Company auditions help

[Birdy]

On 04/12/2023 at 06:45, Peanut68 said:

Maybe the system of audition tours that USA companies/schools adopt could be more of a thing?

What system is this that you are talking about? I’m from the USA and have never heard of such a thing.

[Pas de Quatre]

I think possibly it is the audition tours for summer intensives rather than for company jobs that Peanut68 is thinking of. It is a whole different culture in USA and Canada as there are such long summer breaks and students need to find good training

[Beezie]

from Facebook: Houston Ballet
 

Dancers, mark your calendars! Houston Ballet will be holding Company Open Auditions for the 2024-25 season on Sunday, February 25th, 2024. 🗓️

Auditions will take place here in our beautiful studios at the Margaret Alkek Williams Houston Ballet Center for Dance.

Full details here: https://www.houstonballet.org/about/employment-opportunities/dancer-employment/

[Jan McNulty]

There's still a couple of weeks to apply for Northern Ballet in Leeds:

 

https://northernballet.com/about-us/our-people/careers/company-auditions

[Viviangrace]

How long do the dancers usually have to respond to a company contract offer (if one is so fortunate to receive an offer!)??

 

Dutch National Ballet Junior Company is hosting an audition mid-Jan 2023 and has notified the applicants that they will receive results the day of the audition.  Since this is early in the audition schedule, what if the dancer wants to wait to see what other (if any) offers may occur??  How is this usually handled??   

 

This is a new season of experiences for us!  Thank you!

[Viviangrace]

On 23/10/2023 at 13:01, Birdy said:

A few days after Grand Audition is held in Barcelona in early February, YAGP usually holds a job fair in Stuttgart. If your son is graduating from a YAGP affiliated school (one that recruits from YAGP, basically), he can automatically attend, otherwise I believe they use audition videos to screen potential attendees. (They also do one in Nashville, in the US, but I’m assuming Germany would be more convenient). A lot of company directors from the US and Europe attend.

 

I wouldn’t rule out junior companies. Most are tuition-free and provide stipends. They often tour and have choreographers come to set new works on them and also give the dancers opportunities to dance with the main company. This is different than post-grad trainee programs that require tuition. I know of almost no dancers that go straight from school into a main company.

Hello - another few questions...

 

If anyone has experience with the Grand Audition in Barcelona and the Stuttgart YAGP job fairs....can you share what time to expect these to be concluded?  Trying to arrange travel / flights etc and deciding if we can depart the day the evens end or need to plan on departure the following morning.  

 

Also, any experiences to share about the quality of the events?  Do the dancers feel they can be seen or is it overwhelmingly large in size of dancers?  

Do the company directors attend BOTH the Nashville TN USA AND the Stuttgart locations?  

[Viviangrace]

On 26/10/2023 at 09:28, Sophoife said:

 

That's not accurate.

 

Paris Opéra Ballet has two entry auditions: the internal one for students at their school, and the external one open to anyone from anywhere, including unsuccessful candidates from the internal audition!

 

Current étoiles (all three of whom trained elsewhere and in two cases danced professionally before attempting the Paris audition) who entered the company through the external audition are Ludmila Pagliero, Park Sae-Eun, and Hannah O'Neill.

 

In 2022 the sole female dancer awarded a full contract had been a principal at Pennsylvania since 2016, and started at the bottom again in Paris in 2020 with short-term contracts. The top ranked man (of two engaged) had danced with Boston for some years.

 

So @Boyballetdancer if your DC decides Paris is an option, it's not impossible.

 

Any information on the application process or links to the External audition option at POB?  We can't seem to find any information about how to apply to this from their website.  I believe I recall last year they posted on their instagram an announcement about an open audition, but it was late in the year, around July...  I would think most company auditions would have concluded by this time with contracts signed, etc..  I wonder if they hired anyone from this audition??

I realize this one is a long shot for my dancer!   Thanks!

