Philip the award winning Spaeth - up-and-coming young dancer Philip Spaeth comments on his career so far - Interview

Dance Magazine, Dec, 2003 by Kate Lydon

Age: 17

Lives: Mount Laurel, NJ

Winner: New York City Dance Alliance's Senior Men's National Outstanding Dancer

Studies dance at: Broadway Dance Center and New York City Dance Alliance

Takes classes in: musical theater, lyrical jazz, contemporary jazz, hip hop, funk, singing, tap, and ballet

Little Known Fact: He tried out for Aida and Hairspray on the same day

STAR TURNS

PHILLIP SPAETH is determined to have a career in dance, and his win last summer at the New York City Dance Alliance's National Competition is beginning to get him some attention.

You might recognize him from the Jazz Poster inside Dance Magazine's August 2003 issue or from the new Capezio advertisements in which he appears on a New York City rooftop, his body in a 180 degree, a la second position. Spaeth is charismatic, hard working, focused, and at seventeen years old he is balancing a full schedule of high school, family, dance classes, auditions, and travel. It seems the taste of success is only making him hungrier.

"I was living the dancing," says Spaeth excitedly. At the New York City Dance Alliance's National Competition, dancers partake in an intense three day workshop of classes. "It was the coolest thing because there was a different style class every single hour--we took six classes a day."

Spaeth describes himself as a jazz dancer, but wants people to understand what that means. "Where I'm from, people think of Duke Ellington when I say I'm a jazz dancer. Today, there are so many different branches of jazz dancing." Spaeth is interested in all of them and feels that versatility is his strength. He takes classes in musical theater, lyrical jazz, contemporary jazz, hip hop and funk. He sings, taps, and he also takes ballet classes to help with his control and technique.

Lately Spaeth has been going to a lot of auditions. He even tried out for Aida and Hairspray on the same day. Just like most high school seniors in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Spaeth's day begins in the classroom. Unlike his friends, however, Spaeth leaves school at 12:45 P.M. So he can catch a bus into New York City for dance classes. It takes one hour and twenty minutes each way--he does much of his homework on the bus.

As a winner of the New York City Dance Alliance's Senior Men's National Outstanding Dancer title, Spaeth is required to tour with their convention for at least fifteen weekends. "I love to travel. I'm an on-the-go person," says Spaeth. When he starts touring with New York City Dance Alliance, his schedule will get yet more complicated--he will fly every Friday to a new city and arrive home again on Sunday night so he can go to school on Monday morning.

Being a good student is important to Spaeth. He plans to go to college even if he ends up dancing full-time. "I'd put school on hold for while or I'Il try to work out a schedule where I can do both, take classes and dance" he says. For the past two years, Spaeth has danced at Broadway Dance Center and New York City Dance Alliance. His main teachers are Michele Assaf, A.C., Joe Lanteri, David Marquez, Andy Blankenbuehler and Sheila Barker. Spaeth credits them with guiding him though this part of his career. He's learning about choreography and staging, all skills that will benefit him.

So where will we find Spaeth next? Whenever he dances, fans can rest assured, he will continue to look for his next opportunity to dazzle us.