Auditions: Company & SI

[2marzipans]

If your DS or DD is interested in getting a position with a company, is it a good idea to do a company and an SI audition for that company if he/she is still at an age that can attend the SI? Or should they skip the SI audition, and just do the company one? If it will be difficult because of the distance to auditions and rehearsal time missed with the school they are attending, I was wondering if the SI auditions could be skipped. I guess the more a company sees you, the better, but what I'm worried about is if the SI audition comes first. If your child is accepted and you have to let the deposit deadline pass, does this affect the outcome of the company audition because he/she didn't commit to their SI? If anyone has experience with this, please post.

[Guest balletandsynchro]

This is also a question of interest for me, as my DD is auditioning for companies this spring as well. I know of a few dancers both last spring and spring of 2005 from DDs school that had no success with company auditions, but were offered apprentice or trainee positions after the summer intensive which was attended. It seems to me that it is a good idea to audition for both. I suppose it couldn't hurt. Anybody's thoughts....?

[balletbooster]

I know of at least two dancers off the top of my head who have been offered company positions as a result of their SI audition. If the AD is in attendance or someone with hiring authority, this is possible. In both cases, the offers were not made right away, but did come without attending the SI. So, in some instances, that SI audition might provide a valuable opportunity to catch the eye of an AD. I've also known of a couple more who were asked to come to a company audition, after being 'spotted' at the SI audition. I think alot of this depends upon who is doing the audition and that is not always made public well enough in advance to make planning practical.

 

In a perfect world, where time and expense were not factors, I would say it made good sense to do both if your dancer has their heart set on a company. But, if they can only do one, the best chance to be viewed by the right people for a contract offer is probably the company audition.

[2marzipans]

Thanks, balletbooster, for the advice. My daughter does have two or three companies she's really hoping to get an offer from, either trainee/apprenticeship or admission to their year-round school. I know we will try to do both the SI and company auditions for these. You're right when you say that often offers do come from SI auditions and from attending the intensive. I'll be glad when it's August and I can say to myself, "Why did I worry so much?"! My daughter, on the other hand, is as cool as a cucumber, and keeps saying,"It will all work out." Whatever happens, she would be more than happy to stay where she is for another year of training.

 

To balletandsynchro and everyone else with kids heading off next spring to company auditions -

 

Hope all our kids are successful - wishing everyone safe trips to and from all the auditions, too!

 

2marzipans

[balletgirl22sk]

In my experience with my oldest dd, she did both co. and SI auditions but never both for the same co/school. The first trainee job she got, she did their co. audition and got a call a few weeks later with the trainee offer. Now, after 2 years there, she is at a new co. This one she took the 2nd co. class for 2 days, they made her come to the SI for 6 weeks before giving her an answer. Luckily, it worked out and she is in the 2nd co. It makes it very difficult when SIs make the kids come for the summer and then don't offer them anything. By that time, it is late July or early Aug. and they have nothing! One of my dd's classmates did mostly co. auditions and still never got anything- they are both 20 now. I think it is safer to do SI auditions for kids that will be graduating.

 

p.s.- I am going tomorrow to see my dd in her first performances with her new co! Very anxious!!

[ddm3]

If it is possible (not too hard to squeeze in or get to), I would do at least 2 or 3 of the SI auditions which could lead to traineeship offers after attending the SI. Of course, that is if your dancer is realistically interested in taking such a course should nothing else avail itself this audition season. I think it helps to have options! Good luck everyone!

[Guest balletandsynchro]

ddm3 and balletgirl22sk: Thanks so much for the advice. My DD is going to do I think 3 or 4 SI auditions, as a "just in case." It is nice to have options! Just from having seen my daughter's friends going through the audition experience last year and the year before, it seems like there was indeed a percentage of girls who were offerend trainee or 2nd company positions after attending the summer intensives. It was good for them, since they were not successful in the normal company auditions, whether they open auditions or they were invited to take a company class. Why not maximize the opportunities to be seen, and possibly be hired? It certainly doesn't hurt to try!