Marble Falls teen hopes she has right moves for Disney TV show pilot

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — As Christine Ashbaugh follows along with her dance instructor at a Hill Country Dance and Cheer workshop, she has no illusions that the odds might be stacked against her. Still, the incoming Marble Falls High School freshman hopes that it could happen to her.

Earlier this year, a Los Angeles casting agent contacted the teen’s dance teacher, Jane Dean, about a new pilot Disney was developing for its TV channel. Powell, who teaches dance, voice and musical theater, thought of Christine. (In full disclosure, Christine is the daughter of Kelly Ashbaugh an employee at The Picayune.)

“It’s pretty exciting to think about it,” Christine said between classes at at the Marble Falls dance studio. After the workshop, she still has two more classes with private instructors, including Dean. All this after a half day of basketball camp. “Yeah, it’s a busy day.”

But if Disney studio executives like what they see in Christine, it could be the start of bunch of busy days.

“When I heard the type of girl they were looking for, I thought of Christine,” Dean said. She also turned to another student of hers who’s from the Austin area. Dean felt Christine had all the attributes the casting agent described.

“I knew Christine could do this,” Dean said. “She’s very talented and works extremely hard.”

As part of the audition, Christine memorized two of the scenes from the pilot. Then, she acted them out as part of the audition tape. But with only her, Dean and another person handling the recording, Christine felt comfortable, something she hopes comes across in the audition.

Now, after completing the audition tape and other requirements and sending them off, comes the toughest part: waiting.

“There’s really no time line,” Dean said. “In theater or even movies, they have a definite date they start rehearsals and want the cast selected. In a dance audition, you’ll usually know (the day of the audition). But with TV, you’re often left wondering. They may ring you the night before and say you start tomorrow. It’s very unpredictable.”

Fortunately, Christine has a full lineup of things to keep her mind occupied. Along with regular dance classes at Hill Country Dance and Cheer, she plays basketball and swims. All the various disciplines, from basketball to dance, help her at every level — on stage or court.

“There are some similarities in dance and sports, but they also have things that are different but help you in each one,” Christine said. “I think basketball makes me more aggressive, which I can use in dance. And, in dance, it’s the passion.”

As for swimming, it works every muscle in the body, she said, which helps her in both dancing and playing basketball.

The call from the casting agent isn’t just good news for Christine, but it’s also a big plus for Dean. As a dance, vocal and theater arts instructor, the fact the casting agent reached out to Dean shows that her program is attracting attention.

“It was a huge honor to be recognized and asked to submit for such a high-profile company,” Dean said.

But both Dean and Christine know they don’t have time to sit around and wait for the phone to ring. There’s just too much work to be done, whether Christine gets the call or not.

“It’s just a huge honor that (Dean) felt I could do this,” Christine said. “I think definitely, whatever happens, I’ll be doing more auditions as we find them.”

daniel@thepicayune.com