Audition Tour Dates Released by Canada’s National Ballet School

Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) will be stopping in Ottawa on November 22, as part of its 2014/2015 National Audition Tour in search for Canada’s most talented young dancers.

Presented by Sun Life Financial, the Professional Ballet Program (PBP) will visit 20 cities across the country beginning in Halifax, NS on Nov. 3 and finishing in Toronto on Feb. 8.

“NBS’ National Audition Tour serves multiple purposes,” said Mavis Staines, NBS artistic director and chief executive officer. “While its primary intent is to seek out the most talented youth across the country, following closely behind is the desire to engage with all who have an interest in participating and celebrating the art of dance.”

The tour offers an opportunity for youth ages 10 and older to audition for Canada’s NBS Professional Ballet Program. Operated out of its state-of-the-art facilities in Toronto, the PBP is the only school in North America to provide professional ballet training, academics and residence to students in one location.

Although the PBP is designed for dancers in grade 6-12, those who are older are encouraged to audition for the post-secondary program.

Admission to the prestigious school is based on a two-stage process. Out of the estimated 1,000 auditions, up to 175 dancers are chosen to take part in an intensive four-week summer school program. Only about 50 of these students will be invited to join the Professional Ballet Program next September.

Artistic staff from NBS are providing an outreach component to the National Audition Tour this year. They are offering open classes to junior and senior dancers who wish to participate in the tour but not necessarily audition.

To learn more about NBS, its open classes and audition dates, check out its website for details. They can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.