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. (Walk-up registrants under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian during registration.)
AUDITION FEE
$35 for advance registration | $40 for walk-up registration
Audition fees are nonrefundable
All in-person audition participants should refrain from attending if they exhibit any symptoms of a contagious illness.
Additional protocols vary by venue.
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque
(on pointe for dancers working on pointe)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Dancers should be in a leotard and tights or tight-fitting dance attire.
Students participating in virtual auditions should pre-register for a date and time from the menu below.
Registration for all virtual auditions closes approximately 48 hours prior to the audition.
Virtual audition registration will not be available the day of the audition.
VIRTUAL AUDITION FEE:
$35 (nonrefundable)
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque
(on pointe for dancers working on pointe)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Dancers should be in a leotard and tights or 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 May 10, 2025. Early submission is strongly encouraged as the program has the potential to fill prior to May 10.
VIDEO AUDITION FEE:
$50 (nonrefundable)
| VIDEO AUDITION GUIDE |
| Video auditions should be performed in leotard and tights or tight-fitting dancewear. Videos require no introduction or fancy editing, should be recorded after September 1, 2024, 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 • Dancers working on pointe may dance center work on pointe OR should include separately an échappé/passé combination and a turning combination danced in the center on pointe (dancers who have been recently advanced to pointe should only include an échappé/passé combination at the barre) • Dancers should also include à la second turns and tours en l’air if applicable to their training 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. |
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.
2025 NSIA audition participants will be considered for candidacy for the following summer intensive programs: Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Arizona, BalletMet, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, and Tulsa Ballet.
NSIA Cincinnati audition participants should refrain from attending and contact the Academy if they exhibit any symptoms of a contagious illness.
Auditioning students should submit the following photos:
1) A headshot
2) A photo in first arabesque
(on pointe for dancers working on pointe)
Photos may be in color or black and white and may be any size. Photos should be taken indoors in a well-lit space.
Dancers should be in a leotard and tights or tight-fitting dance attire.
Students should wear one of the two options below:
• Leotard, pink or skin-tone tights, and pink or skin-tone ballet slippers. Cincinnati Ballet does not require students to wear a specific color leotard.
• Black tights, a white fitted t-shirt, black or white socks and black or white ballet shoes. Gray tights are also acceptable.
Dancers working on pointe should also have pointe shoes with them for the last 30 minutes of the audition.
The audition is a ballet technique master class with a member of Cincinnati Ballet’s lead faculty. Students will go through barre, center and across-the-floor combinations. Dancers on pointe will be asked to wear pointe shoes for the final portion of the audition.
In-person auditions may be subject to 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. Students will go through barre and center combinations. Dancers on pointe will be asked to wear pointe shoes for the final portion of the audition.
Audition results are sent via email within 7 to 10 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 2023-2024 PTD class includes 27 students, many of whom were selected from the Summer and Collegiate Intensives. Students pursuing candidacy for the PTD program should communicate their interest during the registration process or 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.
