Audition Requirements
- Applicants should have a strong basic classical foundation in relation to their level and age. Please see the following for program age requirements/eligibility.
- International Repertoire Intensive: Ages 12-24
- Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive: Ages 12-21
- Classical Variations Intensive: Ages 13-21
- Pas de Deux Intensive: Ages 16-24
- 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.**
- Students who are 11 years old may audition for the EBSI if they will turn 12 by June 2023.
- Dancers should audition with the age group that they fall into on the date of their audition. (Ex: If a student is 15 years old in January during the audition, but will turn 16 in April before the program begins, the student should audition with the 12-15 age group.)
- **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 specifically for the year-round program are held during the four-week Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive each year for interested students.
Audition Process
- Register online for your audition by clicking the red CLICK TO REGISTER buttons on this page.
- There are two ways to audition; both are given equal consideration. Please note we are not holding Zoom auditions during the 2023 Audition Tour. Any student who cannot attend an in-person audition is encouraged to submit a video audition.
- 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:
- 1st arabesque
- Tendu a la seconde
- See Frequently Asked Questions for more information regarding audition photos.
- While pre-registration online is strongly preferred, walk-in registration is available at all in-person audition locations via a QR code. Walk-in students should arrive at least 15 minutes early and will need to fill out our online audition form on-site from their mobile device. Walk-in auditionees must have a credit or debit card to pay the audition fee.
- 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
- Please note the following location-specific protocols:
- Washington, D.C.: This location requires all participants to wear a mask at all times while inside their facilities, including during the audition.
- Boston: This location requires all participants to show either proof of Covid-19 vaccination OR to provide a negative Covid-19 test (at-home tests are acceptable) taken not more than 24 hours prior to the audition time.
- 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.
**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 erica@ellisonballet.org. No phone calls unless urgent.
Audition Tour 2023 |
January 7 – San Jose, CA – New Ballet School
196 N. 3rd St, San Jose, CA 95112
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 1:00pm Audition: 1:30pm-3:00pm
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 15-24 Check-In: 4:30pm Audition: 5:00-6:30pm
January 14 – Chicago, IL – Ballet Chicago
17 N. State Street, Ste. 1900, Chicago, IL 60604
Ages 12-15 Check-In: 1:30pm Audition: 2:00pm-3:30pm
Ages 16-24 Check-In: 3:00pm Audition: 3:30pm-5:00pm
January 15 – San Diego, CA – California Ballet
4819 Ronson Ct., San Diego, CA 92111
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 12:00pm Audition: 12:30pm-2:00pm
January 16* – San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Ballet
455 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Ages 12-14 Check-In: 12:00pm Audition: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Ages 15-24 Check-In: 1:30pm Audition: 2:00pm-3:30pm
*Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 21 – Boston, MA – Boston Ballet
19 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116
Ages 12-15 Check-In: 11:00am Audition: 11:30am-1:00pm
Ages 16-24 Check-In: 12:30pm Audition: 1:00pm-2:30pm
*Note: This location requires proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken not more than 24 hours prior to the audition for all attendees. Walk-in auditionees should bring their proof of vaccination or negative Covid test with them to check-in.
January 22 – 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: 11:45am-1:30pm
Ages 15-24 Check-In: 1:00pm Audition: 1:45pm-3:30pm
January 22 - Denver, CO - Colorado Ballet
1075 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 9:00am Audition: 9:30am-11:00am
January 28 – Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Ballet
2835 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85034
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 11:30am Audition: 12:00pm-1:30pm
January 29 – Seattle, WA – Pacific Northwest Ballet
Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 12:30pm Audition: 1:00pm-2:30pm
February 4 – Houston, TX – The Houston Ballet Center for Dance
601 Preston Street, Houston, TX 77002
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 3:30pm Audition: 4:00pm-5:30pm
February 4 – Charlotte, NC - Open Door Studios
3706 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 3:00pm Audition: 3:30pm-5:00pm
February 5 – Washington, DC – Washington Ballet
3515 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20016
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 11:00am Audition: 11:30am-1:00pm
*Masks are required at all times at this location.
February 5 - Boca Raton, FL - Harid Conservatory
2285 Potomac Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
Ages 12-24 Check-In: 2:30pm Audition: 3:00pm-4:30pm
February 12 – 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: 11:45am-1:30pm
Ages 15-24 Check-In: 1:00pm Audition: 1:45pm-3:30pm
Video auditions |
Students may submit video auditions if they are not able to attend the in-person auditions listed above.
How to audition by video:
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:
***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.
How to audition by video:
- Film your video according to the Video Submission Guidelines below.
- Upload your video to a site such as YouTube, Vimeo, DropBox, or Google Drive.
- 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.
- Please make sure you video's privacy settings allow us to view it - use settings such as "public" or "unlisted" and don't forget to share the password for password-protected links.
- 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.
- 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.
Fees and tuition
Audition Fee: $40
2023 TUITION:
International Repertoire Intensive (IRI) | LA - 2 Weeks: $2450
Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive (EBSI) | NYC - 4 Weeks: $3950
Classical Variations Intensive (CVI) | NYC - 2 Weeks: $2375
Pas de Deux Intensive (PDD) | NYC - 2 Weeks: $2375
*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.
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: erica@ellisonballet.org