Interview with Amy Wright:
Amy Wright is one of Canada’s most in demand choreographers who began her career in 1995. She has worked with tv shows, films, reality TV, commercials and stage musicals, including Canada’s Shaw Festival. As well as a choreographer, Amy is also a Casting Director, and Producer on the world famous dance show The Next Step. During her career, Amy has been lucky enough to work with incredible people such as, Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Hedley, LeAnn Rimes, Will Ferrell, Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Colin Farrell, Molly Shannon, Alyssa Milano, Lauren Holly, Colin Mochrie, Hilary Duff and a movie produced by Britney Spears.
Amy has cast hundreds of dancers for various TV shows and projects such as, The Next Step, Find Me in Paris and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. As well as finding incredible dancers, Amy also loves to teach workshops across Canada and adjudicating at competitions such as, Shine, Millennium, Dance Quest, and in Ontario: Fever, Terpsichore, Starbeat, Battle of the Next Generation, Ultimate Dance Connection, Breakthru Dance Challenge, Just Dance, Dance Attack, and Candance.
In this interview I will be diving into Amy’s career as a Choreographer, Casting Director and Producer, as well as finding out about her journey into the world of dance. She also shares her top tips and some of her favourite memories from working on The Next Step.
Amy Wright working with dancer Shelby Bain on The Next Step. © The Next Step
10 questions with Amy Wright:
What was your journey to becoming a casting director and choreographer?
Thanks Charlie for asking! I live just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After attending the University of Western Ontario, it was hard for me to imagine a lifetime career without it having a foundation in dance or performing. As a wanna-be musical theatre star, I followed up UWO by attending the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto. The school had an incredible faculty of instructors who were inspiring not only because they were great teachers, but because they were working as professionals in their respective fields while teaching us. This meant we were connected with potential employers like Mirvish Productions or the Charlottetown Festival. At that time, the incredible Stephanie Gorin (Casting Director) taught Music Theatre Preparation. Stephanie’s career was well established in theatre and she was expanding towards on-camera casting. Of course, at that time I was a dancer who was learning how to be a triple threat. I dreamt of being a “star”. For most of our performances I was the “dance captain” for the choreography. A dance captain is someone who cleans and maintains the quality of the dance after the choreographer sets the pieces.
After I graduated the program, and between my gigs on stage, Stephanie asked me to work in her office. At that time breakdowns were via fax and every afternoon around 2pm a HUGE pile of photos and resumes would arrive in the office for Stephanie to select from. My first afternoon was spent opening envelopes and sorting photos into large piles for each role. Stephanie would then select the recipients of an audition time. We would then create the schedule by writing each person’s name and agent beside their audition time (with a PEN!). That was followed by a race to phone out all of the auditions and then wait for agents to call with regrets and time changes. Stephanie had three or four phone lines in order for us to get the audition times out efficiently. Life is so much better now that the world has been digitised and submissions can be done online.
For years, I was performing and working part time in in Stephanie’s office, answering calls, typing up deal memos, or on location signing in people at casting sessions and occasionally being a reader. Eventually Stephanie promoted me to Associate and I was given the responsibility of directing sessions and being a liaison with producers. Working for Stephanie Gorin Casting was the start of my off-camera career in film/tv and theatre. Creating relationships with agents and talent was my favorite part of the job. It was amazing watching people audition while learning how supportive the casting world actually can be. After working for Stephanie, I learned how very much a casting director wants you to succeed and will do as much as they can to provide the director and producers with the ultimate best choices for each role.
At that time my true passion was still performing. I learned so very much from the stage musicals I was in. Each choreographer inspired me. As often as I could be, I put myself forward as the dance captain since I just looooved cleaning and helping.
During high school I was the captain of the cheerleading squad. I spent many afternoons making up cheerleading routines, little did I know I was actually choreographing them. I just called it making up a dance. My first commercial choreography was for Campbells Chunky Soup. It required some cheerleaders at the football game. Because I had been helping Stephanie Gorin at the casting session, the producer asked me to work on set as the cheer choreographer! Of course I said yes. Here is that spot: www.youtube.com
Around the same time, I was asked to choreograph a production of CRAZY FOR YOU for a community theatre in Cornwall, Ontario. I had seen CFU about15 times in Toronto and idolized Susan Stroman’s work. It was an honor for me to have that as my first theatre choreography job. AND THEN my first feature film was as Assistant Choreographer to Mary Ann Kellogg on the movie SUPERSTAR with Molly Shannon. All of my choreo jobs branch out like a family tree from there.
