What is a dance cattle call?

Question:

What is a dance cattle call?

I've been performing for quite some time and I have never heard the term. Does anyone know what it is and have any advice?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Well, it's not an oscenity or a slur, but it's not exactly the most delcate and sensitive way to announce an open audition, either. It actually goes way back to when the producers saw all the hopefuls as nothing more than cattle being let through the stock markets. Herd them through, one after another... With the director and producer sitting there yawning at all those bodies passing by. Then line them all up and call out arbitrary numbers to step forward for another pass... Doesn't sound so nice, but that's how it was often done in the big dance and production companies. Fortunately today, most of them do pay attention -or pretend to- at these open auditions with the name holdover. A cast call is something altogether different, and that can be another question!