SERA00 Auditions: Part 1

Welcome welcome welcome SERA00 fans, to the awesome 2013 recruitee auditions! Here is my report on audition week!
This year over 50,000 girls applied to become SERA00's sixth generation. This year, only 8 applicants will make it through to become a 00 rank in this famous girl group! Out of the 50,000 online applications, sent in with self pictures and samples of their singing, the applicants have been narrowed down to 1000 girls.
Competition increases every year. Take 2013's 1:50 chance of passing to 2007's 1:10 chance.
Now begins the first round of live auditions. There will be 5 groups of SERA00 management and each will audition 200 girls over two days! Each applicant has three minutes to sing a song of their choice. These auditions will cut 50% of the applicants.
The remaining 500 participate in a mass dance audition. Only half will remain.
The fourth and final round of scrupulous auditions, judging panel including SERA00 members themselves, will consist of singing and dancing sessions, interviews and photoshoots. All these elements of idols will be used to judge the girls; only 8 will pass.

Let the auditions begin! Rome and I were wandering around the complex. There were no lessons as all our teachers were in the auditions, although the daily concerts were still operating. We were told that we could sit in on auditions. The auditions took place in five of our studios, leaving the stage open for members to practice, as usual.
We settled on Studio Aurora, which had the least SERA00 girls. The auditionees looked wide-eyed at us as we came in. They looked so nervous at the prospect of auditioning. The panel of five SERA00 staff sat at a table in front of a mic. I knew they were waiting for the Fab 4 to complete their rounds before beginning.
Every year, the Fab 4 and a couple of other girls went around to boost the auditionee's spirits with this cheesy little rap. The story went, Angel had made it up on the spot on the morning of Luraland's audition to calm her nerves. (Angel took no part in judging that audition to prevent bias).
Right on cue, Angel, Sassan, Luna, Fracken, Maya, River, and Rosie burst into the studio, surprising the auditionees with their shout, "We are the Angelites!" They marched into formation and started a dance routine. "Now ain't the time to worry 'bout your nails, now ain't the time to worry 'bout anything! Now ain't the time to let those butterflies hatch, now ain't the time to be anything but - confident! Whooooo!"
Instantly, the atmosphere was a lot lighter and many of the girls burst into laughter. The judging panel took advantage of the fact and called up the first girl. "Number 1."
A girl holding a number one card timidly approached the mic. "My name is Lisa Yaw, and I'll be singing 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift." She sang really softly, even with the mic on. This was a common trait among the rest of the girls who auditioned as well; they were all afraid to sing. And that was the main problem, wasn't it? To be in SERA00 meant you needed to sing as your job.

Two days later, the judges had decided which 500 to keep and which 500 to cut. We all gathered in the Grand Hall, the only room in the complex large enough to house the 1000 auditionees and SERA00 staff. The Grand Hall was usually used for rehearsal, and was especially useful for practicing stage formations before a big concert, as the SERA00 stage is tiny.
Maya, River, Cherry, and I were giving the wonderful task of sending 500 girls home crying. -___- Great. We appeared on the makeshift stage singing "Look up, look up, look up, I said look up, look up, look uh-uh-up..."
"Goooood morning everyone!" River shouted. "Good work these past two days. Unfortunately, we'll have to admit only half of you to the next round or the judges will be overrun," she joked, trying to keep the apprehensive atmosphere light. It wasn't working. River passed the mic to Cherry.
"We are going to split you into four groups," the B rank said, "Each of us will head a group. If we call your name, go to that group."
Each of the four of us held a list of names, and we took turns reading them. The girls were split of into four groups slowly.
"You all did great," Maya said in her sweet voice. "Just because you didn't make it in this time doesn't mean you don't have talent. It just means we aren't ready for you this time so don't lose confidence! You can always try again next year!"
River took over the mic for the breaking of the bad news. "My group, please stand." 250 girls rose from the mass of sitting girls. River wasted no time in making the girls wait. She gave them the news straight out. "Good try, but unfortunately you girls didn't make it." Many of the girls clutched each other in tears as they made their way out of the Hall to retrieve their belongings.
"My group," I said with my perfect poker face. "You're next." The other girls looked apprehensive as well. If my group was out, they were all in. "Girls, you are now...one step closer to 00 rank." They broke out in loud cheers and congratulated one another.
"And now," River said, "Either Maya or Cherry's group will have to leave." 750 faces stares back solemnly, some more anxious than others. "The group that is advancing is...Maya's group." Cheers were mixed with groans as another 250 girls left the hall.
"We have one thing left to tell you," Cherry said, "The judges were more impressed with the girls in Maya's group than in Evie's group. We're not talking about skills in singing. We're talking about something that is a foundation for SERA00. It may be that Maya's girls just did it without knowing, or that they noticed this fact. But whatever it is, find out soon. It'll make a big difference in your final audition."
"Congratulations everyone who made it," Maya smiled. "But you're not done yet! You have one hour before the mass dance audition, right here in this room!"
Rome and I were gonna go out, but Sassan had other ideas. "Auroras! We haven't practiced today yet! Let's go!" We're performing the song "It's Like This" from our 5th Stage at the Haven Hall Concert and Sassan's been really nit-picky lately. I think it's cuz Luna jokingly said that we were cuter than our skills. But we're supposed to be the cute team. "One and two and three...four and five and six ready one and two and three and it's like this la la la la la la it's like this..." Sassan signaled to stop the music. "Girls, can we change the choreography..." With a nod from the staff, the center of SERA00 forged on. "Can we do the elbow jab on 'like' instead of 'it's'? Music!" We got into position and tried out the altered move. "Fan out to the sides more, remember that Haven Hall Stage will be bigger.
At the mass dance audition, our choreographer was heading the audition. Eight members of Team Night were dancing at the front of the room, to a routine that I recognized but was not released with a song. The applicants were trying to copy the SERA00 girls. Team Night was often coined as the strong team, while Aurora was the cute team, Angel was the early team with the members in SERA00 the longest, and Hope was the future team, with many younger members.
Around three times into the routine, many of the applicants had gotten a hang of it. Now began the real test. The dance teachers strolled through the 500 girls and began tapping girls on the head and shoulder. I was just standing off to the side, given permission to watch in order to blog for you guys, so (the teacher) asked me to keep track of the number of girls she tapped. "Three hundred," I yelled at the mark.
(the teacher) stopped the music. "Those who are standing, go off to the right side. Those who received a tap on the shoulder, to the left side. Those who were tapped on the head, remain in the middle." The girls all went to their positions. (the teacher) addressed the girls in the middle. "I'm sorry, you didn't make it." Then she told the girls at the right side, "Congrats, you girls made it!" After the cheers subsided, she called the shoulder-tapped girls back on the floor and auditioned them again. Fifty were admitted to the advancing group, fifty were sent home.

~the next day~
(coming in the next installment, SERA00 Auditions: Part 2)

Good luck to all those auditioning. Please support SERA00!