[Lifeafterballet]

10 minutes ago, Viviangrace said:

How long do the dancers usually have to respond to a company contract offer (if one is so fortunate to receive an offer!)??

 

Dutch National Ballet Junior Company is hosting an audition mid-Jan 2023 and has notified the applicants that they will receive results the day of the audition.  Since this is early in the audition schedule, what if the dancer wants to wait to see what other (if any) offers may occur??  How is this usually handled??   

 

This is a new season of experiences for us!  Thank you!

My son attended this audition in 2019 and they invited certain dancers to stay behind at the end. They were called in one at a time with the AD and offers made. My son was offered a year of training at the Academy, after which he would be reconsidered for the Junior Company. He happily accepted but was later offered a ballet contract in the US. When he emailed the AD he received a very kind reply wishing him well in his career. 

[Viviangrace]

Congratulations for your son!  I hope he is enjoying is career!

 

Did he have to reply to Dutch National on the spot or did he have time to consider/respond/sign an offer letter?  

 

I just wanted my dancer to be prepared on the date how to verbally respond if this happens.  I guess it's very reassuring that your son received a kind reply from the AD and no bridges burned by rescinding the acceptance and that the dancers are not held to the offer. 

 

Thanks for sharing!😀 

[Lifeafterballet]

14 minutes ago, Viviangrace said:

Congratulations for your son!  I hope he is enjoying is career!

 

Did he have to reply to Dutch National on the spot or did he have time to consider/respond/sign an offer letter?  

 

I just wanted my dancer to be prepared on the date how to verbally respond if this happens.  I guess it's very reassuring that your son received a kind reply from the AD and no bridges burned by rescinding the acceptance and that the dancers are not held to the offer. 

 

Thanks for sharing!😀 

He verbally accepted but as I recall they sent the offer by email afterwards with more details about funding and accommodation etc. I remember the ones who were helpful and courteous as a-lot aren’t.  

He was in the US for less than a year. Returned home early due to the pandemic and then secured a contract with a European ballet company where he has been for the past 4 seasons. 
He has been very lucky to have had the opportunity to dance professionally. Sadly, many graduates never get that 😢

[Viviangrace]

Thanks again lifeafterballet - it is nice to hear of a positive experience and outcome for your son!  

[Sophoife]

11 hours ago, Viviangrace said:

Any information on the application process or links to the External audition option at POB? 

 

The internal and external entry competitions are held at the very end of June or in early July each year. Further information will be made available closer to the time.

 

https://www.operadeparis.fr/artistes/concours-et-auditions/ballet

 

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/artists/contests-and-auditions/ballet

 

 

[2fairygirls]

@Lifeafterballet thanks for contributing your experience . Do you remember how many people were invited to audition? My daughter has been invited and it says there will be 2 classes, with a selection made after the class as @Viviangracementioned. Trying to understand the numbers game. 50 to a class ? Or 20 ? 

 

thanks 🙏🏽 
 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @2fairygirls and welcome out of the lurking shadows!

[Lifeafterballet]

2 hours ago, 2fairygirls said:

@Lifeafterballet thanks for contributing your experience . Do you remember how many people were invited to audition? My daughter has been invited and it says there will be 2 classes, with a selection made after the class as @Viviangracementioned. Trying to understand the numbers game. 50 to a class ? Or 20 ? 

 

thanks 🙏🏽 
 

 

I’m sorry I can’t give you exact numbers but the studio was full. A lot of the dancers had been at the Hungarian National audition a couple of weeks before too. That one was heaving. Ds felt a bit overwhelmed as that was his first ever audition and he got swallowed up in the masses. At Dutch National he made a plan to push himself to the front and he got asked to stay back. Confidence is key. 