After years of working as a choreographer with Spin Master Toys, my first commercial casting job was seeking children for some of their commercials and print ads. On some projects, like for the feature film Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, I am hired simply to do dancers casting. Now? Most of the time I work as a professional choreographer who can do her own dancers casting and I am also the main casting director for some Television Series, most prominently for The Next Step. Back in 2010 I presented Frank van Keeken an idea about high school kids who dance as a TV series. That idea grew and became The Next Step now about to air its 9th season. Since I was heavily involved in the creative development I was hired as the Casting Director, a producer and also the show’s choreographer. Since it was my first time as a C.D. for a television series, Stephanie Gorin mentored me by allowing me to check in as challenges presented themselves. We continue to work together on and off. Most recently I worked under her umbrella while she did the main casting for Disney Zombies 3, I did the casting for the dancers and cheerleaders.
Amy Wright working with dancers on The Next Step season 6. © The Next Step
What advice would you give to dancers who want to get into the industry?
My advice to dancers who want to get into the industry:
TRAIN in as many styles as possible. I think to be successful in any career you need to study, train, learn. Dance is no different than becoming a doctor… well the pay is usually better becoming a doctor (lol), but it takes time to get good at something! And practice! The more you learn, you will be ready for any job. Commercial with some hip hop in it? CAN DO! TV series needing ballerinas? CAN DO! Stage musical full of tap dancing? YEAH!
If you can supplement your dance training with other skills, acting, singing….you will be even more ready for every job. For example, THE NEXT STEP requires elite level dancers who are also great actors and ready to improvise a scene on the spot. Acro tricks and flips are a bonus but also so is being strong at another style, like the dancers who can do pointe work as well as hip hop. If someone can play an instrument, we can use it! The more things you can do, the more doors will open for you as a professional performer.
Being KIND, RELIABLE, having INTEGRITY, TIME MANAGEMENT, these are other great skills to have.
I also find it important to make CONNECTIONS. Follow the path of current professional dancers, what shows are they doing? Who is their agent? If you go to a musical, keep the program and research who the cast are and who they are repped by. Train with different dance teachers and attend workshops to meet new people. Be kind to everyone since you NEVER know who will be the next person doing the hiring.
How did the opportunity of working on ‘The Next Step’ come around?
Years ago, I was doing a series of ‘how to dance’ DVD’s called BELLA DANCERELLA for Spin Master Toys. They were hugely popular, since YouTube wasn’t really a thing, dancers could learn to dance in their very own home! Then HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL became a hit on Disney Channel and as YouTube gained popularity, I remember seeing the cast of that movie teaching the moves to the song “We’re All in this Together”. I started to imagine a television series with high school age dancers at a dance studio. I had thought it would be super cool that each week, whatever dance they are working on, the cast could make a learning video so that you could learn the moves and while watching a re-run of the show, you could dance along with the cast!
Imagine after the A-troupe performing Stand Up, you could go straight to YouTube to learn the moves from the cast! Anyway, I didn’t know anything about making a television show. I didn’t think about the logistics of all of that online learning PLUS the story telling. It was still a cool idea. This was 2010. After a dinner with Frank and sharing the idea with him, he said I should take that idea to someone, a broadcaster! I said, “I don’t know anyone, so I guess I am taking this to you!” Frank’s niece, Macy Yott, was training at a dance studio at the time. As he was driving through the country thinking about her, Frank says the idea hit him, how to make it work! Macy appeared in the J-troupe season.
Macy Yott (on the left) performing a dance on The Next Step. © The Next Step
Frank and myself began to attend dance competitions. While he brought the drama and reality aspects to the show, he pitched Family Channel and Temple Street Productions (now Boat Rocker Media). The pilot was something we developed together. First a meeting with Jay Prychidny to become the editor. Jay had the reality experience and taught us how to do the talking heads and gave the show its reality vibes. Frank brought on writers Rachael Schaeffer and his daughter, Chloe van Keeken. And we both met with Bill Layton who is the production designer. I had NO idea what I was doing and was just soooo excited to be a part of creating something all dance.
