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Each year, Cincinnati Ballet auditions talented young dancers from across the country for admittance to our nationally acclaimed summer programs.
Admittance to Cincinnati Ballet’s summer intensive programs is by audition only. This season, students have several ways in which to audition: in person, virtually or by video.
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
Auditioning students are considered for acceptance into three programs:
Cincinnati Ballet’s Summer Intensive
Cincinnati Ballet’s Collegiate Intensive
Cincinnati Ballet’s Youth Summer Intensive
AGE ELIGIBILITY
Summer Intensive: Candidates must be 12 years old by the program start date in order to audition.
Collegiate Intensive: Candidates must be 18 years old by the program start date in order to audition.
Youth Summer Intensive: Candidates ages 12 and up will be considered through the channels below, while those under 12 have separate audition opportunities available on the Youth Summer Intensive webpage.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION CANDIDATES
Dancers interested in Cincinnati Ballet’s Professional Training Division should audition through the channels below and plan to attend either the Summer or Collegiate Intensive. The majority of PTD candidates are initially identified through auditions and final selections are made through the course of intensives.
Students participating in an in-person audition should pre-register for a date and time below. Pre-registration for all in-person auditions closes at 11:59 PM (EST) the Thursday prior to the audition. Walk-up registration will only be available in the event additional space remains.
AUDITION FEE
$35 for advance registration | $40 for walk-up registration
Audition fees are nonrefundable
| CITY | DATE | VENUE | CHECK-IN TIME | AUDITION TIME | VACCINATION REQUIRED | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Raton, FL | Saturday, February 5, 2022 | HARID Conservatory 2285 Potomac Rd Boca Raton, FL 33431 | 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | ||
| Chicago, IL | Sunday, January 16, 2022 | Dance Academy of Libertyville 746 E. Park Ave Libertyville, IL 60048 | 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM | ||
| Cincinnati, OH | Sunday, January 9, 2022 | Cincinnati Ballet 1801 Gilbert Ave Cincinnati, OH 45202 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Ages 12-15) | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Ages 12-15) | ||
| Cincinnati, OH | Sunday, January 9, 2022 | Cincinnati Ballet 1801 Gilbert Ave Cincinnati, OH 45202 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM (Ages 16+) | 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM (Ages 16+) | ||
| Columbia, SC | Saturday, January 29, 2022 | Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet Columbia Music Festival Association 914 Pulaski St Columbia, SC 29201 | 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM | ||
| Houston, TX | Saturday, January 29, 2022 | Vitacca Vocational School for Dance, Houston 2311 Dunlavy St Houston, TX 77006 | 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM | REGISTER | |
| Los Angeles, CA | Saturday, January 8, 2022 | Grand Rehearsal Hall at the Colburn School 200 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012 | 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | ✔ | |
| Memphis, TN | Sunday, January 23, 2022 | Ballet Memphis 2144 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104 | 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | ||
| New Orleans, LA | Saturday, January 15, 2022 | New Orleans Center for Creative Arts 2800 Chartres St New Orleans, LA 70117 | 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | ✔ | |
| New York, NY | Sunday, January 23, 2022 | Ballet Academy East 1651 Third Avenue, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10128 | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | ✔ | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Sunday, February 13, 2022 | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 2900 Liberty Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15201 | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | ✔ | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Sunday, February 13, 2022 | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 2900 Liberty Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15201 | 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM | ✔ | |
| Seattle, WA | Sunday, February 6, 2022 | Pacific Northwest Ballet 1161 136th Place NE Bellevue, WA 98005 | 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | ✔ | REGISTER |
| St. Louis, MO | Saturday, January 15, 2022 Sunday, January 16, 2022 | COCA 6880 Washington Avenue St. Louis, MO 63130 | Dates and times vary by student age. | Please reference COCA’s website. | ||
| Washington, DC | Saturday, January 8, 2022 | Maryland Youth Ballet 926 Ellsworth Dr Silver Spring, MD 20910 | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | REGISTER |
All in-person audition participants should refrain from attending if they exhibit any symptoms of a contagious illness or have been exposed to COVID-19.
Masks are required at all times inside any venue including during the audition class.
Capacities are limited.
Additional protocols vary by venue including vaccine requirements at select locations.
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque (on pointe for ladies)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Ladies should be in a leotard and tights. Gentlemen should be in tight-fitting dance attire.
Students participating in virtual auditions should pre-register for a date and time from the menu below.
Pre-registration for all virtual auditions closes at 11:59 PM (EST) the Thursday prior to the audition.
Virtual audition registration will not be available the day of the audition.
VIRTUAL AUDITION FEE:
$35 (nonrefundable)
| DATE | TIME | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, January 15, 2022 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | |
| Saturday, February 5, 2022 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | |
| Saturday, February 12, 2022 | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM |
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque (on pointe for ladies)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Ladies should be in a leotard and tights. Gentlemen should be in tight-fitting dance attire.
Students auditioning by video should register via the link below. Video applications will not be reviewed until online registration is received.
Video auditions are accepted on a rolling basis with a final deadline of March 1, 2022.