You will find that you get to see the same people at all the auditions until they get what they want and stop attending. My Ds was the only one from his school invited to the Dutch National audition, apart from 2 girls who were invited via YAGP. There were lots from ENBS doing the rounds. Not many from RBS, I recall, perhaps they get to audition privately 🤔 In our experience that happens a lot, so how many is in the room isn’t really a good indicator of what you are up against. 
Well done to your Dd. Hope she enjoys the class and gets some free time to explore Amsterdam. Both my Ds and Dd enjoyed visiting the different countries even if the outcome wasn’t what they would have hoped for 😊

[glowlight]

I have no experience of Dutch National Ballet, but I would suggest another question to be prepared for is an offer to start immediately. 

 

In February of graduate year my dd was down to the last 3 for 2 places with a contemporary company and was asked if she could start next week. She said no because she hadn't completed her course and because it was her first audition. She then regretted it because it was a long wait through lots of auditions before the next offer came. In retrospect I think she made the right choice because the contract may not have lasted more than month or so, but I think it would have helped her if she had been prepared for the question in advance.

[Birdy]

This year even students from Dutch National Ballet Academy are going through the public audition process, so I can’t imagine students from other schools are being given private auditions. Very few of the students from the program have made it through to the final round in January. Students most definitely will not be asked to start immediately, so at least that won’t be on the table.

[Lifeafterballet]

My son’s European Ballet company to my knowledge haven’t held auditions since pre pandemic. They advertise, for men only, and invite to take company class. The AD watches and then has a meeting after the class to discuss whether they are going to be made an offer. If successful it is later confirmed by email. 
This was how my son got his contract. The corps and apprentice female dancers are mainly employed from the school apart from one or two that I can think of. There are very few boys in the school. I quite like the fact that they employ their locally trained students and  wish that U.K. companies could give U.K. trained students more opportunities. 

[Neverdancedjustamum]

1 hour ago, Birdy said:

This year even students from Dutch National Ballet Academy are going through the public audition process, so I can’t imagine students from other schools are being given private auditions

How refreshing and very transparent of them. I’ve always liked this idea as they can get a good gauge of their own students against “externals”. I’ve always wondered why some schools/companies opt to audition their students separately from others.

[2fairygirls]

Thank you @Birdyfor that insight . WOW - that seems hard / harsh for the kids at the school to do the public audition. They know so much more about them than a photo and short bio. Ballet can be ruthless . In the bright side it means full transparency for those kids and they can also begin their audition process knowing for sure if there is a pathway at their own school. At my DAughter schools we won’t know until March or after exams if they made it through to the trainee|JC level so auditioning widely in the meantime . 

[Birdy]

I think it’s the first year Dutch is doing a public audition since the pandemic. It may seem harsh to tell most of the kids they can’t even do the final audition, but I think in the long run it’s for the best as then those students can really focus on outside auditions and not be in limbo for as long. It does seem a bit odd to have the kids they are seriously interested in do the final audition. I don’t know what more they can possibly learn about the kids from an audition that they haven’t learned from seeing the kids in class, in school performances and in professional performances with the company. Still, it’s an enviable position to be in.

 

It seems crazy that your DD’s school doesn’t tell them anything until March. Grand Audition and the YAGP job fair are in early February. The kids could get an offer before even hearing from their own school affiliated company.

[Emeralds]

I think that's why a lot of students (and their teachers) like to enter competitions eg YAGP, International Ballet Competition, Helsinki/Paris/New York/Beijing International Competitions, Adeline Genee (now called Margot Fonteyn competition), Prix de Lausanne etc. (although in the past, PDL used to cut participants after a barre class just like in auditions!- although that has changed now.). They get a chance to dance their variation(s) and there are often many artistic directors watching in the audience who may offer contracts to prize winners or even occasionally non winners. 

 

It's like an audition for a number of companies all at once without having to travel to different cities (although you can't choose which company's AD will or won't attend). And if you win a bit of money with your medal or certificate, that's a win-win! The performing  experience is of great benefit  too.

