We all wish that we could attend every single summer intensive audition live and in person, but that isn't always the case. Whether it's due to a schedule conflict, limited resources to travel, or an audition site that is out of reach, there are many reasons why submitting a summer intensive audition video is the better option for you. Check out our guide below on how to properly prepare for filming your video.
1- Understand What Program You Want to Attend
First off, it's pretty important to understand which programs you are auditioning for and what their requirements are for submitting audition videos. Summer Intensive programs are looking for dancers who train at a similar skill level and can progress at a similar rate together with the course instructors that they provide. Where that training level starts greatly depends on the program structure and makeup as well as the staff involved. Some programs will have more of a recreational or "starter Summer Intensive" vibe while others will have a more pre-professional training approach to them. There are a few things to look for to tell which kind of program each is.
Reputation- A pre-professional program will have a good reputation from other dancers who have taken it beforehand. You can find feedback on other programs usually through other classmates at your ballet school, online through review sites, and through what your instructors have heard. A summer intensive program with a great reputation means that dancers who attend the program gain more skill, knowledge, and experience versus those who don't. Don't always assume that Summer Intensive Programs hosted by a professional company is a great program.
Photos- Analyzing photos can be a great way to showcase what level of talent each program accepts. Pre-professional programs will showcase perfect angles and technique for students on their brochures while a less intensive program will have more smiling dancers and might have pictures with a few technical errors in them.
Staff- Pre-professional programs will be affiliated with a top rated school or professional company, and will have staff that have trained professional dancers for many years. They may consist of a makeup of current staff in their year round program along with professional dancers as instructors. A less intensive program might lack continuity in the staffing, with blended ballet technique styles during the week or only feature a few instructors.
Schedule- Most pre-professional summer intensive programs run approximately 4-5 weeks with a demonstration or performance at the conclusion of the program. I would view programs that offer less than that or those that allow you to select how many weeks you wish to attend as a less intensive or "starter summer intensive" program. Longer intensives give instructors more time to get to know the students, work on skills, and polish technical abilities more.
Why is all of this important? It's important to match your goals as a dancer to the Summer Intensive program that is right for you. Different intensities in programs will require different demonstrations of skill level, and it will be easiest on you if the programs you select are relatively close in what they require.
2- Record in the Right Space
When selecting a place to record, more light is always better! If you have options, select a studio that has the most amount of natural or artificial light so that your lines can be seen clearly. Even little things such as a grey marley floor will make the room look a whole lot brighter versus a black marley. Consider things such as space to dance, room distractions, floor slippery-ness, and adequate time to record in.
Renting Studio Space- One of the first things you'll need to prepare is the space you are going to record in. Most likely the best place to record in would be your current ballet studio. Some studios will provide the space for free while others will charge for use of the space. It's best to talk to your studio early to understand what their rules are. Do not record in your own home unless you have installed a professional ballet studio setup complete with a stable ballet barre, sprung floor with a Marley covering, and enough room to do a full class. I recommend not to do this because the program coordinators in charge of selecting students will recognize a non-ballet studio space right away, and it may reflect poorly on you.
Space to Dance- You should have enough space to complete a full barre, center combinations, and across the floor excessive while a camera captures your full body. Combinations can be modified to use the smaller studio spaces if needed, but try to select the most space available to use.
Room Distractions- This can mean several different things but the general idea is that you want to avoid things in the background that would distract someone who is watching your video. Make sure that all exercise equipment is put away, take down any posters or pictures that might be considered distracting, and close blinds or cover windows in the background. The background should be as boring as possible (in a good way!)
State of the Marley Floor- Consider what floor you will be using at your studio. Is it slippery or sticky? Will you need extra rosin for the day to look your best? Does the floor need to be re-taped at the seams to look good?
Adequate Time to Record- When renting your studio space, make sure you reserve enough time to complete everything on your list, and for some dancers, that might mean doing two sessions. I recommend trying to record in 1.5 hour blocks. Any more than that and fatigue might start to show in the video. Any less than that and it might not feel worth it to set everything up.
3- Check Your Recording Gear
Nowadays, most summer intensive videos can probably be recorded on a smart phone. Since almost everyone has one, it should make recording simple to use and make it pretty easy to edit videos too. But it's still perfectly fine to use a handheld camera as the programs you're applying for won't know or even care about this really unless the quality is very poor. Below is a checklist on preparing your gear for recording day.
Have enough space available to record a ton of videos.
Bring a plug and have your device plugged in during filming.
Bring a stand that can be adjusted for your recording device.
Bring extra batteries and memory cards if you're not working with a plug.
Make sure you or the person helping you record knows how to use the camera and to replay videos.
Recording gear that is ready to go makes a huge difference between getting started right away and wasting time trying to get things to work.
4- Look Up All Requirements for Each Program
Most summer intensive programs will have listed guidelines for what they would like to see submitted. This will usually include a list of steps to demonstrate, which side to record on, what not to demonstrate, and even what to wear during the video. An example of this might look like a program saying "please demonstrate ronde jambe on the right side, include a port de bras front and back and a balance at the end." If you are sending out multiple videos to different programs, here are some steps to organize how to approach this part.
