April Daly

April Daly joined The Joffrey Ballet in August 2003 after performing for two seasons with The Washington Ballet.   Ms. Daly studied with the Rockford Dance Company and later with The Joffrey/New School University in New York.   Ms. Daly´s repertoire includes Creative Force, Laurencia Pas d´Action, L´Apres Midi D´Un Faune, Le Sacre Du Printemps, The Nutcracker, Petrouchka, Romeo and Juliet, Tensile Involvement, and A Wedding Bouquet. Her first solo role was as a Red Girl in Les Patinuers, which she performed in 2004 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Candice sits down for an afternoon of catching up, after months of phone tag, with her longtime friend, April Daly.

CT:   You and I both went to universities in New York after spending the summer of 1999 at Milwaukee Ballet School Summer Program.   How do you feel about the experience you had at New School?  

AD:   Well I was from a small town and I didn't even know where to begin with the whole process of auditioning for ballet companies.   And I really don't think I was ready to audition anyway, I probably wouldn't have gotten a job.   So in the meantime I got an education and was able to train with David Howard and just be completely inspired by my surroundings.   Being in New York was really the big thing.

CT:   Would you recommend it?

AD:   Definitely.   NYC is where all the auditions are.   Ultimately the goal for me was to get a job, not the degree.

CT:   Do you think you will finish school?

AD:   It is something I think about--I would like to finish, but that will be down the road.

CT:   Your first job was with Washington Ballet.   What was the transition like from there to Joffrey?

AD:   Oh, it was a lot different.   Washington was smaller and freer in a sense.   I don't think there was a dancer over 30 then.   Since it was a smaller company, I got to dance a lot as an apprentice.   But when I moved to Joffrey, I moved as a full company member.   I felt adult, like a real professional.   The company was much larger and more structured.   Having trained in the Midwest and gone to Joffrey Midwest Workshop when I was young, it was like a dream come true.  

CT:   What have been your favorite roles thus far?

AD:   I am a jumper, so I would have to say Les Patinuers and Viva Vivaldi .

CT:   And your dream role?

AD:   Well, we just wrapped up a run of Cranko's Romeo and Juliet and I would be crazy if I didn't admit that I would love to be Juliet one day.

CT:   Do you have an approach when you are auditioning for roles with visiting choreographers/stagers?

AD:   I always feel like people know what they are looking for, so the only thing to do is be true to yourself and your style.   The only way for someone to know if you are right for the part is if you dance your best.  

CT:   Any tips for staying motivated as a young dancer in a big company?

AD:   I feel lucky because of the rep that we do.   There is usually only one big, classical ballet and lots of mixed rep with smaller casts.   There are times when you feel discouraged by casting, but then the next program rolls around with another opportunity.   I have also really learned the importance of corps work.   Almost everyone does corps work here--you could be switching off your corps spot with Juliet.   I think it is easier to keep your chin up since there are no ranks.   You don't have to get caught up in a title or promotions.

CT:   What are your current aspirations?

AD:   I am really happy where I am right now, I think I am in a good place.   For now my goal is to see where I can go within the Joffrey Ballet.   Maybe I will settle here for good, have a family and babies.

CT:   Do you think you will want to have kids while you are still dancing?

AD:   Having a family is a big dream of mine and I used to think that I would want to wait until I retired.   I mean I knew people did it [had kids while dancing] but it wasn't until I witnessed Suzanne Lopez last year, dancing into her fourth and fifth months and getting back into shape so fast, that I realized I could do it.   Now it feels like an option in my future.

CT:   And of course, I have to ask--since this site is all about style and clothes, who are your style icons?

AD:   Charlize Theron.   She is so put together.   And Hilary Swank; also so put together, but simple and glamorous.   That girl knows how to flatter her body.

CT:   How would you describe your style?

AD:   I love shoes, coats and purses.   And I love getting dressed up!   But every day for me is pretty casual, cute.   I like to take bits and pieces of trends but I never get swept away.

CT:   So how does that translate into what you wear in the studio?

AD:   I don't know, but I love random, crazy outfits.   I am a bit of a wild one in the studio.   The other day I took a turquoise leotard from a "give-away" pile and paired it with turquoise booty shorts.   I couldn't even believe I was wearing it.   What can I say?   I like to be different, experimental.

CT:   Now you are in for it; the wheels inside my head are spinning.   There is nothing better than designing things for people who like to experiment!

The views expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, LOLAstretch.