​audition Tour 2022
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Audition Requirements
  • Applicants should be between 12-19 years of age and have a strong basic classical foundation in relation to their level and age.
  • Students may choose to audition for as many Ellison Ballet programs as they would like during the Audition Tour, including all summer programs and the year-round program.** Please see specific program pages for age requirements/eligibility.
  • Students who are 11 years old may audition for the EBSI if they will turn 12 by June 2022.
  • Professional dancers up to age 24 may be considered for the Pas de Deux Intensive on a case-by-case basis. Interested professional dancer applicants should email [email protected] with their CV upon submitting their online audition registration.
  • Dancers should audition with the age group that they fall into on the date of their audition. 

Audition Process
  • ​Register online for your audition by clicking the red CLICK TO REGISTER buttons on this page.
  • There are three ways to audition; all are given equal consideration:
    • In-person audition (see Tour below for audition dates and locations)
    • Video audition
  • Audition Registration Fee (Non-Refundable): $40
  • Students must upload two recent photos with their audition registration: 
  • While pre-registration online is strongly preferred, walk-in registration is available at all in-person audition locations except for San Francisco.
  • Audition dress code:
    • Girls -- solid color leotard, full-length pink or skin-tone tights, ballet slippers, pointe shoes
    • Boys -- white t-shirts, full-length black tights, ballet slippers​​
  • All students who audition will receive a letter via email indicating acceptance, wait-list, or non-acceptance within two to four weeks. 

​Covid-19 Protocols for In-Person Auditions
  • ​All in-person audition attendees must wear a mask when indoors at all times, regardless of vaccination status.
  • All in-person audition attendees must submit proof of Covid-19 vaccination OR proof of medical/religious exemption and a negative Covid-19 test taken 72 hours before audition. 
    • Proof of vaccine or letter of medical/religious exemption must be uploaded with the student's online registration. 
    • Proof of vaccination includes photo of CDC vaccine card, screenshot of state-issued Covid vaccine app, official vaccine record, or photo or copy of an official vaccination record of a vaccine administered outside the United States.
    • Please note the following location-specific protocols: Our San Francisco, Houston, Boston, and Chicago locations do not allow vaccine exemptions of any kind; all audition registrants in these cities must submit proof of vaccination. Our Toronto location does not permit religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement. Our Minneapolis location accepts exemptions only on a case-by-case basis. Our Dallas location requires that any unvaccinated participant traveling to Dallas by airplane quarantine prior to their audition. All participants at our Houston location must wear hospital-grade masks.
    • Exemption letters for medical reasons must come from a licensed physician and must be uploaded with the student's registration.
    • Exemption letters for religious reasons must come from a parent or clergy person and must be uploaded with the student's registration. 
    • All students requesting exemption must also submit a negative Covid-19 test. The student must take the test within 72 hours of their audition. Proof of negative test results must be emailed to [email protected] at least 12 hours prior to their audition start time. Both rapid tests and PCR tests are accepted at all locations except Seattle, which requires a PCR test. Test results should clearly display the student's name, the date the test was taken, and the negative result.​
  • Some locations may require temperature checks or other screening procedures on site, so please plan ample time for your arrival and check-in. Some locations allow the students only (no parents or caregivers) to enter the building.
  • In addition to uploading proof of vaccination or proof of exemption with their registration, all in-person auditionees should bring their credentials with them to the audition and be prepared to show their documents if requested.
  • Many locations are limited capacity, so register early to ensure your place.
  • Please note that Covid-19 policies may change as the situation and/or local mandates evolve, so please check this page prior to your audition to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.

Acceptance and Enrollment Process
  • Accepted students will receive an email with their invitation letter indicating which programs they have been accepted to as well as any scholarship awarded, fees, and enrollment deadlines. The acceptance email will also contain an online enrollment link with further information and Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive policy. The online enrollment form must be submitted by the listed deadline or your spot may be forfeited.
  • Wait-listed students must reply indicating whether or not they wish to remain on the wait list within ten days of the date on their Wait List letter. Those who wish to remain on the wait list will be informed of final decisions by mid-March. Priority is given to the full SI program (4, 6, or 8 weeks) participants. 
  • **Those wishing to be invited into the year-round program are strongly encouraged to audition for and attend one of our summer programs first. The summer intensive programs are considered “Phase Two” in the audition process for acceptance into the year-round program. This allows Mr. Ellison and the faculty to see how the student works over an extended period of time, and allows the student to get first-hand experience of Ellison Ballet, its faculty, and programs, thereby allowing both to determine whether the student and school are a good fit. Auditions for the year-round program are held during the four-week Summer Intensive each year for interested students.

**For additional questions regarding auditions and/or our summer programs, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have a question that is not answered on our website, please email [email protected]. No phone calls unless urgent.
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Audition Tour 2022
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January 2 – San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Ballet
455 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 12:30pm   Audition: 1:00pm-3:00pm
*Note: This location requires proof of full vaccination submitted for all attendees, no exemptions or exceptions of any kind. No walk-in registrations will be accepted at this site. 

