Evans graduate has part in new movie

Kathryn McCormick wasn't sure what she wanted to do after high school, but a trip to California quickly turned into a golden opportunity for the 19-year-old aspiring performer.

//

"It just so happened that my dance studio went out there," said the Evans High School graduate. "I called an agency before I left and had a recommendation."

After she returned home, the agency called and told her that they booked her for an audition for a role in the movie Fame , which currently is showing in area theaters.

"I ended up flying out there, and I got the part," McCormick said. "There were a couple of hundred people who auditioned and they only chose 30 dancers."

The former Martinez resident landed the role of a principal dancer and was scheduled to work for four months, so she moved to Los Angeles. However, the studio changed her role and McCormick ended up just working for one day.

"I never wanted to move to California, but after I got the role, I had to," she said. "I feel like it was God's way of giving me a push."

McCormick also auditioned for the popular Fox network reality show So You Think You Can Dance? at its Los Angeles auditions. She said there was "a ton" of people there and the line was "wrapped around the building."

The auditions are held to pick the best dancers, who are then sent to Las Vegas for a chance to become a part of the Top 20, consisting of 10 men and 10 women.

McCormick passed the first round and soon will be headed to Las Vegas.

Highlights from that portion of the show are scheduled to air Wednesday.

"It was very exciting," she said. "It's kind of overwhelming, because you think that you can't make it or do something like that, but I was so honored, blessed and thankful."

The current season of the show premiered last month and Sandra McCormick, Kathryn's mother, has been watching the show and rooting for her daughter.

"It's like American Idol ," Sandra McCormick said. "She just got her ticket and they get voted off, or hopefully not, in her case."

Kathryn has been dancing since the age of 3 and training consistently for 13 years.

She has trained mainly in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical dance, but recently has tried to branch out and start training in hip-hop.

"At first, it was really intimidating," she said of learning hip-hop. "You're like, 'Oh my gosh! I'm going to look stupid!' But everyone's been in that place where they feel intimidated and I'm getting better at it. Now I feel really good about it."

McCormick said she is excited about the possibilities and no longer is afraid to venture out into newfound territory.

"I want to be a performer," she said. "I'm working to improve my marketability. I really want to be open to anything."