VIDEO AUDITION FEE:
$50 (nonrefundable)
| VIDEO AUDITION GUIDE |
| Video auditions should be performed in leotard and tights for women and tight-fitting dancewear for men. Videos require no introduction or fancy editing, should be recorded after September 1, 2021, and should not exceed 15 minutes in length. They should be shot indoors with proper lighting. Applicants should include the following elements: • 3 – 5 minutes of barre work including pliés, battement tendu, fondu, frappés, adagio and grand battement (applicants may demonstrate one or both sides) • 3 – 5 minutes of center work including adagio, pirouettes, petit allegro and grand allegro • Female applicants may dance center work on pointe OR should include separately an échappé/passé combination and a turning combination danced in the center on pointe o Female applicants who have been recently advanced to pointe should only include an échappé/passé combination at the barre • Male applicants should also include à la second turns and tours en l’air Additional Notes/Requirements: • Applicants auditioning for the Otto M. Budig Academy’s Professional Training Division should also include a classical and contemporary variation or rep selection • Applicants who do not have access to studios for the purpose of filming should modify combinations to be safely executed at home and be cautious of proper flooring for allegro combinations Digital media may be submitted to the Academy Administrative Office at cbacademy@cballet.org. Need additional help? Use this easy-to-follow video audition class from Academy Director Sarah Hairston Berkley. |
The National Summer Intensive Audition Tour is a collective of professional schools who have come together to provide better access to auditions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each participating school offers an in-person audition at their facility which is viewed virtually by faculty from each school in the collective.
2022 NSIA audition participants will be considered for candidacy for the following summer intensive programs: Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet, Charlotte Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet Academy, Joffrey Academy of Dance, Kansas City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Sarasota Ballet School and Texas Ballet Theater.
| CINCINNATI NSIA TOUR AUDITIONS Saturday, January 22, 2022 Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance Ages 12 – 15 Check In: 2:00 – 3:00 PM Audition: 3:00 – 4:30 PM Ages 16 and up Check In: 4:00 – 5:00 PM Audition: 5:00 – 6:30 PM Students participating in the NSIA Cincinnati audition should pre-register via the link below. Pre-registration closes at 11:59 PM (EST) the Thursday prior to the audition. Capacity is limited. NSIA Audition Fee: $90 (nonrefundable) |
NSIA Cincinnati audition participants should refrain from attending if they exhibit any symptoms of a contagious illness or have been exposed to COVID-19.
Masks are required at all times inside the Center for Dance including during the audition class.
Capacities are limited.
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque (on pointe for ladies)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Ladies should be in a leotard and tights. Gentlemen should be in tight-fitting dance attire.
Cincinnati Ballet is committed to providing Summer Intensive students with a rich and vibrant in-person program experience that offers access to the full breadth of our curriculum and repertoire. With the health and safety of our students, staff and faculty as a top priority, all Summer Intensive participants are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Additional COVID-19 protocols will be released in Spring of 2022 as we continue to monitor the recommendations of public health authorities in order to deliver a responsible and safe student experience.
Female students should wear a leotard, pink or skin-tone tights, and pink or skin-tone ballet slippers. Ladies should also have pointe shoes with them for the last 30 minutes of the audition. Cincinnati Ballet does not require students to wear a specific color leotard.
Male students should wear black tights, a white fitted t-shirt, black or white socks and black or white ballet shoes. Gray tights are also acceptable.
The audition is a ballet technique master class with a member of Cincinnati Ballet’s lead faculty or a member of the artistic staff. Students will go through barre, center and across-the-floor combinations. Ladies will be asked to wear pointe shoes for the final portion of the audition. Men will have a few select combinations as well.
In-person auditions will be subject to strict COVID-19 protocols which will be communicated in advance of the audition. Adherence to these protocols is mandatory for participation. In the event of weather delays or cancellations, please check our audition webpage for updates. Pre-registered applicants will be notified via email.
Each virtual audition will last two hours. The first 30 minutes will include check in, introductions and instructions. The audition class will last 90 minutes. Auditioning students must be available the full two hours. Students should be sure to have a private dancing space with clear lighting and a video setup that shows your full body while dancing.
The virtual audition is a ballet technique master class with a member of Cincinnati Ballet’s lead faculty or a member of the artistic staff. Students will go through barre and center combinations. Ladies will be asked to wear pointe shoes for the final portion of the audition. Men will have a few select combinations as well.
Audition results are sent via email within 5 to 7 business days of your audition. Should you require audition results sooner due to summer acceptance deadlines, please contact the Academy Administrative Office at 513-562-1111 or cbacademy@cballet.org.
Accepted students should register as soon as possible, as the number of accepted applicants surpasses the number of places in our programs. Acceptance does not guarantee your place, and registration is strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Students receiving scholarship offers have a limited window in which to register before their scholarship offer is withdrawn.
Unfortunately, due to the number of students who audition, Cincinnati Ballet is not able to provide specific training feedback from audition classes. We do, however, encourage students to continue in their training and audition again in future years. For many dancers, even a single year of focused training can significantly improve technique and opportunities for future acceptance.
Yes. Students interested in joining Cincinnati Ballet’s Professional Training Division are strongly encouraged to audition for and attend the Summer or Collegiate Intensive. The 2021-2022 PTD class includes 25 students, all of which were selected from the Summer and Collegiate Intensives. Students pursuing candidacy for the PTD program should communicate their interest by emailing the Academy Administrative Office at cbacademy@cballet.org in advance of their audition.
On occasion, select students may receive offers to join the PTD program directly from their summer program audition.
