Live Auditions - Frequently Asked Questions

Plan to arrive to the audition thirty to forty minutes early so that you have ample time to warm up. At the start of the audition students will gather in our Elizabeth Sherbon Black Box theatre where we will introduce the faculty and answer any questions you or your parents may have. After this, dancers will transition to the ballet studio where faculty will lead technique courses. The technique courses will consist of a variety of ballet barre, adagio & allegro, modern phrases, and jazz combinations. This technique class will last approximately an hour and a half.

Following the technique course dancers will be asked to perform solos. Student volunteers will be on hand to help notify you when you are next to perform your solo as well as to help assist with music.

• Form-fitting dance clothing that allows the choreographers to see the lines of the body (such as leotards, tights, yoga pants, bike shorts, leggings, camisoles, etc.).
• Ballet slippers or jazz shoes may be worn. Bare feet are also permitted. Please bring pointe shoes if you plan to do a solo en pointe.
• No street clothes or street shoes.
• No athletic shorts and bra tops.
• Long hair should be kept pulled away from the face.
• Remove any dangling jewelry.

Throughout the auditions faculty will evaluate dancers on range of movement, dynamic contrast, body connectedness, shaping of space, balance, breath support, and grounded movements. For solos, the faculty expect to see work that best highlights your personal strengths as a dancer.

Our sound systems can accommodate devices that can connect through an auxiliary port (cord provided) or compact discs. An assistant will be on hand to cue your music.

• KU Dance is located inside Robinson Center at 1301 Sunnyside Avenue. Robinson Center is conveniently located within walking distance to both a parking garage and a moderately restricted parking lot. If you are visiting the department on the weekend for auditions, the department encourages you to park in lot 90, located just south of Robinson Center.
• If you are visiting the department on a weekday during normal business hours, the department encourages that you park in the parking garage located on the southwest corner of Sunnyside Avenue and Naismith Drive. There is a small hourly fee for parking in this garage.
• Please pay attention to posted signs regarding lot restrictions. Parking tickets are costly and the department is unable to waive parking fees that are assessed during visits or auditions.
• The department makes every effort not to schedule auditions on days where basketball home games are scheduled as parking becomes heavily restricted during these events.