Chicago Festival Ballet’s Studio Company provides advanced students with the training and experience needed to pursue a professional dance career. Studio Company members are selected by audition only, as well as during VH Dance Center’s Summer Intensive Program. Studio Company members expand their repertoire in ballet, pointe, jazz dance, character and contemporary dance. Dancers are featured in Chicago Festival Ballet’s Nutcracker and Spring Ballet performances, alongside professional dancers, and in local community outreach performances. This professional exposure is an indispensable and important part of their training, giving them the opportunity to understudy professional roles, and appear regularly on stage with Chicago Festival Ballet and in Studio Company productions. Studio company dancers' headshots will be featured on our website. 

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Chicago Festival Ballet’s Senior and Junior Studio Companies are comprised of advanced level ballet dancers in high school and middle school levels who have shown dedication and commitment to the art of ballet. Studio Company dancers have the opportunity to experience performing in a professional company, alongside the professional dancers of Chicago Festival Ballet.  The companies perform several times a year, locally and throughout the Midwest, for the annual Nutcracker performances, as well as the annual Spring ballet.  Dancers are featured at the summer intensive performance, and also perform at other events and outreach performances such as with the Chamber Orchestra & Opera Sinfonietta Bel Canto.

Studio Company consideration is made by audition only as well as during the Summer Intensive.

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​​Recommended audition age is 12 and up. Dancers outside of this age range will be considered. (to be determined by audition).

Instructor placement required for level.

Auditions may be scheduled in person or video. 

 

Our Studio Companies train serious ballet students three to five days a week, depending on the level.

Studio Company members attend classes in:

• Ballet technique, pointe, or prepointe, contemporary, & jazz

• Studio Company and Company rehearsals

• Additional classes: Variations, Character, Classical Repertoire & Strength training/Conditioning

• Supplementary workshops are included in styles such as modern, acro, hip hop, Pas de Deux and partnering for well-rounded dance training.

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                                   Junior Studio Company

These intermediate level students are in prepointe, or beginning pointe work, and attend ballet technique classes three days a week, including pre-pointe/pointe, contemporary, jazz, character, and classical variations.

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                             Senior Studio Company: Levels 1 & 2

The advanced students Studio Companies 1 & 2 are on pointe and attend ballet technique classes four days a week (Level 1) or five days a week (Level 2), including classes in pointe, contemporary, jazz, character, and classical variations.

 

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                                  Studio Company – Adult Ensemble
The Studio Company – Adult Ensemble is designed for dedicated adult ballet students who seek a high-level training and performance experience with the flexibility to accommodate busy work and life schedules. Members train twice a week in ballet technique & pointe or pre-pointe and Contemporary. Members take part in Studio Company rehearsals and performances alongside Chicago Festival Ballet.

Adult Ensemble dancers are featured in company productions such as The Nutcracker and our Spring Ballet, as well as community outreach performances. This unique program offers adult dancers the opportunity to perform, grow artistically, and be part of a supportive, professional company environment—without the time demands of a full-time training schedule.

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Enrollment is by invitation or audition only. Auditions are accepted year-round.

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• Company members perform regularly in Studio Company and Chicago Festival Ballet productions, including outreach performances such as with Sinfonietta Bel Canto.

• Featured Roles: Opportunities to perform in corps and featured roles in full-length classical ballets.

• Professional Experience: Understudy and performance opportunities alongside the Chicago Festival Ballet Professional Company.

                                                                                    Commitment

School year: 37 weeks, all-inclusive monthly tuition payments, which includes all required classes, masterclasses, rehearsals, costume and performance fees. (tour fees for out-of-town performances are extra)
Summer intensive: 8 weeks, 2 tuition payments.

Tuition information is available by request. Placement in this program is by audition only.​

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Graduates of the Senior Studio Company will be considered for professional positions with Chicago Festival Ballet.

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                 Auditions

Auditions may be in-person or by video.

Exercises to include in a video audition are listed below.

Please fill out the form below to submit your video or schedule your in-person audition, and we’ll be in touch!

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Please film videos in an area with sufficient space and lighting, preferably a studio space.

Total video should not exceed 5 minutes in length.

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Video must include the following:

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At the Barre: (one side)

Plié, tendu, jete, rond de jambe and grand battement

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On Center: (one side, on pointe if not a beginner)

Adagio: include Grand plié, developés to each direction, penchée, promenade
Waltz:  include Grand pirouette in any position, pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, pirouette finishing in any open extension
Petite Allegro: include jumps with battu
Grand Allegro: men include tours and women include fouettés 
Women: Classical Variation
Men: Pas de Deux & Variation 

Please do not submit performance footage. Video must be the required classwork. 

 

To schedule an audition, or submit a video audition, please fill out the form below.

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