Share your talents with the whole world

Olympic organizers are asking Utahns to dust off their dancing shoes, warm up their vocal cords and start practicing their back flips and toe loops.

The opening and closing ceremonies need performers, and toward that end, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee on Monday announced a casting call for more than 6,000 volunteers.

Dancers, singers, gymnasts, ice skaters, cheerleaders and other performers will be cast in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Games, SLOC announced.

That's not all. Olympic organizers are also looking for "every type of performer imaginable" including musicians, acrobats and comedians to entertain at each competition site as well as in downtown Salt Lake City's Olympic Square and in Park City.

Plus performers will be needed during the Paralympics, the Winter Games in March for the world's disabled athletes, including more than 1,200 just for the opening and closing ceremonies.

"The Games are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the exceptional talent, spirit and hospitality of Utah and the American West with the rest of the world," SLOC President Mitt Romney said.

Just what those cast members will be doing is, of course, being kept under wraps. By tradition, ceremonies programs are strictly kept top secret by Olympic organizing committees.

The executive producer of the Salt Lake ceremonies, Don Mischer, promised the ceremonies "will inspire the world and fill the citizens of Utah with a sense of pride and accomplishment."

About all that is known so far is that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is expected to perform.

Organizers kicked off the massive casting call Monday at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium, where both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics will be held, as well as the opening ceremonies for the Paralympics.

Auditions will be open to individual performers who will be at least 15 years old as of Jan. 1, although children's performance groups with a minimum of 20 members who are at least 6 years old by that date will also be considered.

To be considered for an audition, would-be cast members must submit an application. Those forms are available online at SLOC's Web site, www.saltlake2002.com, or by calling the "ceremonies hotline" at 1-801-212-2278.