DANCE
Audition Procedure
All students must complete an audition in person. Virtual accommodations cannot be made. All auditions are closed to parents/guardians, family members, or peers.
If you leave during your audition, you may be disqualified.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@ellingtonarts.org or call (202) 807-0538.
DANCE AUDITION SCHEDULE
Your IN-PERSON Dance auditions begin on Monday, February 7 OR Wednesday, February 9. The time to sign-up for and attend depends upon which letter of the alphabet your last name begins with. All males (and male-identifying) audition together. Females (and female-identifying) are split into two groups.
There are TWO-DAY auditions depending on your group (Monday/Tuesday OR Wednesday/Thursday) and ONE CALLBACK (Friday 2/10/23)
MALES IDENTIFYING
Please report to audition registration no later than 1:30pm, so you can check in and then proceed to locker room to change. Your auditions will be held on both Monday, 2/7 and Tuesday, 2/8 from 2:35 pm – 4:45 pm.
FEMALES IDENTIFYING
Please report to audition registration no later than 1:30pm, so you can check in and then proceed to locker room to change. There are two groups for Girls based on last name (Group 1: A-J, Group 2: K-Z).
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GROUP 1: If your last name begins with A through J, you arrive by 2:00 pm on Monday, 2/6 and Tuesday, 2/7
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GROUP 2: If your last name begins with K through Z, you arrive by 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 2/8 and Thursday, 2/9
By 11:59PM on the second day of your two-day audition you will be notified via Acceptd as to whether you have been selected to return for callbacks on Friday the 10th. To be considered for dance at Ellington you must attend callbacks.
CALLBACKS: All Callbacks are held at 2:35 pm. If called back, the day to come is: Boys & Girls: Friday, 2/10 at 2:35 pm
MONDAY 2/7
ALL BOYS & GIRLS
2:35 - 5:15 PM
GROUP 1
A - J
TUESDAY 2/8
ALL BOYS & GIRLS
2:35 - 5:15 PM
GROUP 1
A - J
WENESDAY 2/9
GIRLS
2:35 - 5:15 PM
GROUP 2
K - Z
THURSDAY 2/10
VIRTUAL
2:35 - 5:15 PM
GROUP 2
K - Z
FRIDAY 2/7
VIRTUAL
2:35 - 5:15 PM
ALL CALLBACKS
What We are Looking For
At Ellington we are here to teach – prior training is certainly valued, but we are first and foremost evaluating your potential and passion for dance. During your audition, we will be looking for students who:
Physically and verbally express their passion for the art of dance
Show a strong desire to work diligently on technique
Display a willingness to accept discipline and/or positive correction
Exhibit flexibility, a natural sense of movement, musicality, an innate ability to follow directions, always maintain a positive attitude, and the physique and stamina appropriate for rigorous dance.
What to Wear to Auditions
Students auditioning for the dance department are advised to:
Arrive ON TIME to your audition, late arrivals may be disqualified
Girls (or identifying): Leotards and footless tights, wear white socks and ballet shoes
Boys (or identifying): Black footless tights, white tank top, dance belt (supporter – not jockstrap), regular belt around the waist, white socks, and ballet shoes
Students that identify as non-binary and unsure how to dress, please contact us at admissions@ellingtonarts.org.
(If you are unable to acquire the clothing described above for your audition, please contact us at admissions@ellingtonarts.org so that we can find alternatives)
Keep hair away from face and off their shoulders (ex. pulled back, away from the face in a tight bun or secured with a thin hairnet)
Remove as much jewelry as possible. In cases where jewelry cannot be removed (i.e., piercings), jewelry should not exceed [insert diameter] in size, be of a neutral color or metal, and should remain as close to the skin as possible (ex. studs v. hoops
Remove all fingernail and toenail polish.
How to Prepare for Auditions
In addition to the materials sent in for your Ellington application through the My School DC Lottery.
Platform
A physical medical form for the current school year or a medical form from your doctor, clearing you for participation in a rigorous dance program.
(If you have questions about what you can bring, please contact admissions@ellingtonarts.org)
Two (2) 8x10" photographs: one (1) headshot (portrait) and one (1) full body shot.
(If you cannot provide photographs, please contact us at admissions@ellingtonarts.org)
The Audition Process Itself
For your audition, you will participate in a dance class involving both ballet and modern techniques, as well as strength and conditioning. No solo dances are performed during the audition – you do not need to prepare any choreography!
Dance auditions happen in multiple stages: an initial audition, and then two rounds of callbacks for selected students.
If selected to continue the audition process in the callbacks, participation in each session is mandatory in order to be considered for dance at Ellington.
Having a Successful Audition
Show us that you mean business – arrive and check in for your audition early, prepared to dance, with all required documentation uploaded and required attire. Stay focused.
Late arrivals will not be permitted to join the audition session and may have to join the next session, or who do not have all required documentation, as described above, will not be allowed to audition.
However, if you are unable to acquire the clothing described above for your audition, please contact us at admissions@ellingtonarts.org so that we can find alternatives.
We do not permit late auditions. If you attend Day 1 but miss Day 2 (or vice versa) you will no longer be able to audition and continue with the admissions process.
Due to the high number of dance applicants, dance auditions cannot be rescheduled. You must participate in all days of the dance auditions for which you are selected – dancers who advance beyond the 2-day audition must attend callback and/or final callback auditions as scheduled.
Please note 504 and IEP accommodations are available, please contact us at admissions@ellingtonarts.org with any questions or concerns.