2023–24 AUDITIONS
2023–24 AUDITIONS
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2023–24 SCHOOL YEAR AUDITIONS
Levels 1–3 at San Francisco Ballet School are formative years where a student learns and applies basic concepts of classical ballet technique to their dancing.
ENROLLMENT SCREENING
All new students ages 8–10 must attend a screening day in order to enroll. This screening will resemble a trial ballet class. SF Ballet School Director Patrick Armand will be looking to see if a student is interested and excited to learn ballet, has a natural ear for music, wants to work hard, and can apply direction and corrections into their work. SF Ballet School does consider a student's physical abilities during the enrollment screening. We want to ensure that ballet training, which requires a great deal of flexibility and strength, will be safe and healthy for the child.
SCREENING DATES FOR THE 2023–24 SCHOOL YEAR
You will select the group based on your student's age as of September 1, 2023. A $30 audition fee will be charged for each application. You may only attend one screening per season.
April 29
Age 8: 2:00–2:30 PM or 2:30–3:00 PM
Ages 9–10: 3:00–3:30 PM
June 3
Age 8: 2:00–2:30 PM or 2:30–3:00 PM
Ages 9-10: 3:00–3:30 PM
August 28
Age 8: 4:00–4:30 PM
Ages 9-10: 4:30–5:00 PM
LEVEL PROGRESSION
Once a student is admitted into the beginning levels of the Ballet School, they will be placed in a class based on their level of technical training and ability. A student may spend one or two years at each level up to age 12. The Director's annual assessment of the student's progress will determine the student's placement the following school year. Once a student is 11 years old, they will be invited to audition for the intermediate levels.
Students ages 11–14 who live in the SF Bay Area and are looking for serious ballet training are encouraged to register for the School Year audition.
AUDITION
At the audition, we will be looking for students with the natural attributes for a career in classical ballet and we expect that students will have had some previous ballet experience either in SF Ballet's children's division or at another ballet school. Preferably, girls will have begun some beginning pointe work, but this is not required.
ENROLLMENT
From the audition, students who are invited to enroll at SF Ballet School are generally placed in the intermediate levels 4–6. Classes meet 5–6 days per week for 10–20 hours per week. Level 4–5 classes occur after school between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Level 6 classes occur in the afternoons between 2:00 PM and 6:45 PM. When students enroll in Levels 4–6, they must be prepared to prioritize ballet as their primary activity given the level of commitment. Daily attendance is mandatory. Please note that housing in our dormitory is not available for students Levels 1–5 and there is limited availability for Level 6 students.
Level Progression
Each invitation to enroll is for one year of training. It may not be deferred or transferred. At the end of each year, a student's progress, and potential for a career in classical ballet will be evaluated and considered for the next year of training. Enrollment is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Students who continue to make satisfactory progress but are not yet physically ready for the next level may be invited to continue their enrollment for a second year at the same level.
AUDITION DATE FOR THE 2023–24 SCHOOL YEAR
You will select the group based on your student's age as of September 1, 2023. A $50 audition fee will be charged for each application.
April 29
Ages 11-14: 3:45–5:15 PM
WHO IS SF BALLET SCHOOL LOOKING FOR?
School Director Patrick Armand is looking for students who are passionate about the art form and motivated to pursue intense training toward a career in classical ballet.
- Intermediate and advanced level ballet students who are ready to take the next step in their training toward a professional career in ballet
- Students who have significantly researched ballet schools and are confident that SF Ballet School is their top choice
2023–24 SCHOOL YEAR AUDITIONS
Is San Francisco Ballet School your first-choice school for training next school year? Are you ready to take charge of your future and commit to making this move?
Students ages 14–18 will be considered for the intermediate/advanced levels for the School Year.
SCHOOL YEAR AUDITION TIMELINE
To be considered for early admittance for the 2023-2024 School Year Applicants must be 14-18 by September 1, 2023
- November 1, 2022 – February 6, 2023: Pre-Selection video applications are open.
- Students will be notified of their pre-selection video audition results within 2 weeks of their pre-selection video submission.
- Pre-selected students will be invited to participate in a live audition in New York on January 15 (video submissions due by January 11) or in San Francisco on February 12.
- Accepted students will receive notification of their acceptance in March and will enroll in May 2023. Some students may be invited to the 2023 Summer Session for further consideration.
- If you hope to attend the 2023 Summer Session, you must submit a video audition or attend a live audition for summer in addition to your school year pre-selection video.
Please follow the guidelines below when filming your pre-selection video audition. A $50 audition fee will be charged upon submission. Please note, SF Ballet School will only accept electronic online submissions through the video application website, SlideRoom, and will not review DVDs or email submissions that are sent to the School.
Please note that if the student is offered a space in housing, they will need to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations prior to the start of program.
Email registrar@sfballet.org with any questions.