until I was older, so I just stuck with singing."

Her response? "Yeah, I was lucky to get started when I was pretty young, I was thirteen."

She's now one of the lead dancers in the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, having received rave reviews and awards for her work.

So may my story be a lesson to all of you! Never be afraid to start something new; fear is never productive!

Looking to start something new? Camp Broadway hosts Camp Broadway Dance this fall! Our 3-day program allows experienced teen dancers to explore the styles of Broadway dance and take a shot at singing and dancing in a safe space! Visit campbroadway.com for more information or call 212.575.2929.