When winter arrives, many dance students find themselves in a similar situation: It’s time to start thinking about summer intensives, but their list of anticipated projects reads like a cross-country trip. How do they get to auditions in New York, San Francisco, Houston, and Chicago—especially when the cost of auditions is just the tip of the financial iceberg that includes airfare and hotel rooms?
virtual advantage
Before the coronavirus pandemic, in-person auditions were the norm. But now, many summer programs offer film options. “We are always looking at submissions,” said Michelle Manzanales, director of Ballet España’s dance academy. “But during COVID, we improved our skills because we went from submitting just a few videos to submitting a lot of videos.”
Manzanales said that while nothing can replace an in-person audition, there are certainly benefits to auditioning via video. “You can take multiple takes and try to do your best,” she said. Robert Fulton, co-founder of The Ballet Scout, a database of auditions, training and jobs, adds that if you decide to go the video route, there’s no need to pay for a professional photographer. “You can use apps to edit, and you can use your phone to take photos and videos,” he said.
maximize your time
If you do make your mind up to audition in person, there are plenty of ways to make the most of your investment. “There are a lot of different groups auditioning now,” Fulton said. “There was a National Summer Intensive Audition Tour and a National Masters Audition, with 13 different companies participating.” Manzanales added that Ballet Hispanica participated in the St. Louis Creative Arts Center’s Regional Summer Intensive Auditions and the Mexican Scout Dance, which Just a few of the other opportunities for many schools to watch at the same time.
Manzanales also says there are events you may have attended throughout the year, such as competitions, conferences and master classes, that can count as summer intensive auditions. For example, last year the New York City Dance Alliance offered a scholarship to Ballet Hispano’s summer program at every conference, as did Manzanales after teaching a master class for the American Collegiate Dance Association’s Northeast region. “Sometimes these things are not widely publicized,” she added. “But see if there’s an opportunity to leverage what you’re already doing in school.”
Smart travel
If you’re not used to big city life but have your heart set on a four-week program in Miami or Toronto, Manzanales believes it can be valuable to visit a location before committing. If you do plan to travel long distances for auditions, Fulton recommends sharing rides and hotel rooms with friends or classmates to save money.
If you know you’ll be in a certain city on a certain weekend, find out what other auditions are taking place so you can attend. For example, some websites can help you search for auditions by time frame and location. “It’s perfectly okay to have multiple auditions throughout the day and over the weekend,” Fulton said. “If you’re used to dancing three to four hours a night, that’s two audition classes in a row.”
Be your own advocate
When planning for the intensive summer audition season, both Manzanales and Fulton recommend tapping into your network and asking for help. “You can contact the school. It won’t hurt,” Fulton said. “A lot of times they’ll waive the audition fee or maybe connect you with a helpful family that can provide housing.” Manzanales also often sees dancers making their own peer-to-peer connections on social media.
Manzanales said students have more power than they think. “Practice your student voice,” she said. “Letting your current principal know about the schools you’re interested in, even if they haven’t been in touch, could be very beneficial if the principal reaches out and it creates a new relationship with their students.”
