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Summer Course FAQ

Are there single or open classes at SAB in the summer?

No.  All students must be enrolled for the five-week program.

How do I get in?

All students must audition for the Summer Course.

May I audition by sending a video?

All students within the continental USA must audition in person in one of our National Audition Tour cities or at SAB in New York.  Click here for more information about Summer Course admission.

Students living outside the continental United States may submit a VHS or DVD between December 1 and March 1 instead of auditioning in person. Click here for more information about auditions for Foreign Students.  

May I audition more than once for a Summer Course?

Students should not audition more than once per year for the Summer Course.  However, students may audition in successive years for the Summer Course whether or not they were accepted previously as long as they still meet the age requirements.

May I audition for Summer Course and Winter Term at the same time?

No.  There are distinctly separate auditions for Winter Term and Summer Course.  A small percentage of Summer Course students are invited to enroll in the School’s Winter Term, or students may audition specifically for Winter Term at SAB in September. 

Is there a fee to audition?

Yes.  A $35 application fee is payable in cash, money order or check at the time of audition.

What should I bring to the audition, in addition to the application fee?

Applicants must show a copy of the birth certificate when registering for the audition.  Headshots, dance photos, and resumes are not necessary and will not be accepted.  Girls should bring pointe shoes.

I don’t have my birth certificate to show at the audition.  Are there other acceptable forms of identification?

Yes.  A passport is acceptable.  However, a birth certificate or passport are the only proofs of birth that qualify.  Applicants will not be permitted to audition without showing one of these two documents.
 
If I’m one age at the time of the audition and will be a different age during the Summer Course, with which age group should I audition?

Audition with the age group that includes your age at the time of the audition.

Is living in SAB’s residence hall required for Summer Course?

No.  Students accepted for the Summer Course should advise SAB if they will require housing in the Residence Hall or if they plan to be day students.  

Is there advance registration for the Summer Course auditions?

For the National Audition Tour, applicants simply arrive at the site on the audition date at least one hour in advance of their audition time.  Applicants who wish to audition at SAB in New York must arrange an appointment in advance (sab.org/summercourse/summeradmission/auditionsatsab).

Is there a dress code for the summer auditions?

Girls may wear any color leotard; pink tights and pink shoes are preferred; no skirts or warm-ups in the class.  Boys may wear any solid-color t-shirt without words or pictures; black tights and black or white shoes are preferred; no warm-ups in the class.

What is a Summer Course audition like?

SAB’s auditions are in the form of an abbreviated ballet technique class.  Girls and boys audition together.  Girls will have pointe work, and boys will have battu and air turns at the end of class.

What does SAB look for in a dancer?

First and foremost, the School of American Ballet looks at each applicant as an individual.  The School is selective in admitting students; and enrollment is by audition only. Applicants must be young enough to derive the maximum benefit from their training, enjoy excellent health and have an anatomical structure suited to the demands of classical dance:  a well-proportioned, flexible, coordinated body, legs that easily adopt the turned-out condition, and a high instep.  They must also possess musical aptitude and a natural gift for movement.  Applicants for the Summer Course must be intermediate or advanced students who, in addition to the above, are at a stage of technical advancement proportionate to their age.

When will I be notified of the audition result?

All applicants are notified of the results in writing one week after their audition date.  Accepted students are notified within three days.

May I request and receive a critical evaluation of my audition?

No.  Individual audition performance critiques are not provided.

If I’m accepted, may I attend only part of the Summer Course?

SAB generally requires that summer students be enrolled for the entire five weeks.

What is the cost of attending Summer Course?

2009 Summer Tuition is $2,455; 2009 Room and Board in SAB’s Residence Hall is $2,650.

Is the meal plan in the SAB Cafeteria available to day students in summer?

Yes.

Is there scholarship or financial aid?

For the Summer Course, scholarships are awarded on a case-by-case basis.

How much pointe work is there in the summer?

All girls must be prepared to take pointe classes every day.  Girls assigned to Groups 4 to 6 are required to take all of their ballet classes in pointe shoes.

How many dance classes are there each day?

Students in all levels take two dance classes each day.  (Ballet Technique, Variations, Pointe, Character or Adagio).  Additional courses, such as Pilates Instruction, Weight Training, and Seminars are also provided.

Is there a student performance at the end of the Summer Course?

Since 2008, selected advanced students have participated as dancers in the New York Choreographic Institute’s Summer Program, which provides opportunities for emerging choreographers to create works-in-progress.  A studio showing of the work is presented to an invited audience at the end of the Summer Course.