How exactly you apply these tips will depend on your students’ needs and the programs they’re applying to. However, framing your process around these general guidelines will set your dancers and team up for success. Let’s get started!
It’s also likely that students will ask their instructors to write letters of recommendation for them since they’ve likely known these dancers for years and watched them grow into skilled performers. If this is the case, set aside time for your team members to complete this task and ensure they understand how to upload the letters to each university’s application management system.
Especially if students are attending some auditions in person and some virtually, their audition schedules may be tricky to keep track of. Help them with organization by ensuring they have a system to track the dates, formats, and locations of each audition, as well as the materials they’re using for each program.
Additionally, if they approach you with questions about where and how to schedule their auditions, review each university’s website with them to evaluate their options. For instance, if they’re pursuing musical theatre, some of the colleges they’re interested in may participate in the National Unified Auditions. If they want to audition for multiple schools’ programs on the unifieds list, it may be time- and cost-effective for them to audition there in person. However, if they’re only interested in a couple of programs, advise them to audition online for each one to save time and money.
Working off of these sources of inspiration, collaborate with your dancers to put together audition routines that align with each program’s requirements, showcase their unique skills, and are enjoyable for them to perform. This last factor is more important than you might think—students will need to practice the same moves over and over before their auditions, so liking the routine is often a motivator to keep working hard. Plus, they’ll likely feel more confident performing a routine they enjoy during the actual audition.
Once you and your dancers have figured out their audition routines, ensure they’re prepared to dance in the space they’ll actually use for their virtual auditions. If they’re using an empty room at your studio, set up a camera and lights as you would for the audition so they can get a feel for how to dance with that equipment. If they’re doing their auditions at home, walk them through the setup process in the studio so they can replicate it in their homes.
No matter which of the above options each dancer chooses, watch their practice self-tapes back with them—not only so you can provide constructive feedback on the routines, but also to ensure they seem comfortable in the audition space and make adjustments as needed.
By taking these steps to promote self-care for your college auditionees (and other dancers), you’ll contribute to the building of a positive studio culture that allows students to achieve even more success through balanced dance training and personal wellness.
The college performing arts audition process is complicated, especially when you add in the virtual aspect that is becoming more and more common. Use the tips above as a starting point to help your dancers get ready, and ask them for feedback afterward so you can capitalize on the aspects of preparation that went well and work on any areas where you have room for improvement to serve future classes of college applicants even more effectively.