Auditions & Introduction to Ballet

Elementary School Auditions

Each year, Ballet Tech auditions approximately 30,000 children at 200 public elementary schools across NYC for its Introduction to Ballet Program. No prior dance training is required to audition. At the audition, children are led through a simple series of movements such as bending their knees, seated forward bends, and skipping. While evaluating each child’s aptitude for classical dance, Ballet Tech’s audition staff looks for an innate joy for movement as well as flexibility, musicality, and coordination.

Public Elementary School Principals and Administrators: Are you interested in BT visiting your school? An audition is easy to set up—you choose the day and the space, we take care of everything else. It’s not time-consuming for you, your staff, or the students, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for a lot of children who might not otherwise get the chance to explore dance. Register your school for an audition by calling us at 212-777-7710.

Parents: your child’s elementary school’s participation in Ballet Tech’s auditions and Introduction to Ballet Program is at the discretion of your principal – so please speak with them if you would like your school to participate. If your elementary school does not participate, then your child can audition directly for Ballet Tech at one of our Open Auditions.

Introduction to Ballet Program

Each school year, Ballet Tech visits public elementary schools across NYC and holds auditions for The Introduction to Ballet Program. In a typical school year, Ballet Tech visits approximately 200 schools and auditions 30,000 students. No prior dance training is required to audition — children are led through a simple series of movements that evaluates each child’s aptitude for classical dance, including flexibility, musicality, coordination, and an innate joy for movement.

Approximately 500 of the 30,000 children who audition each year then participate in The Introduction to Ballet Program. Students travel from their elementary schools one morning a week for five weeks to Ballet Tech’s studios at 890 Broadway in Manhattan as part of an ongoing field trip. Children showing the greatest aptitude may be invited to continue training at Ballet Tech.

The Introduction to Ballet classes introduce students to the fundamentals of ballet, including basic steps, ballet vocabulary, class structure, discipline, and appropriate dance attire (which Ballet Tech provides).

Open Auditions 2023-24

Ballet Tech holds open auditions throughout the school year. All the auditions listed below are for students CURRENTLY enrolled in the 3rd grade.

(Note: check back for updates regarding how to audition for Ballet Tech’s Middle School. That audition is organized in conjunction with the Department of Education’s Middle School application process.)

Previous dance experience is not required for students who are applying to Ballet Tech’s Elementary School. Students must be residents of New York City in order to attend Ballet Tech.

Please review the audition dates below:

Thursday, January 11, 2024 @ 4:30pm
For students currently enrolled in 3rd grade.
Click HERE to register for the JANUARY audition.

Saturday, March 16, 2024 @ 12:00pm
For students currently enrolled in 3rd grade.
Click HERE to register for the MARCH audition.

Audition Location
Ballet Tech
890 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY

Time
We recommend that you arrive 15-30 minutes prior to the start of your audition. Please be on time — latecomers will not be admitted. Each audition lasts approximately 45 – 60 minutes.

Attire
If your child has dancewear (leotard, tights, and ballet slippers) they should wear it to the audition. Otherwise, please have your child wear form-fitting clothing (tank tops, leggings, shorts etc). Hair should be secured up and away from the face.

The Audition
The audition will be in the form of a beginner ballet class. Students do not need to prepare anything for the audition.

HOW TO REGISTER
Please click on the link accompanying the audition dates listed above. We are requiring that each child be accompanied by only ONE ADULT.

If you have any questions please email us at info@ballettech.org.

I honestly feel that I owe everything I am and everything I have to Ballet Tech. This program gives children an opportunity to study classical ballet and possibly make a career out of it, which I did.

Jacquelyn Scafidi Allsopp

Teacher, Dancer, Choreographer

Ballet Tech offered me an extremely rare opportunity that others only dream about. The foundation of my young brain was strengthened and grew immensely in a way that conventional learning would never allow.

Peter Cirolia

Design and Marketing Degree, Katherine Gibbs School; Kinesiology Degree, International Sports Sciences Association; Teacher, Personal Trainer, Former Dancer

I don’t believe there are any words to describe how much Ballet Tech means to me. It was there where I began my dance career. My Ballet Tech teachers gave me the intangible gifts of love, support, ballet technique, and artistry, which I continue to cherish to this day.

Raven Barkley

SUNY Purchase, BFA in Dance; Professional Dancer, Charlotte Ballet

Ballet Tech taught me discipline, hard work and how to move my body through space with intent. I still rely on those lessons learned in my work every day as an architect, although instead of moving through space with intent, I create it.

Jesse Walton

B.Arch, Rhode Island School of Design, 2001; Project Architect, Mahlum Architects

Ballet Tech was a place of discovery and growth. I was introduced to the importance of professionalism at a young age, and I learned a great deal of what it meant to be a dancer in daily ballet classes and rehearsals.

Lucy Postell

Dancer, Martha Graham Dance Company

Ballet Tech was a new beginning for me, a stepping stone to my dance career. It molded me into the dancer I am today. BT taught me discipline, responsibility, leadership, and influenced my character at a very young age.

Ballet TechTHE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR DANCE