7 Tips for A Top Audition Video

September 11, 2007

In a Daily Dance exclusive, videographer Eric Wolfram, formerly a dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and author of Your Dance Resume: A Guide to Self-Marketing for Performers (available for $28.95, click here), offers advice on shooting an eye-grabbing audition video.

1. Keep it short. Five minutes is ideal. Include only your very best material.

2. Introduce yourself. In a close-up, briefly say why you want to dance with the company.

3. Select choreography that matches the company’s style.

4. Demonstrate different dynamics — adagio, turns, fast footwork, big jumps, and, for ballet dancers, brief barre work.

5. Wear body-hugging outfits that don’t blend into your background.

6. Before filming, clear away all background clutter — dance bags, rosin boxes, posters, etc.

7. Send the video with a cleanly-printed, proofread cover letter and resumé, a full-body photo, good reviews, and references