The season is quickly approaching; when your senior-year dancers are visiting campuses, getting college applications ready and narrowing down their selection of which dance programs they'll be auditioning for. However, it is a daunting task in itself for a dancer to decide which programs are a good fit for them without having taken classes there yet. As dance teachers and studio owners, helping to prepare them to audition effectively and successfully can put some of those nerves at ease; providing our dancers with a clear view as to what they are walking into and how to make the most of what is essentially, for many, their first professional dance audition.

In my own experience as a teacher preparing students to audition, I have found like with any job interview: being yourself, being articulate in what your goals are, demonstrating a unique quality of what you bring to the table, a solid technique and the potential for growth and development are what the college program directors are essentially looking for. Over the next four years, who could this dancer evolve into as a technician, a performer, a choreographer, a dance academic and an artist?

In order to provide you with a little bit more clarity and direction on audition selection, below is some key insight on auditioning for undergraduate programs that I think will give you a substantial glimpse into the process. Primarily, it's important for dancers to understand that the college dance audition has many facets to it. Awareness of this, psychologically, will initially get dancers in the right mind-set before forging ahead.

#1: RESEARCHING PROGRAMS:

The first step for dancers should be to do exhaustive research on the programs that might be a good fit for who they are as a dancer, who they want to become as a dancer and what they hope to achieve over the next four years. Research regarding the curriculum concentrations and aesthetics a program focuses on is paramount. In addition, many college campuses, offer specific days where prospective students can attend classes, tour the dance department and campus and speak to current dance majors to get a better sense of the program and professors prior to auditioning. During one's research, also be sure they have a clear understanding of the different tracks within the program (i.e. BFA, BA, etc.,) so that they know where they want higher dance education to take them and what track is appropriate for their long term goals.

#2: THE AUDITION: The basic structure of a college dance audition consists of a ballet barre or full class, a modern combo, improvisation, a solo, and interview. Many programs with heavy ballet emphasis ask the dancers to do a ballet solo- preferably "en pointe." And… if there is a wide variety of dance offered, they could throw in a multi-cultural dance combo (i.e. African, Indian Classical Dance, etc.) Furthermore , often, an essay on why a student wants to attend the program is also requested with application submission.

The Ballet Portion: The importance of the ballet portion of the audition is to look at a dancer's alignment as well as use of core and center.

The Modern Portion: As many, if not most college programs are modern based, the modern combination is a clear indicator of how dancers can play with weight shift, level use, breath and how well they pick up combos. Also, while many dancers are unfamiliar with improvisation until the higher education years, in my own experience, it is an extremely important addition to private sector curriculum dance training. As a modern and choreography composition teacher, I implement it as a structured addition to my dance classes beginning with my youngest dancers. Many college programs are now including it in their auditions to see how a dancer moves naturally, uses the space and what their instinctual movement profile is. Furthermore, in my experience, the younger a dancer is exposed to consistent improvisation in their classes, the more uninhibited they will be when asked to do it throughout the teenage years.

The Solo: The solo portion of the audition process is an integral part to showcasing one's aesthetic and giving the program directors a sense of who they are as a performer. While some programs make cuts throughout each portion of the audition, it is their chance to show how they perform. Many times, the solo portion of the audition has been an instrumental part for some prospective dancers; where up until that point they might have been overlooked or not admitted into the program. Their solos are where that performance quality and certain dancer did shine and show their potential. While the preference for a modern based program would be to see a modern solo, if a dancer is not a modern dancer, most times a genre in which a dancer can express themselves best or perform what they are most comfortable with provide the best indicator of their potential. However, be mindful, in preparing an audition solo, if it's a modern-based program, a tap solo may not be the best way to go. In general, most colleges discourage the use of Top 40 kinds of music on their own stages, so…. be eclectic and find fresh, innovative and original accompaniment.

Finally, dance programs are seeking a combination of core strength and alignment, a clear performing style, and a sense of coordination. Years taking classes from teachers who focus on these things are critical. College and universities are less interested in "tricks," so dancers are better off performing something that shows their strength and a range of dynamic qualities.

The Interview: The interview portion usually occurs after the dance audition is over and is a chance for you to ask questions and speak about yourself, what your goals are and what you hope to accomplish over the next four years. With this chance for one-on-one time with one of the program directors, it is important for the dancer to get to know them and for them to get to know the dancer. It is also crucial for the applicant to outline and write down concise, yet poignant questions. This is a golden opportunity to find out as much about what the program has to offer them as what they have to offer the program. Keeping in mind that universities are also seeking articulate dance academics as well, this is the time to showcase that ability.

# 3 HELPFUL TIPS! Here are some other quick tips for dancers to think about prior to their audition:

· Be sure the application and essay submission are proof-read and grammatically correct.

· If photos are requested with application submission, be sure they submit a tasteful and appropriate photo that can clearly show alignment. Have them wear a leotard and tights in their photo and submit a shot where their face and movement can be seen clearly (i.e. first arabesque, etc.)

· One should arrive promptly to their audition; leaving ample time to check in and warm-up.

· Dancers should show up as they would to any dance class or professional audition with neat, slicked back hair for ballet class, clean tights and appropriate shoes, no jewelry, etc.

· For the solo, be sure to choose movement and music that is original and fresh and showcases the dancer in the best light. Also, make sure they bring back-up copies of their music in the event of technical difficulty.

· For their interview, they should bring a change of professional clothes if there is time. Remind them, there should be no gum chewing during the interview process or during class.

· Make it known at the time of your audition if you are seeking financial aid or a scholarship. Many dancers don't make mention of this while there are sometimes funds to be distributed.

· Occasionally an application will get lost in the shuffle, so if an audtionee doesn't hear anything after a few weeks, they should give the admissions department a call to follow-up. They might then refer the applicant to call the dance department directly. A dancer should always be proactive about their audition status after ample time has gone by.

· Be sure to provide an uplifting pep-talk to send dancers off to their college audition with motivation and confidence. I usually tell my students, "Keep in mind that there is only one you. As you begin your journey into college dance auditions, think about who you are as a dancer, performer and artist. Think about what you can bring to the program and where you have room to grow. Consider what you hope to get out of your college dance program. Where are you hoping it leads? What kind of training and academics are you seeking? Does a program match up with those long term goals? Do you feel the program will prompt you to be a "whole dancer?"

Remember that the program directors are looking for that strong, technique base along with the notion that they see the potential in a dancer to grow technically, artistically and academically over the next four years. They are also looking for dancers with comparable SAT/ACT scores and good grades that they deem ready for the academic responsibilities included in the curriculum. So, be sure your students continue to work towards being a well-rounded dancer, student and individual. It will take them far in their endeavors! Best of luck to you all.