January 8 – Santa Monica, CA - Westside School of Ballet
1709 Stewart Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 3:00pm    Audition: 3:30-5:00pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 4:30pm    Audition: 5:00-7:00pm

​January 9 -  Toronto, ON - Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre **CANCELLED DUE TO LOCAL LOCKDOWN**
*Toronto registrants should contact [email protected] to transfer their registration to a video or Zoom audition.
509 Parliament Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M4X 1P3
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 9:30am     Audition: 10:00am-11:30am
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 11:00am    Audition: 11:30am-1:30pm
*Note: This location accepts medical exemptions only; religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement are not accepted at this site.

January 16 – Atlanta, GA –  Atlanta Ballet
1695 Marietta Boulevard NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 3:30pm   Audition: 3:30pm-5:30pm

January 16 – New York, NY – Ellison Ballet/Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
248 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 11:00am  Audition: 12:00-1:45pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 1:00pm   Audition: 1:45pm-4:00pm

January 22 – Washington, DC – Washington Ballet
3515 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20016
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 3:00pm    Audition: 3:30pm-5:00pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 4:30pm    Audition: 5:00pm-7:00pm

January 29 – Chicago, IL – Ballet Chicago
17 N. State Street, Ste 1900, Chicago, IL 60604
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 4:00pm    Audition: 4:30pm-6:00pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 5:30pm    Audition: 6:00pm-8:00pm
*Note: This location requires proof of vaccination for all attendees, no exemptions or exceptions of any kind. 

January 30 – Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Dance Theater
528 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 12:30pm   Audition: 1:00pm-3:00pm
*Note: This location accepts religious or medical exemptions to the vaccine requirement on a case-by-case basis only.

January 30 -- Miami, FL – Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet
15939 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL 33160
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 12:30pm   Audition: 1:00pm-3:00pm

February 5 – Dallas, TX – Texas Ballet Theatre
300 North Coit Road, Richardson, TX 75080
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 1:30pm   Audition: 2:00pm-4:00pm
*Note: Unvaccinated auditionees who travel to this location by plane are required to quarantine prior to their audition.

February 6 – Houston, TX – The Houston Ballet Center for Dance
601 Preston Street, Houston, TX 77002
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 11:30am   Audition: 12:00pm-2:00pm
*Note: This location requires proof of vaccination for all attendees, no exemptions or exceptions of any kind.
All attendees must wear a hospital grade mask (3-ply, KN95 or equivalent) at this location.

February 6 – Boston, MA – Boston Ballet
19 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 12:00pm   Audition: 12:30pm-2:30pm
*Note: This location requires proof of vaccination for all attendees, no exemptions or exceptions of any kind. ​
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February 13 – New York, NY – Ellison Ballet/Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
248 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 11:00am  Audition: 12:00-1:45pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 1:00pm   Audition: 1:45pm-4:00pm

February 20 – San Diego, CA – California Ballet
4819 Ronson Ct, San Diego, CA 92111
Ages 12-14    Check-In: 12:30pm  Audition: 1:00pm-2:30pm
Ages 15-19    Check-In: 2:00pm   Audition: 2:30pm-4:30pm

February 26 – Seattle, WA – Pacific Northwest Ballet/Francia Russell Center
1611 136th Pl NE, Bellevue, WA 98005
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 12:30pm   Audition: 1:00pm-3:00pm

​February 27 – San Jose, CA – New Ballet School
196 N. 3rd St, San Jose, CA 95112
NEW TIME: Ages 12-19    Check-In: 2:00pm   Audition: 2:30pm-4:30pm
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Zoom Auditions
 
Ellison Ballet will hold audition classes on Zoom on the following date: 

Sunday, March 6
Ages 12-14:     Sign-In to Zoom: 12:30pm  Audition: 1:00-3:00pm (USA-Eastern)
Ages 15-19:     Sign-In to Zoom: 3:00pm   Audition: 3:30-5:30pm (USA-Eastern)
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Registration Deadline: Friday, March 4, 12pm (USA-Eastern)​

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Zoom Audition Information:
  • Zoom audition classes will be taught by Artistic Director Edward Ellison and/or the full-time Ellison Ballet faculty.
  • Students may participate in Ellison Ballet Zoom auditions either in their own homes or in a dance studio. 
  • Students who register for their audition prior to the registration deadline will receive their Zoom invitation link approximately 48 hours prior to their audition. Students who register after the deadline will receive their Zoom invitation link approximately 30-90 minutes prior to their audition.
  • Students should sign into Zoom 30 minutes prior to the audition start time. Students will be placed in a waiting room until the audition begins.
  • **Pas de Deux: Students who are auditioning for the Pas de Deux Intensive via Zoom must also include in their online registration a video link  demonstrating their pas de deux abilities. Footage must include demonstration of classical pas de deux work and may also include contemporary pas de deux footage if available.
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Optimizing WiFi and Zoom Settings:

Virtual classes run best with a strong, fast internet connection. Some tips to optimize your connectivity:
  • Make sure your router is located near your device – the further it is, the weaker your signal.
  • Keep your router dust-free and properly ventilated.
  • Restart your modem a day or two prior to your audition. This cleans up old data and re-provisions your modem configuration from your ISP.
  • Check for other devices on your network. Other devices doing data-heavy activities such as streaming video, gaming, or downloading large files at the same time as your class may use up bandwidth and slow down your connection.
 
