Adam Vesperman Moves From Billy Elliot to Touring the World
At age 11, Adam Vesperman was ushered into an impromptu audition for Billy Elliot: The Musical at a West Coast Dance Explosion Nationals. Despite an off-key rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” his strong dancing skills secured him a callback. After a few intense audition days in New York City, Vesperman landed the role on London’s West End, launching the professional dance career he’s pursued ever since.
Growing up in Kent, Washington, Vesperman began dancing at age 8 at Allegro Performing Arts Academy. After booking the role of Billy, he moved to London for two years, where he quickly learned the part and starred in the production. “It was the coolest experience of my life and one of the best jobs I’ve ever done,” Vesperman says.
At 14, he moved back to Washington, where he met formative mentors and commercial choreographers, including Tessandra Chavez and Kyle Hanagami. As high school came to a close, Vesperman didn’t initially plan on college. But, after receiving a scholarship to the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, he moved to Los Angeles, where he balanced his college workload with his budding commercial career.
“I remember assisting Kyle Hanagami on the Britney Spears Domination residency during finals week,” Vesperman says. “Every break in rehearsal, I’d pull out my laptop to write a paper on the side, just trying to make it work.”
And make it work, he did. Vesperman graduated in 2020 with a BFA in dance and a minor in occupational therapy, and has worked with prominent artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Karol G, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sia. Most recently, he completed a tour with Sabrina Carpenter.
Dance Teacher caught up with him to hear more about his journey and life on tour.
On Touring With Sabrina Carpenter
“Sabrina is an amazing person—she’s the first young American pop artist from my generation that I’ve worked with, and her Gen Z humor is hilarious. One of the best moments was going to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Orlando with her and her team. They were such a fun group to go through a haunted house with. Instead of getting scared or jumping, they admired the costumes and joked the whole time. It was such a good vibe throughout the tour.”
On Keeping Healthy on Tour
“It’s hard to keep a healthy routine on tour, especially eating right when abroad. On the Latin American and European tour with Karol G, we stayed in hotels, so gyms were more accessible. But on the Sabrina tour, we were sleeping on a bus and in each city for one day. But you find ways to stay motivated. Two of the dancers I toured with loved running, so sometimes we’d wake up on the bus, throw on our running shoes, and go for a quick two-miler. Even something small like that is better than nothing.”
On Coping With Anxiety
“Truthfully, I’m an open person, but I’m also super-anxious. When I’m unsure in new spaces, I get terrified out of my mind. I’m very reserved until I can read the room and see how everyone interacts and projects their energy. Then, I can match it. When I booked Sabrina, I was quiet for the first three weeks. I didn’t know anyone on the tour, and I was booked at the last minute. But I just focused on the work at hand, and, eventually, the anxiety faded. Somewhere down the line, I bonded with people and built connections. It just took time.”
On Handling Rejection
“The industry is so futile and fleeting. One day I’ll get four availability checks, and a week later, none of them have gone through. To handle rejection, I try not to build the project up in my mind. I stay in the present. I answer the emails without putting too much weight on them. I also avoid doing too much research at first because I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
On Advice for Booking Jobs
“Go out into the world, meet people, and cross-train with your community. I booked my first big tour because I took a CorePower class with the choreographer’s assistant. Networking is so important these days. It’s truly about who you know and how you present yourself, which can be tough because it’s anxiety-inducing for so many people, including me. But that’s the reality of the industry.
“Think about how you use social media and the energy and aesthetic you project. Getting hired is rarely just about your dance skills—you need to be someone people enjoy being around. Be cool, friendly, funny, and someone others want to work with. You never know who’s in the room because L.A. is a small, tight-knit community.
“And be smart with your resources. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but make a website. Mine is minimalist, but it gives people a place to see my work.”
The post Adam Vesperman Moves From Billy Elliot to Touring the World appeared first on Dance Teacher.