By MAE G. BANNER of The Saratogian | Friday, May 3, 2002

Nine little girls in black leotards sit cross-legged, one behind the other, like cars in a child's toy train. Right hand curled, each girl is rhythmically scratching the back of the child in front of her.

''They're massaging each other. They do that to get their blood going,'' says Elizabeth Deltry of Burnt Hills.

Deltry, her sister and her mother are volunteers at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs. They've been working all morning to register 150 girls and boys who are auditioning for parts with New York City Ballet, which returns in July for its 37th season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

This year, the odds of being chosen are better than usual. NYCB will dance ''Firebird'' and ''Circus Polka'' -- ballets that have many parts for young dancers. Up to 25 girls will be chosen for ''Circus Polka,'' an intricate romp for 48 youngsters (the rest will come from NYCB's school in New York City); and 22 girls and boys are needed for the wedding scene in ''Firebird.'' As a bonus, four teen-age boys will be selected to play waiters in ''Vienna Waltzes.''

Garielle Whittle, children's rehearsal mistress for the NYCB, puts the aspiring performers through their paces, calling them to the front of the studio by the numbered cards fastened to their leotards with big safety pins. They step forward in groups of 10, then dance the combination one by one: ''Glissade, assemble, changement, changement.'' First, to the right; then to the left.

Whittle makes notes on a legal pad. Nothing escapes her eye.

''I'm looking for the ones that come across with enormous energy, liveliness, spirit, even if they're not perfect in their steps,'' Whittle said during a break.

Dancers also have to be attentive, focused and ready to follow instructions. '''Circus Polka' is dancing; it's Stravinsky; it's (Jerome) Robbins' steps. It's really hard,'' she said.

Two young dancers waiting their turn to audition are Victoria Rotchford, 10, and Victoria Blackburn, 11. Rotchford, a fifth-grader at St. Clement's School, has been studying ballet with Patti Henderer of Saratoga City Ballet since the age of 4. Blackburn, a fifth-grader at Division Street School, also began working with Henderer at age 4, and now studies with Michael Steele at Ballet Regent School.

The two Victorias are undaunted by auditions. Both said this is their third year to try out for parts with NYCB.

''Two years ago, I made the first cut,'' Rotchford said. She knows what Whittle says to those who are rejected. ''She says, 'Everybody did a great job and come back next year.'

''You have to be a positive person who doesn't really care if they are picked or not. But in your head, you're saying 'Thank you for letting me audition.' It's important to have the experience to be able to audition for other things that have less crowds and to have experience with people other than your teacher,'' Rotchford said.

Blackburn made the first cut two years in a row. She, too, is prepared for rejection.

''You just go and try your best. If you don't get in, it's all right,'' she said. ''You'll have other chances. The night before, I think about doing the steps correctly. I practice a few times. When I was little, my dad made me a stage in the basement and it has a barre.''

Serious young dancers like Blackburn and Rotchford know what it means to dance with NYCB. ''It's one of the more famous companies in the world,'' Blackburn said.

Rotchford agreed. ''You know, if you get to dance with City Ballet, you're a special person to be dancing on stage with these dancers that have been dancing longer than I've even lived.''

In the end, poise and experience paid off for the two Victorias. After a long afternoon of performing, waiting, and performing again, both learned they had passed the first and second cuts. Both will be Blue Girls in ''Circus Polka.''

There was no shrieking, no jumping up and down when Whittle gave them the news. True dancers, they responded with quiet smiles. As Rotchford said earlier, ''Confidence is good, but it's not good when people have such a confident face that they think they're better than anyone else. They should think we're all equal.''

''The hardest thing is waiting, because before, you don't know if you're gonna get in, but, after you do the steps, you know,'' Blackburn said.

The New York City Ballet will dance ''Firebird'' at 8:15 p.m. Friday, July 12 and Tuesday, July 16, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 13. ''Circus Polka'' will be danced at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 20 and Thursday, July 25 at SPAC. Call the box office at 587-3330 for tickets and information.

Local performers

Dancers from Saratoga County who were chosen to dance with New York City Ballet this summer are:

Ballston Spa

Victoria Blackburn, 11 (Circus Polka)

Burnt Hills

Nora Carr, 9 (Circus Polka)

Clifton Park

Payton Good, 11 (Firebird)

Lauren Elizabeth Kipp, 10 (Firebird)

Gansevoort

Nolan Murphy, 15 (Firebird and Vienna Waltzes)

Greenfield Center

Ashley Alvord, 13 (Circus Polka)

Rebekah Walder, 10 (Firebird)

Mechanicville

Ashley Sheldrich, 13 (Understudy)

Saratoga Springs

Corey Hayward, 15 (Firebird and Vienna Waltzes)

John Druzba, 25 (Firebird and Vienna Waltzes)

Rachel Torgesen, 11 (Firebird)

Anna Finlay, 11 (Firebird)

Caitlin Richter, 11 (Circus Polka)

Victoria Rotchford, 10 (Circus Polka)