Audition season through our eyes

[Momof3darlings]

Well, it's Jan. 1st and Football is in the air but the countdown has also begun! The SI audition circuit goes into full swing next weekend and mom's and dad's everywhere are gearing up for a rapid paced few months of stress, fun, excitement, disappointment and the never ending loss of funds for audition fees.

 

Here's to good luck to all! May your dancers get the acceptances they desire. May your dancers receive the scholarships you need to help them get there. And may your stresses and reactions to stresses be few!

 

We start off the season with two auditions on the 8th and 9th and then a break until the 22nd!

 

Let's call this thread, the parents eye view of the season. Let us know how your DK's are handling it all and if their dream SI's are coming true.

 

vj

[Victoria Leigh]

Great idea, vj! I start next Saturday too, and have 6 straight weekends of trips. All flights this year, and all but one require stay overs. Love the auditions, hate the trips.

[Redstorm]

DD has auditions on the 8th and 9th, then again on the 14th! We are off to a busy year! DD is looking forward to this years auditions and seeing the friends she made last year. I am looking forward to seeing some of the moms from last year too! Niether of us have the nerves like last year, thank goodness. I feel like an old pro now. thanks to the support we recieved from everyone here at BA last season. Good luck to all you dancers and hang in there parents. It will all be over soon!

[AsleepATheWheel]

I am happy to be a member of Ballet Alert this audition season. The past two years have been an education and I had many questions and few answers at the start. Now, more seasoned, but no less confused I feel more a part of a community. I wish all parents and children an interesting journey through this stressful time of the year (as opposed to Nutcracker and actually packing and attending the SI).

[mom1]

Although DD, for the past two years, has attended audition classes that were held at her studio, this is her first year auditioning with the intent of going away. She has a very short list of where she would consider attending if accepted. So technically, its her first real audition season. It'll be interesting to see how it goes.

[LRS]

It is interesting on how the audition season changes as the kids get older! Dd has a "select" list of SI's that she is interested in auditioning for. My role is one of driver, and providing $$ for the auditions! I am looking forward to visiting with my Ballet Alert friends that I have met over the years. And meeting new ones!

 

Victoria Leigh- I hope that you have good weather this year and safe travel. Hopefully none of the auditions will have to be rescheduled (anywhere) for weather!

[Lily]

We newbies are off, too! This is our first experience with this whole process. I am researching nonstop, and my DH is starting to look over my shoulder wondering what is going on (and maybe questioning my sanity). Reading through this site has helped to put many things in perspective. I did not realize how many things must be considered in order to make the right choices.

 

Since my dh is only 11, my original intent was to start researching now for auditions next year - it may take me that long to sort out all the options. However, she is determined to go somewhere this year, and I am pursuing that direction cautiously. She wants to do a few auditions and I am going to try to steer her toward those that are close to home and seem like they are most age appropriate. I have no idea what to expect and want it to be a positive experience, not an intimidating experience.

 

So, we will take our pictures this week, pack our extra tights, and follow all the fantastic tips found on this board. When dd started ballet, I never expected to be doing this - I never heard of an SI - and dh and I thought ballet was an inexpensive activity (HA- did not know anything about pointe shoes). I guess we'll always be newbies!

[Muck Luck]

Third season of S.I. auditions and I like to keep in mind to keep the stress level low- the outcome really doesn't matter all that much but the time spent with our daughters and sons does. It's gone so quick! Keep in mind that true talent gets spotted right away and the rest of our dancers it's mostly a shake of the dice influenced by factors dancers have no control over so.....

 

Enjoy eating out with friends and family (who needs to waste time breaking our N.Y's resolutions!)

Enjoy window shopping ( I can't afford buying at any of the shops around the audition site!)

And most of all enjoy being a Mom that reminds their dancer as far as your concerned they will always be your Prima ballerina!

[Treefrog]

DD and I just spent a pleasant evening bookmarking all the possibilities in Dance and Pointe magazines. Next step (for her): organizing things into an Excel file so we can see which auditions are real possibilities, and also what the individual requirements are (e.g. pictures, etc.)

