Dance Auditions for Grades 9-12

The following guidelines will prepare you for the audition for the Dance Magnet.

 

Stivers Dance Magnet provides a wide range of dance experiences including weekly dance technique classes, visiting artists, interdisciplinary art projects, fieldtrips, and regular performance opportunities. The program is based in the modern dance and ballet techniques, however students regularly study a diversity of dance forms such as jazz, tap, African, folk, and Latin as well as explore related and creative dance studies (choreography, dance history, dance notation, pedagogy, pointe, repertory).

 

Dance is a unique art form; the body is the instrument of expression. It demands discipline, a high level of desire and creativity, and an ability to self-motivate so that natural talents can be fully developed. The individual dancer will work to transform their individual weaknesses into strengths and discover their own artistic voice.

 

Audition Requirements

Come prepared to dance! Ladies should wear a leotard and footless tights. Hair will need to be pulled up off of the neck and in a bun permitting the evaluators to check alignment and all jewelry must be removed. Gentlemen should wear black dance pants and black tank tops. Loose clothing will inhibit a visual assessment of movement ability and alignment. Absolutely no gum, please.
 

Expect to participate in the following: 

  • Several ballet barre exercises 

  • A creative movement improvisation

  • An ethnic modern movement phrase 

  • Positions of flexibility (splits, straddles) 

  • Participate in a group improvisation 

  • Style (ballet, modern, jazz) or a blending of several. Judges will look for movement invention, level of rehearsal/ polish, and focus. The dance should be designed to showcase the dancer's strengths. 

  • Ability to distinguish between personal and general space (and their range of movement in these areas)

  • A personal introduction that demonstrates confidence, projection, a strong and pleasant focus, and well-prepared content. 

  • A written exercise may occur that discusses your goals as a dancer and your reasons for wishing to become a part of the Dance Magnet at Stivers.  

The student may have interviews with audition adjudicators.
 

Dance auditions do not exceed an hour in length.

 

Evaluation

Evaluation of the audition is based on a five point scale with five points being the highest and one point being the lowest in the following areas:

  • alignment

  • flexibility

  • strength/conditioning

  • sequencing/memorization

  • musicality

  • range of movement

  • technical abilities

  • potential

  • locomotor

  • ability to improvise

  • focus/performance energy

  • intuition