Edited January 9 by Emeralds

[Peanut68]

But have to bear in mind the likely huge expenses both in terms of entry fees/travel/accommodation… not to me too private coaching (unless a school favourite & so coached ‘in house’) and even I’ve heard that parents pay the travel, hotel & subsistence costs for teacher to travel & attend alongside pupil! Further adds to the elitist feel sadly coming ever back into ballet training…. There never was an even playing field (just like in most high level sports training I guess) but it’s sadly limiting just who makes it….& again engendering very similar styles of dancers to comp winner virtuoso types as opposed to well rounded artist…. My personal opinion & indeed by no means sweeps across board but the do feel in too schools too much same old same old of the super bendy, super turners, super jumpers etc etc but rarely see heart wrenching story telling that can send me to another world & elicit emotions….again all just personal opinion 

[Kerfuffle]

56 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

But have to bear in mind the likely huge expenses both in terms of entry fees/travel/accommodation… not to me too private coaching (unless a school favourite & so coached ‘in house’) and even I’ve heard that parents pay the travel, hotel & subsistence costs for teacher to travel & attend alongside pupil! Further adds to the elitist feel sadly coming ever back into ballet training…. There never was an even playing field (just like in most high level sports training I guess) but it’s sadly limiting just who makes it….& again engendering very similar styles of dancers to comp winner virtuoso types as opposed to well rounded artist…. My personal opinion & indeed by no means sweeps across board but the do feel in too schools too much same old same old of the super bendy, super turners, super jumpers etc etc but rarely see heart wrenching story telling that can send me to another world & elicit emotions….again all just personal opinion 

Social media and being known on the competition circuit (many years worth of expenses), which school you attend have a big influence at YAGP. I think expecting real story telling is almost impossible in just a few minutes which is why it’s all about the tricks. Contemporary is also about contortion and fake emotion. These days lots of Prix de Lausanne are ex YAGP dancers, I don’t know if it’s any better. Just my observations of course! 

[Jan McNulty]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I think that's why a lot of students (and their teachers) like to enter competitions eg YAGP, International Ballet Competition, Helsinki/Paris/New York/Beijing International Competitions, Adeline Genee (now called Margot Fonteyn competition), Prix de Lausanne etc. (although in the past, PDL used to cut participants after a barre class just like in auditions!- although that has changed now.). They get a chance to dance their variation(s) and there are often many artistic directors watching in the audience who may offer contracts to prize winners or even occasionally non winners. 

 

It's like an audition for a number of companies all at once without having to travel to different cities (although you can't choose which company's AD will or won't attend). And if you win a bit of money with your medal or certificate, that's a win-win! The performing  experience is of great benefit  too.

 

 

1 hour ago, Kerfuffle said:

Social media and being known on the competition circuit (many years worth of expenses), which school you attend have a big influence at YAGP. I think expecting real story telling is almost impossible in just a few minutes which is why it’s all about the tricks. Contemporary is also about contortion and fake emotion. These days lots of Prix de Lausanne are ex YAGP dancers, I don’t know if it’s any better. Just my observations of course! 

 

 

I was under the impression that while company directors may judge at or attend competitions these competitions are not job fairs and the vast majority of competitors will not be considered for company contracts at these competitions.

 

My understanding is that most companies hold auditions and invite people to apply for them or directors may go directly to the schools on occasion.

 

Certainly Northern Ballet's audition notice doesn't say anything about competitions.  (Linked again for ease of reference.)

[Peanut68]

I think the comp circuit is more about building a profile & getting to be a familiar ‘face’….I think mostly it’s places on offer to attend intensives or to join a course for a week or two (which in turn can be like a trial/audition to see if they like you/you them/wetter funding will be offered etc for offer to join course full time). I’d thought it was for older dancers but realise (especially overseas) it starts much much younger & people build their cv’s on their competition wins/attendances….

