Photo: Ballet Brazos PR Team. (Ballet Brazos Nutcracker 2023 Warm Up. Artists: Rowdie Swanson, Lexi Sink, Dalyn Bouhairie.)
Auditions are in the form of a master class, led by Diane Bedford, Clinical Associate Professor and Section Chair of Dance Science and Performing Arts in the new School of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Art at Texas A&M University, and Erin Duncan, former dancer with Atlanta Ballet and instructor at Fort Bend Academy of Dance. Auditions are adjudicated by two or more outside judges with professional ballet experience. Casting decisions are final, based on adjudication and Artistic Director decisions. An independent board member and observer will certify that casting is consistent with the outside judge scoring.
Cast Announcement
The cast will be announced August 21, at 4:00pm. All dancers auditioning will receive an email with the Cast List. If you have not received an email by 4:30pm, please check your spam/junk mail folder and contact info@balletbrazos.org if you do not have an email.
Dancers declining all offered roles must do so by August 21, at 11:59pm, or they will be ineligible to audition the following year.
Audition Requirements
Please read all the audition requirements sections below, making note of the fees, rehearsal schedule, and attendance policy prior to auditioning. Dancers will be responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of auditioning and of being a Ballet Brazos dancer.
Once you have verified that you are eligible to audition and can fulfill the requirements of a Ballet Brazos dancer, please complete the online registration process by August 14, at 11:59pm.
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Auditioning dancers are required to be at least 8 years old on or before August 31.
Although it is not required, in order to increase your chances of earning a place in our production we strongly recommend the following:
Age: 8-9
Years of Ballet Training: 2-3
Hours of Ballet Training per Week: 1-1.5
Age: 10-12
Years of Ballet Training: 4-5
Hours of Ballet Training per Week: 3
Age 13+
Years of Ballet Training: 6+
Hours of Ballet Training per Week: 5
Participation in Summer Ballet Intensives, either locally or outside the Brazos Valley.
Pointe
Hours of Ballet Training per Week: 5
Participation in Summer Ballet Intensives, either locally or outside the Brazos Valley
Pointe classes at least 2-3 hours per week throughout the previous year and current summer
On pointe for at least one full calendar year
Party Parents will be cast by invitation only
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Please read the Ballet Brazos Policies for all performers thoroughly. Ballet Brazos Dancers, their families, and guardians must follow the policies outlined in the Ballet Brazos Dancer Handbook.
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Please review the Rehearsal Schedule for performers. Performers must adhere to the attendance requirement outlined in the Dancer Handbook and verify that they do not have conflicts with the attendance policy.
To host a production of this kind, dancers must be willing to commit to the entire schedule. Please do not audition if you anticipate conflicts with school, sports, or family engagements will result in not adhering to our attendance requirements.
Please take special note that dancers cast for Snow or Waltz have MANDATORY rehearsals Aug 31, Sep 7, and Sep 14. If you cannot attend these rehearsals, please check the box on the registration form indicating this. Dancers who cannot make these rehearsals will not be cast as Snow or Waltz, but will be considered for other roles.
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Dancers must wear appropriate rehearsal attire for auditions.
Female
Leotard - BLACK (no colored leotards or accents on black leotards)
Ballet tights - pink or skin-toned
Ballet shoes - pink or skin-toned. Shoes should match the tights.
No skirts, tutus, or shorts
Hair must be neatly secured away from face in a classical ballet bun, French twist, or similar style
Male
PLAIN white t-shirt/ballet t-shirt
Men’s/boy’s black ballet tights or shorts
Ballet shoes - black, white, or skin-toned (white socks optional)
Hair must be neatly combed and away from face
Ballet suspenders may be worn with ballet tights
Dancers who are cast must have their own required ballet garments for their role(s), which will be detailed in the costume guide they will receive upon being cast. As an example, a female role may require: a leotard, two pairs of tights, shoes for their role, and rhinestone stud earrings. As an example, a male role may require: men’s ballet tights, dance belt, ballet t-shirt, and shoes for their role.
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Dancers must upload two photos with their registration: a picture in first arabesque and a headshot. Photos do not need to be professional photos.
FIRST ARABESQUE PHOTO
Dancers should be in audition attire in the photo. Ladies should wear their hair in a neat bun and natural makeup, if any is worn. Young men should have hair neatly styled - secured from their face if the hair is long. First arabesque is recommended to be photographed at a dance studio in center with a plain wall behind.
