Ballet companies hold auditions in major cities several months before the intensive. Each age group auditions at a specified time.
Arrive at least an hour early to register. Be prepared to pay a small fee. At registration, dancers may also be asked for a picture in first arabesque, a resume of dance education, a letter of recommendation from a dance instructor and proof of age, such as a birth certificate or a passport.
Dancers must follow the dress code at auditions. For example, the American Ballet Theater states that "Girls must wear full-length pink tights and black leotards with ballet slippers. Bring pointe shoes for the last 20 minutes of class. Boys must wear white T-shirts, full-length black tights and ballet slippers."
The audition will be structured like a ballet class, with the first part of class at the barre and the second part of class in the center. The entire class will be 75 to 90 minutes.
As an alternative to attending a live audition, dancers may submit an audition video. The Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive accepts video auditions that include a demonstration of technical skills at the barre and a classical demonstration in the center.