PRE-PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY
This is our new company this year, and is not one of our student groups, but available for any ballet student in the community who is looking for more opportunity to train at a high level in classic ballet. Dancers will train with Dansu outside their home studio, and have the opportunity to perform in our classic ballets, travel to Youth Arts Grand Prix which is a national scholarship audition, and also take ballet exams with American Ballet Theatre. Dancers who are in middle school or high school and also on pointe are welcome and encouraged to audition.
Time Commitments
See below for more specific breakdowns, but the average hours in class a week are:
Spring (April-May) - 1-2 hours more than current schedule
Summer (June-August) - 3 hours plus two full week camps
Fall (September-December) - 4-5 hours
Winter (January-March) - 6-8 hours leading up to a performance in early March
General Studio Dance Classes
Middle Schoolers - Must be enrolled in at least two hours of Ballet classes per week either at Studio Dansu or another "Home Studio" (starting the Fall after acceptance). Additional classes are recommended, but not required.
High Schoolers - Must be enrolled in at least three hours of Ballet classes per week either at Studio Dansu or another "Home Studio" (starting the Fall after acceptance). Additional classes are recommended, but not required.
Company Technique and Choreography Classes
*Rehearsal times are subject to change based on studio, instructor and dancer availability*
Summer - Two training camp weeks (tbd based on student availability) that meet from 9:00am-12:00pm to advance technically and learn choreography, and One-2 hour rehearsal that meets once per week during our Summer Session
Fall - One-2-3 hour rehearsal that meets once per week until December
Winter - *Extended Season* One-2-3 hour rehearsal and that meets once per week leading up to Youth Arts Grand Prix
Performances and Events
Company Members will be expected to be available and any extra rehearsals leading up to a performance or event.
Scheduled Events (optional unless noted):
Summer Tour (Chicago 2024, St. Louis 2025, Orlando 2026)
July 13th or 14th - Art Fair on the Square Performance
September 14th - The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Performance (required)
November TBD - Exams through American Ballet Theatre
December 5th-7th - A Nutcracker Masquerade Performance (required)
January or February 2025 - Youth Arts Grand Prix Scholarship Audition
Financial Commitments
✔ Company Members will need to be enrolled at the unlimited rate for both Summer and School Year Sessions if a student of Studio Dansu, if they have another "Home Studio" they will need to be enrolled in the required ballet classes and pay that studio's tuition
✔ Company Members are responsible for food and accommodations for our June Tour
✔ Workshops or Exams
Audition Information
*All dancers interested in joining our 2024-2025 Company must attend an Audition on Saturday May 4th or submit videos prior to May 15th*
The audition process encourages the dancer to reach a higher standard for themselves. They are encouraged to consistently work to improve their dance technique. This is educational for those students wishing to pursue dance in college or as a career. Auditions are a part of most dance companies, and knowing what to expect is vital to the dancer's success. Even if a dancer has no desire to pursue a dance career, the audition process will help students prepare for interview situations such as college admissions and job placement.
The audition process is also important because it allows the Artistic Director the opportunity to see the potential dancers dancing side-by-side. This enables the Artistic Director to make choreographic decisions for the coming year.
Audition Registration:
Begins at 9:30am. Dancers will check in with staff and turn in:
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Registration Form (print and bring in)
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Resume
What to expect:
Once registration is complete the audition will be PROMPTLY at 10am. If you arrive late, you will not be allowed to audition. There will be a short ballet center warmup and an adagio and allegro combination taught and shown in small groups. After a short deliberation break, dancers will be taught a contemporary ballet combination that will include improvisation. Finally, dancers will demonstrate technical elements showcasing their strength and flexibility including pirouettes, battements, leaps, splits, etc.
Audition Dress Code:
Black Leotard or Adaptatoe or Footless Tights. Ballet Shoes. Hair completely off face and neck either in a bun or something acceptable if has short hair
~or~
White form-fitting T-Shirt, Black Bike Shorts or Leggings
Company Announcement:
Everyone auditioning will receive a notification via email with Company Placement (Senior, Junior, Trainee) prior to May 30th, and will need to accept with an email response.