Ladies, 8-9: First Arabesque (on flat)
Ladies, 10+: First Arabesque (on relevé; en pointe, if pointe audition)
Boys and Men: First Arabesque (on flat)
HEADSHOT
Dancers should be in audition attire in the photo. Ladies should wear their hair in a neat bun and natural makeup, if any is worn. Young men should have hair neatly styled - secured from their face if the hair is long.
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Ballet Brazos' policy is to cast no more than 3 roles per dancer, including understudy roles. Any more than 3 roles requires Board of Directors approval. In addition, only one lead role per dancer will be cast. Any more than one lead role per dancer requires Board of Directors approval.
Dancers will have the opportunity to indicate the number of roles they are willing to accept during registration. Some dancers may be cast in more than one role if they have indicated interest on their registration form. Dancers must accept all roles offered, or decline being part of the performance. If offered multiple roles based on the number indicated during registration, dancers may not choose to accept some and decline others.
Please take special note that dancers cast for Snow or Waltz have MANDATORY rehearsals Aug 31, Sep 7, and Sep 14. If you cannot attend these rehearsals, please check the box on the registration form indicating this. Dancers who cannot make these rehearsals will not be cast as Snow or Waltz, but will be considered for other roles.
The cast will be announced August 21, at 4:00pm. Dancers declining all offered roles must do so by August 21, at 11:59pm, or they will be ineligible to audition the following year. Casting decisions are final, based on adjudication and Artistic Director decisions.
Audition Dates and Times
August 17
Location
Due to renovation delays at our audition venue, auditions are being moved to an alternate location. Auditions will be held at
James Earl Rudder High School
Rudder Performing Arts Center
3251 Austin’s Colony Pkwy
Bryan, TX 77808
Please make adjustments accordingly. The audition times are not changing - only the location.
Audition Fee
Technique Only: $30/dancer
Technique & Pointe: $45/dancer
Registration
Registration must be completed online by Wednesday, August 14.
No registration at the door.
Audition Groups
Dancers will be notified of their audition group by email on August 16.
Ages: 8, Technique
8:45am-9:15am
Arrive at 8:00am to check in and warm up
Ages: 9-10, Technique
9:30am-10:15am - Group 1
Arrive at 8:45am to check in and warm up
10:30am-11:15am - Group 2
Arrive at 9:45am to check in and warm up
Ages: 11-12,Technique
11:45am-12:45pm - Group 1
Arrive at 11:00am to check in and warm up
1:00pm-2:00pm - Group 2
Arrive at 12:15pm to check in and warm up
Ages: 13+, Technique
2:15pm-3:45pm
Arrive at 1:00pm to check in and warm up
Pointe*
3:45pm-5:15pm
*Optional audition
*1+ year of pointe required
*Must attend both a Technique and the Pointe audition
What to expect when auditioning
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Dancers will receive their official audition group and times Friday, August 16, at 6:00pm, via email. If you have not received your audition group by 6:30pm, please contact info@balletbrazos.org
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Please arrive at your scheduled arrival time. Your completed online Registration Form will be printed by us and provided for review at the audition.
Auditions are closed and may not be observed by families. Families may wait in the lobby where a question and answer session will be held for those with questions. Families may also leave and return at the end of auditions.
Your dancer will be released at the end of auditions. Please plan to promptly pick your dancer up at that time.
Dancers will receive numbers to safety pin to their leotards/t-shirts. Numbers will be pinned on by audition staff for young dancers. Older dancers will pin their own numbers.
Height and measurements will be taken at check in to allow our costume staff to prepare for fittings.
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Caregivers/guardians may stay for a question and answer session with Ballet Brazos representatives during their dancer’s audition. This will be an opportunity for the adults to ask questions regarding the audition process, accepting/declining roles, etc.
Auditions are closed auditions. The question and answer session will be held in a separate area of the facility from the dancers auditioning.
Caregivers not staying for the question and answer session may stay inside the facility in the designated waiting area or may leave the facility and return at the end of their dancer’s audition.
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Once dancers are checked in, they will be allowed to warm up for auditions. Auditions for ages 8-12 will have an assistant who will help guide our dancers in warming up. Older dancers will warm up on their own at this time.
We ask that our dancers please only bring their dance shoes to change into, a small dance bag with water, and any items they need for dancing. Electronic devices are permitted, but must be put away in dance bags with the ringer set to silent. No photography or use of phones is permitted without staff permission once dancers are checked in. These items may not be brought into the audition room and will be left in a designated area outside the audition room.