I do slightly question the integrity of tax payer funded UK school directors attending, judging & offering places at schools - full or part time. Presumably these places are within the ‘business plan’ & are not taking tax payers money to give freebies to overseas students - who by very nature of being on the comp circuit - can probs well afford to attend regular auditions & pay their way to attend courses. It becomes a bit like badges to wear…. And s bit like the whole bragging thing I recall (that seems to have died didn’t a bit now??) whereby it was not about just being offered a place at a vocational school but about being offered MDS at X, Y & Z schools! Ah the bragging rights this gave (sigh) I used to laugh when someone’s social media said ‘offered a full MDS scholarship to attend x school’ Well, all they really are oversharing is that household income at the very lower levels to justify the maximum tax payer support (quite right if that’s the case)  And quite right that government funding vis MDS /DaDa is means tested & a sliding scale of support based in income should make things fairer. Unless this money or bursary funds is then also slung out to comp circuit kids who can well afford to pay…. 
But, with increasing number of comps & this prizes, I actually can see this route may be a sound investment in the long run as may mean free trials help select right school to then attend…. What a minefield though to navigate where to go, what to dance, who to train with to get comp ready…..I thought you’d who vocational school audition rounds in UK was the maximum stress/time/expense a dance parent had to go through….. add the comp circuit research/investment….. woah….I’m off!!! 

[Jan McNulty]

Aren't most of the competitions that have been mentioned here for younger students who may then get a scholarship to attend an upper school.

 

I was under the impression that in the UK, education to the age of 18 is now mandatory.

 

Unless it has changed since the pandemic lockdowns the magazine Dance Europe often had a list of upcoming auditions that may be worth perusing.

[Kerfuffle]

You can get a job contract through YAGP and Prix de Lausanne. YAGP spans a much greater age range including under 11s (pre-competitive) so you are right @Jan McNulty a lot of the prizes for dancers are school scholarships (a year or a short visit) and various summer schools. Some schools have very high success rates and the sucessful individual dancers become YAGP ambassadors. These get invited to perform at events and are almost guaranteed to place or be in the top 12. Anyone can apply to compete but I think the earlier you start the more time you have to get a reputation - and it’ gets very expensive with all the coaching etc . The ADs of the schools who judge are used to seeing the same dancers all the time. Prix de Lausanne is for older dancers (15 +) so some might be seeking an upper school place but there will be others who want to get a job and if they win they can choose the company they join. Prix de Lausanne is very selective although a fair amount are also from the competition circuit. This is what I understand but I’m open to correction. 

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

 

 

 

I was under the impression that while company directors may judge at or attend competitions these competitions are not job fairs and the vast majority of competitors will not be considered for company contracts at these competitions.

 

My understanding is that most companies hold auditions and invite people to apply for them or directors may go directly to the schools on occasion.

 

Certainly Northern Ballet's audition notice doesn't say anything about competitions.  (Linked again for ease of reference.)

Technically not job fairs as only the most prominent participants will get offers but it's very much accepted now that jobs are offered to prize winners (and a few finalists who impressed but might not have won a certificate or medal).

 

Some competitions like YAGP & Prix de Lausanne give out school scholarships instead of medals, but it is generally known that that even these scholarships are for the best participants with companies/schools giving them out only to candidates that they can see hiring for their company or a similar company- it is rather like a sports team draft or the junior squad of a premier league academy. As the scholarships are worth a lot - either a free place for an entire year or a free place at a Sumner intensive - the school or company directors will only give them out to the best ones.

 

IBC Varna, Moscow (if we're talking about pre 2022), Tokyo, and Jackson have junior and senior categories- no scholarships but the senior category goes up to around age 26-28. Most senior category participants are already in a company and use it as a sign (if they win) to their directors that they should be considered for promotion and given better roles. Likewise the New York, Paris, Helsinki and Beijing competitions (which despite similar names are not related to IBC Varna/ Tokyo/Jackson/ Moscow). Jeffrey Cirio, Sarah Lamb, Tamara Rojo, Jose Manuel Carreno, Agnes Oaks & Thomas Edur (the latter two were  ENB principals for years, for those too young to remember them) are just several examples who were hired by major companies (Boston Ballet, Scottish Ballet or ENB) after winning one of the IBC competitions; Carlos Acosta got his job offer after winning Pd. Laurretta Summerscales and Lauren Cuthbertson got promotions very soon after winning at Varna (Cuthbertson) and Beijing (Summerscales) The Seoul and Nagoya competitions are also well regarded if less high profile. Nowadays it's actually easier to count the number of principals who have never done a competition than ones who have, as it's so commonplace.