Please view the following guides to optimize and enhance your Zoom settings: ​

Video auditions
Students may submit video auditions if they are not able to attend the in-person or Zoom auditions listed above.

How to audition by video:
  1. Film your video according to the Video Submission Guidelines below.
  2. Upload your video to a site such as YouTube, Vimeo, DropBox, or Google Drive.
  3. Register your audition online at the link above and pay audition fee. Be sure to include your online video link with your registration. 

Video Submission Deadlines: 
     Los Angeles Summer Programs: May 15, 2023
​     New York City Summer Programs: June 1, 2023
​     Year-Round Program: August 1, 2023

Video Submission Guidelines:
  • Video submissions should be approximately 15-20 minutes in length.
  • Videos do not need to be professionally filmed, but should show the student's full body clearly.
  • Videos can be filmed in a dance studio or home dance space. See below for home studio set up guidelines.
  • Dress code:
    • Girls -- solid color leotard, full-length pink or skin-tone tights, ballet slippers, pointe shoes
    • Boys -- white t-shirts, full-length black tights, ballet slippers
  • At the beginning of the video, you should introduce yourself and state your age, the number of year(s) of ballet/dance study, the number of years of pointe work (if applicable), the name(s) of your current school and teacher(s), and any previous summer intensive programs, festivals and/or international ballet competitions in which you have participated.
  • Video should demonstrate barre and center exercises, including adagio, tendus, pirouettes, grand pirouettes, petit, medium, and grand allegro, tours en l'air for men, fouettes and pointe work for ladies. You may also include a classical ballet variation if desired.
    ​**We understand that some students who do not have access to a studio or suitable space may not be able to include all requested exercises.
  • Pas de Deux: Students who are auditioning for the Pas de Deux Intensive via video audition should also include footage demonstrating their pas de deux abilities. Footage must include demonstration of classical pas de deux work and may also include contemporary pas de deux footage if available.

***You MUST register online to submit a video audition. Unregistered candidates will not be considered for Ellison Ballet programs. 
​***DO NOT SEND VIDEOS VIA EMAIL. Video links must be submitted within the online registration form.
 

setting Up Your Home Dance Space


We understand that every student’s situation and home is different, and understand that all families do the best they can within their space and financial restrictions. Where the use of an actual dance studio is not possible for a Video or Zoom Audition, the following recommendations are optional and encouraged, but are not required:
  • Clear your space as much as possible to create the largest possible dancing area.
  • Move extra furniture out of the space if possible, or to the edges of the room.
  • Arrange your camera/device and lighting fixtures to allow for the student to be clearly lit. Use curtains or sheets or portable lamps to optimize your lighting.
  • Place your camera/device where your body can be fully visible, including your feet.
  • We recommend the purchasing of Marley or dance floors where possible. Where a dance floor is not possible, we recommend having a yoga mat or similar item available to help prevent slips and cushion jumps.
  • Many portable ballet barres are available for purchase. Other families have made their own using railings and wall brackets purchased from Amazon or hardware stores. To stabilize a portable barre that is too light or unsteady, some dancers have found a solution using sandbags, dumbbells, or other weights to secure the feet of the barre.
  • If a barre is not available, please find another suitable replacement. Options may include railings or banisters, kitchen counters, backs of couches or heavy chairs, or other furniture.


Fees and tuition


Audition Fee: $40
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2022 TUITION:
Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive (EBSI) | NYC - 4 Weeks: $3800
Classical Variations Intensive (CVI) | NYC - 2 Weeks: $2300
Classical Variations Intensive (CVI) | LA - 2 Weeks: $2300
Pas de Deux Intensive (PDD) | NYC - 2 Weeks: $2300

​*Audition fees, registration fees, and housing costs are not included in tuition.
​
**We offer a $300 tuition discount for students participating in two or more programs (with a total attendance of six weeks or more). This discount does not apply to students on scholarship.

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Scholarships:
Scholarships are limited and considered for students of exceptional talent and need and granted at the sole discretion of the artistic director. Students receiving scholarship offers are expected to make early decisions about attendance. See our FAQs for more information.
 
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Notice of Non-Discrimination Policy
Ellison Ballet admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of any of the aforementioned qualities or characteristics in its recruitment and admission of students, educational policies, scholarship programs, and the operation of any of its school-administered programs.

For more information, please check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Email us at: [email protected]