Ballet Brazos is not responsible for any items lost or left behind.
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Ages 8-10 auditions and ages 11+ Technique auditions will begin with a short barre. Judges will be watching their technique, knowledge of age appropriate ballet skills, ability to pick up combinations, and general presence in class.
All auditions will have some combinations in center, away from the barre. In addition to the same categories as at barre, the judges will be able to observe stage presence, which styles of the various Nutcracker roles suit the dancers, how well they dance in groups, etc.
Older dancers may also be given combinations across the floor and portions of variations to further assess their ballet skills.
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A few dancers may be asked for callbacks. The judges will request they stay for the next age group audition. Ballet Brazos staff will notify the dancer’s caregiver so arrangements can be made to pick up at the later time.
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Ballet Brazos has very high expectations for ability and stamina in pointe work due to the intensity and length of weekly rehearsals. Dancers auditioning on pointe should continue to take pointe classes at least 2-3 hours per week throughout the summer in order to be prepared for this audition. Also, please note that for the safety of dancers, pointe auditions should only be scheduled for dancers on pointe for at least one full calendar year.
Pointe auditions will be similar to a master class. It will begin with barre work. As before, judges will be watching their technique, knowledge of ballet skills, strength of pointe work, ability to pick up combinations, and general presence in class.
The audition will include combinations across the floor, center work, and portions of variations. In addition to the same categories as at barre, the judges will be able to observe stage presence, which styles of the various Nutcracker roles suit the dancers, how well they dance in groups, stamina on pointe, etc.
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During the Pointe audition, dancers are released at different times. This may be for the dancer’s safety, the skills required for the rest of the audition are above their level at that point, or the judges have decided what roles they would recommend for the dancer.
We request the dancer’s transportation stay close so that the dancer may be picked up within 5 minutes of being released. Dancers who do not have a device to contact their transportation will be allowed to use the Ballet Brazos phone.
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The cast will be announced August 21, at 4:00pm. All dancers auditioning will receive an email with the Cast List.
If you have not received an email by 4:30pm, please contact info@balletbrazos.org.
Dancers accepting or declining all offered roles must do so by August 21, at 11:59pm, or they will be ineligible to audition the following year.
Casting decisions are final, based on adjudication and Artistic Director decisions.
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The cast will be announced August 21, at 4:00pm. Dancers declining all offered roles must do so by August 21, at 11:59pm, or they will be ineligible to audition the following year. Casting decisions are final, based on adjudication and Artistic Director decisions.
Register for Auditions
Register.
Registration must be completed online by Wednesday, August 14, at 11:59pm. No registration at the door.
Please read all the audition requirements carefully, making note of the fees, rehearsal schedule, and attendance policy prior to auditioning. All dancers will be responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of auditioning and of being a Ballet Brazos dancer.
Please take special note that dancers cast for Snow or Waltz have MANDATORY rehearsals Aug 31, Sep 7, and Sep 14. If you cannot attend these rehearsals, please check the box on the registration form indicating this. Dancers who cannot make these rehearsals will not be cast as Snow or Waltz, but will be considered for other roles.
You may upload digital copies (under 1M each) of your headshot and first arabesque through the online form and may update your form until August 14 at 11:59pm.
Pay fee.
$30/dancer, Technique only
$45/dancer, Technique & Pointe
See you at auditions.
Please arrive at your scheduled arrival time to check in and complete the registration process. Auditions are closed and may not be observed by parents.
Due to renovation delays at our audition venue, auditions are being moved to an alternate location. Auditions will be held at
James Earl Rudder High School
Rudder Performing Arts Center
3251 Austin’s Colony Pkwy
Bryan, TX 77808
Please make adjustments accordingly. The audition times are not changing - only the location.
FAQs
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Auditioning dancers must be at least 8 years old on or before August 31, 2024. While they are not old enough to audition this year if they are not 8 on or before August 31, we would love for them to join our auditions next year!
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The photos do NOT need to be professional photos. The photos will only be used for auditions. It is best if they are done with a solid background.
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Participation in Summer Ballet Intensives, either locally or outside the Brazos Valley, is not required for auditioning. However, it does help dancers strengthen their technique and stamina, which are important for advanced and lead roles. Thus they are strongly recommended for our dancers seeking advanced or lead roles.
Audition Information Mailing List
You may sign up for our Auditions 2024 mailing list if you would like to receive emails, tips, and reminders regarding auditions. Signing up for the mailing list is not a commitment to audition, nor is it registering you to audition.