 

British dance teachers and critics for years have not been very keen on competitions, compared to those in North America, South America, Asia and Eastern Europe, believing that it encourages the student or dancer to focus narrowly on preparing and practising only 3 or 4 solos or pas de deux to perfection rather than learning entire ballets. (Funnily enough, in the music world, British teachers and critcs are far more keen on music competitions than their dance counterparts.) However, in other continents, the feeling is that many young dancers will never get either a job or a chance to do more than stay in the corps ensemble so the competitions are really a performing opportunity to dance a solo or pas de deux like Don Quixote or Black Swan. Many nations don't even have ballet companies or events which they can perform in, so competitions are a welcoms chance to dance in front of a real paying audience. The format of course is no different to a lot of gala programmes or mixed bills where pas de deux or solos are on the programme. 

 

It's not actually necessary to have expensive or separate coaching for competitions or to spend a lot of money on costumes or choreography. The accommodation and travel fees are not dissimilar to that for an audition or holiday. (There is often a clustering of nationalities  at competitions that are cheaper for participants to get to: eg more Americans in NY & Jackson, more Europeans at Paris and Varna). Nobody gets marked down for having a cheaper costume other than that  sometimes dancers might feel more confident wearing a more attractive or beautifully manufactured costume. It's also not necessary to prepare flashy tricks or have gymnast-type extensions; competitions actually award the gold medals to the elegant and poised performer rather than merely those who did triple or more fouettes or lots of 540s. William Bracewell, never a "tricks" type of dancer or student, won the top prize, the Grand Prix, at YAGP just by having a good underlying technique, elegance in the finish of his movements and well considered interpretation- moving like a noble prince in his role as a Prince rather than an air of "watch me, I am a star who is going to do some flashy tricks next". 

 

It's also not necessary to do a lot of competitions in order to have a chance of winning- points are not awarded like frequent flyer miles. Some dancers do participate many times in the belief that if they were unsuccessful first time or second time, the experience gained will improve their chances at subsequent tries.  But a lot of successful winners have participated only in one international competition (not counting school or internal ones). It's not necessary to go with a coach- a number of participants prefer to have their mother instead, and many more prefer to do it alone - no need to worry about your coach or parent's reaction if things don't go well. 

 

The key take home point is, if the competition doesn't use a class for eliminating (IBCs don't), you will always get a chance to perform- unlike auditions, you cannot be cut until you've had a chance to dance something and you will be allowed to complete your dance unlike auditions.  And it's all on stage in front of andorextir audience like a real performance, rather than behind closed doors.

 

I think that's fairer than being eliminated solely on the basis of how you look doing plies in your leotard. And one company can reject you based on one director's preference but the results of the competition (if you place 1, 2 or 3) announce to all directors or impresarios you achieved a certain standard which can't be erased from record, whereas nobody else but that one company you auditioned for will know how you did in each audition. 

Edited January 10 by Emeralds

[alison]

On 05/12/2023 at 18:35, Lifeafterballet said:

In our experience American and Japanese dancers for example, don’t seem to be deterred from getting a contract and a visa for European companies so why is it so difficult for the British ?

 

I believe there's a lot more red tape, from something I heard recently.  Can't remember who said it, but it was probably a company AD.

[Pas de Quatre]

At Prix de Lausanne in recent years there has been a class for non-finalists which for ADs to watch and offers have been made to participants for training and jobs.

[Jan McNulty]

It's worth keeping an eye on this page:

 

https://danceeurope.net/auditions/

[Peanut68]

Emeralds -as ever, an excellent & informative post….thank you