The 2022 National Summer Intensive Audition Tour: Try Out for 14 Schools at One Audition

If you have upended summer-program audition plans, you are not alone! The pandemic has turned plenty of things topsy-turvy, especially when it comes to cancelled auditions and travel. If you fear your plans may be compromised this audition season, check out the 2022 National Summer Intensive Audition Tour (NSIA). This resource provides dancers with exposure to several professional schools at a single, in-person audition, thanks to the power of Zoom.

Driven by concern for safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 14 schools across the U.S. are banding together to create this year’s NSIA Tour. Participating organizations include Kansas City Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, BalletMet, Cincinnati Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, Colorado Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Sacramento Ballet and Sarasota Ballet.

The tour allows dancers to save money on travel costs and registration fees. “It can also provide a plan B for students who have certain schools in mind that they wish to prioritize, but also want options in case they cannot go where they want,” says Kansas City Ballet School director Grace Holmes. “Students are also seen, and often accepted, by schools they might not have considered, again broadening their options and visibility.”

To take part, dancers register to attend an in-person audition at the host school of their choice. Registration costs $90, which students pay directly to the host school. During the audition, representatives from the remaining academies observe either in person or via Zoom. While students can choose which schools they would like to audition for by completing a secondary registration form, all participating organizations may communicate interest to any auditioning dancer. Each audition is also recorded in case further review is needed.

Maximum audition capacity hovers at 25 to 30 students per audition, so be sure to register early since spots are filling quickly and several auditions are now at capacity. But if your audition of choice is already full, don’t fret! You can still reserve a spot on the school’s waitlist, send in a video directly to the school you wish to audition for (individual audition fees may apply), or register for another NSIA city if there’s space. (Video auditions will be accepted by registered students only if the in-person audition is canceled due to weather or pandemic-related concerns.) Students must also adhere to their chosen host school’s COVID-19 protocol, which may include proof of vaccination.

For registration and more information, be sure to check out the NSIA website.