Make a master list of all the requirements together on one sheet, and be sure to list which programs want which steps.
Identify which steps can be combined in certain combinations versus which need to be separate. Your instructor can help you with this part if you are unsure of what to do.
Create a list of which steps you will record in what order with what side they should be filmed on. An example might look something like this: 1. Pliés- Right side only (all programs needed), 2. Tendues- Left side only (Joffrey wants a balance in coupé), 3. Degagés- Right and left side (Joffrey wants right side only, Houston wants left side only, Bolshoi wants piques and cloches), etc...
Film all of the exercises in the order you normally would execute them for class, even if some exercises are only meant for certain programs.
Once the filming is done, it will be time to edit your videos and prepare to send them in. Create multiple files and edit out what each program doesn't want to see.
5- Have Some Assistance for Recording
When planning out your film day, don't neglect asking for help. Ideally, a family member should help to record and operate the camera. Also consider having someone run the music for you too. If you have a teacher assisting you, they should be able to run the music for you. It's best not to have the dancer being filmed also be in charge of recording and starting the music while they are working to remember combinations and look calm and controlled. Don't rely on the instructor to do too much of the technical work either.
6- Hire an Instructor to Help if Needed
Hiring an instructor who knows your technical level and abilities can be a big asset to your audition video, and it is something that every student should consider. An instructor will be able to create appropriate combinations that feature all the requests of the Summer Intensive programs, will have appropriate music on hand to use, will know the ins and outs of the studio they work in, and will be able to give technical feedback on how to make your combinations shine. This also helps with the tip above of making sure you have the right assistance for recording.
7- Dress Your Best
This tip might seem a bit obvious, but I think it's important to state this and remember that you want to look your best for your audition video. Ensure that your chosen leotard complements your body lines, and black is always the preferred color unless stated otherwise. Tights should be clean and free from any runs or holes. Ballet flats and pointe shoes should look in decent condition as well; this is not the time to be wearing a ballet flat with your big toe sticking out! Hair should be nicely secured in a traditional (or close to) style for ballet class. A ballet bun at the crown of the head or a nice french twist will look great. Hair strands in the face or hair falling out will not read well in an audition video.
8- Plan Out Your Recording Schedule
How much time you need to film all of your material for auditions depends on many factors. It's important that you reserve enough studio space ahead of time to ensure that you are able to get everything done. Based on my observations over the years, below are some factors that impact how long it will take to film.
Skill level- an intermediate student will take longer to film than an advanced level student. This has to do with needing more time to learn, review, and repeat combinations.
Number of Programs- The more programs you are auditioning for, the more requirements you will most likely have to film.
Tech issues- Nearly half the time I've seen wasted in recording sessions is due to tech issues with the recording instrument. This is why audition video tip #3 is so important.
Fatigue- Most dancers will start to grow tired and fatigued past the hour and half mark. Can you push through it? Possibly, but you will no longer be presenting your best work and will have a higher risk for injury. I don't recommend going beyond two hours.
Retakes- The amount of retakes you need to do will greatly alter the timeline for your recording schedule. If every combination is being recorded more than 2 or 3 times, then you will quickly run out of your reserved time in the studio. The next tip will talk about ways to avoid this issue.
9- Acceptable vs. Not Acceptable Errors
It can be tempting to record the same exercise over and over again to ensure the perfect result for your video, but is that a true demonstration of your technical ability? Below are some tips to determine when to redo, when to change the combination, and when to move on.
Re-film- Any obvious mistakes that shouldn't be replicated again, like falling on the floor or forgetting the combination.
Re-film- After watching the first take of a combination, re-film again with a few corrections in mind.
Change the Combination- If you can't remember the combination after two attempts while filming, simplify it. Don't waste time trying to get it right.
Change the Combination- After watching the first take of a combination, if you have more than 5 corrections to fix, simplify the steps. You won't look your best when trying to focus on all of those corrections to get the steps right.
Keep it- Don't get over judgmental about an arm position or a bauble here or there. The program coordinators don't expect to see robots and they will understand that you are not a perfect professional yet. That's why you want to train from them!
Beware of perfection- Please don't film over and over again until you have the perfect execution recorded. Not only is that a lot of pressure on you, but it's not a true reflection of what you can deliver in class and where your technique is at.
If your instructor is insisting that you film steps over and over again until they are perfect, this could be a moment to reflect on whether this is a healthy learning environment for you.
10- Make Time for Edits and Redos
Once the filming is done, it's time to sit down with all of your footage and decide what to edit in to send. Carefully go through each program's list of requirements and ensure that everything has been included in your submission. Most programs would like you to introduce yourself as well, so ensure that you give yourself enough time to accomplish this task. Don't wait till the weekend before everything is due to try and cram in everything missed.
11- Don't Sweat the Results
Lastly, remember to have fun with the process and don't sweat the results. Some programs have so many talented students who submit applications that they have a hard time accepting everybody. Don't panic if you don't get into the program of your dreams this summer. Use it as a learning and improvement motivator to continue working on in class.
Best of luck in your Summer Intensive auditions!
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