 

Interestingly enough, even though she just turned 17 this will be her first full-out audition season, due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery that limited her in previous years. It's fun to see her approach it with a certain looseness and anticipation. She really seems to be looking forward to taking the classes, regardless of the outcome. It may sound odd, but I think having lost a year of training and knowing that she is a bit behind her peers has freed her up in a way. If she's not accepted, she knows there's a good reason, and if she is ... Wow!

[mini cooper]

I must agree with the "veterans" of this board, this is a third round for us, and we begin it with eager anticipation. The auditions will be fun. DD has yet a different list than in years past.

 

The photos were easier than ever this time around. This year we had real live help from our AD. DD walked in with the list of photos she needed, and they were mostly done on first takes. AD immediately put them on a CD so we can print at home. We are thankful for such assistance.

 

DD's list is a bit smaller than last year. There is one audition she had to scratch off the list because it conflicts with a dance activity. Should the schedule change we will add that one back into our mix.

 

The AD has kept the kids dancing over the holiday so dd won't have had too much of a break before auditions start.

 

It was this time last year that we began looking for a new school. It's nice to be going into audition season with a healthy dancing state of mind.

 

I wish for everyone's dk's that they have success in this journey - as that translates for each. I wish for sanity in the process for all concerned - those who conduct the auditions, dk's and parents. I wish for reasonable traveling distances, and weather conditions that accomodate the travel.

 

Let the fun begin!

 

mc

[eskimopieo]

My dd has decided to skip auditioning this year since she decided to attend the performing arts camp she loved so much last year. She is 12 & this is the last summer she'll be able to attend, so she decided to wait until next year to audition for SIs. Plus, she feels she is not as well prepared as she ought to be since her class schedule has not been the greatest this fall. But her love for dance seems to have sparked again recently, so I am optimistic for next year.

 

I hope the stress level is at a minimum, and the enjoyment of the whole process at a maximum for all you parents not as...um, lucky?...as me to have the SI season "off"!

[pj]

My daughter is doing her 4th season and while I'm yawning, she's busy typing a list of all the things she wants to remember to bring/wear to the audition and her own set of audition tips (which she says are too personal for me to see). This year she is planning on doing 5 auditions, which is way more than every other year. But all I have to do is to not get LOST on the way to the audition, since I have a ballerina with a type-AAA personality helping me drive from the back seat.

 

I'm looking forward to hearing all the fun things about each of the auditions as they get revealed to me on our nice long drive home each audition day.

[flygirl]

This year is very different for my 13 yo DD. She has truly become consumed and fueled by her love of ballet and she is determined to be the best dancer that she can be. After two years of low-key SI's now she wants to audition for the "big names" even tho' she realizes it is a reach. Her fall back is the 5 wk "ballet boot camp" of which you all speak or the 5wk program at her home studio. She is excited about the idea of either of those as well! Her teachers this year have truly been wonderful and I am sure that has something to do with her outlook. I feel she is in such wise, competent, encouraging and caring hands. Nice feeling since she is there 6 days/week. I don't know if she will be accepted into any of the name programs... but she will push herself and work hard wherever she attends. I know she'll improve and feel successful at the end of the summer.

[Guest balletandsynchro]

With DD at a residency school, I won't be driving to any SI auditions - it will be odd, but nice! DD has her audition schedule planned, and local parents drive the students to the various auditions.

[eskimopieo]

My dd has decided to skip auditioning this year since she decided to attend the performing arts camp she loved so much last year.  She is 12 & this is the last summer she'll be able to attend, so she decided to wait until next year to audition for SIs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL, guess I posted a day too soon! We just found out that Atlanta Ballet will be holding an audition in Savannah sometime in March. Since we're so close, it would be a shame to pass up on an audition opportunity right in our own backyard. Plus, the new Georgia Southern camp is just a little farther up the road & the dates won't conflict with that performing arts camp she wants to attend. So I guess she'll be auditioning this year after all, but just once!