For me the reality aspect felt very much like the history of how A CHORUS LINE the musical was created. Talking with dancers about why they dance, and their career path. That’s where the line comes from. I planned an audition inviting dancers from the most elite dance studios in the Toronto area. March 2011, we held auditions on a Saturday and the next day we had a callback but the cast were told we were going to shoot a teaser which eventually became the pilot for the series. I was gifted the title of Consulting Producer, my first ever producer credit, as well as Casting Director, my first casting of a TV series, and Choreographer. It was a big deal for me and TNS has always felt like my baby because of that. I am now an Executive Producer and am in charge of every dance aspect on the show from story points, to costuming, sets, casting, music and choreography. It is a huge job and I love it.
What do you look for in a dancer when casting for a TV show?
When casting a dancer for a tv show, I recognize that each show has its own requirements, a show for CBBC is very different than a show for HBO! A show set in 1950 has different requirements for a show set in 2002. Each show has a unique story to tell and through dance I support that story. The dancers hired have to support all of that. But I can say, I do like to work with people who are kind, considerate, open to play with creating moves that are just right.
What has been your favourite routine to create for The Next Step?
My fav TNS routine??? UGGG too many to count! 9 seasons worth!
Tops – 1. James and Riley Nationals – we called it The Paint Duet.
2. The Fun House – aka REWIND followed by the Rope Dance and the Piano Dance from TNS6 and then the Puppet Theatre TNS3, really ANY of the finale routines. We usually don’t call the dance by the song name, sometimes the song isnt titled till after we choreograph to it. …WAIT TILL YOU SEE the season 9 dance....we call it THE RED (something) DANCE…you will have to guess what the something is.
3. Piper and Finn’s good bye dance.
4. Every episode 1 Atroupe dance.
5. Henry’s Promposal Those come to mind first…
Amy Wright working on the set of The Next Step. © The Next Step
Is there anyone who inspires you as a choreographer and casting director?
CHOREO: SUSAN STROMAN has been a visionary and inspiration for me since 1994 when I first saw her Broadway show Crazy For You. Her creative style and work ethic are something I have strived for in every dance I create. Also BOB FOSSE, KEONE and MARI MADRID, CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, FRED ASTAIRE, GENE KELLY, BUSBY BERKELEY CASTING: If you read my entire answer from the first question, you will be able to tell that Stephanie Gorin is one of my greatest mentors. She takes a pride in her work that is second to none. Stephanie has encouraged my journey every step of the way and her mentoring has shaped my decisions over the last 30 years.
Why do you think dance is important?
Dance is important because of the joy it brings. Whether you train or not, it feels good to move. To let loose. For any job I do, when I show up, the cast and crew have a great day because it is a dance day! Music and dance make the world go around. Have you ever seen a baby just move and groove when they hear a beat? It is in our souls.
What has been the biggest challenge when choreographing dances for ‘The Next Step’?
A regular dance studio might rehearse HOURS for a group dance for competition. We have about 10 hours for our Finale routines to set the piece. We then clean it whenever we can during shooting, sometimes with only one or two cast members at a time!
I remember Victoria doing a solo on season one that Frank decided that afternoon we needed to support a storyline that popped up during shooting. Vic and I talked about her moves on the way to set…start with port de bras and moving through the music, go into some of the choreo from the duet, then do some turns and strike a pose.
Brianna (as Grace in TNS8 Nationals) was told that morning - due to Covid and the soloist from Elite needing to stay home - that she had to perform the solo! Wardrobe grabbed her a costume, I played her the song...she went on and simply improvised for about 1 minute each take! TNS dancers are ready for anything.
Our super fans might have a count, but I don’t….I think there are about 80 dance moments per season. So that x 9 seasons is over 700 dances!!! We have two weeks prior to shooting with all of the cast available. But we often don’t have all the scripts at that point. We choreograph about 3-4 dances a day over those 10 days of prep. Then during shooting we clean dances, and choreograph dances as scripts are being written. It is a dance factory.
Amy Wright working with dancer Shelby Bain on The Next Step. © The Next Step
What can we look forward to in Season 9 of ‘The Next Step’ which airs this April on CBBC?
The Red (something) Dance.
The music is soooooo goooood!
The team feels strong to me.
What comes next for you and your career, have you got anything exciting coming up?
There is a show shooting in Toronto that I am working on called WELCOME TO DERRY. People usually ask me what I could possibly be doing for a horror show but that is the fun of my job! It is always something different. If I say why there is dance or who is dancing it would be a spoiler. (YOU CAN GOOGLE IT) but here is a link https://collider.com
My career? I would love to choreograph a huge feature like Moulin Rouge or Wicked. I would like to develop my own show! I just love what I do and I don’t think I will ever retire.
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Written by Charlie Wheeler
