Check and make sure your dance teacher is a current or former professional dancer. The knowledge and connections she provides are essential to getting professional auditions while in high school. Dance schools post the biographies of teachers online. If your teachers don't have professional dance backgrounds, look for another school.
Study dance at a school with a pre-professional dance program. Traditionally for ages 13-and-up, these programs prepare you for a professional dance career. Dance companies send audition notices to these schools because they know the dancers are well- rained. Auditions are posted for all dancers to see - apply for and attend every audition you can.
Take every form of dance your school offers - ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop. Any professional audition you go to will ask you to perform more than one form of dance. Be prepared. The more well-rounded you are, the more audition invitations you will receive.
Attend at least one dance class every day - 5 or 6 days a week - no exceptions. Professional dancers take class every day. Your dedication will pay off with better dance technique, which will lead to audition invitations. If you do not take class each day, it will be very apparent to your future auditors.
Ask your teacher to help you with any weak points in your dance technique. Spend extra time working on areas needing improvement. Remember you are competing for auditions against older, more experienced dancers. The better your technique, the more auditions you will get.
Audition for your dance school's performing company. Schools with a pre-professional program have performance opportunities for their high school-age dancers. These non-professional companies give the dancers important audition and performing experience - very similar to a professional company. Professional companies looking for dancers often attend these performances and you may be invited to audition.
Make a professional videotape of your dancing. Ask your teacher to recommend a good dance videographer. You will send this tape to prospective auditors. If they like what they see, you will get an in-person audition.
Take a summer intensive given by a large professional dance company school. These are pre-professional overnight dance programs for high school-age dancers. Many require videotape or live auditions, so it is also good practice. You may get an audition invitation from the professional company.
Attend as many dance workshops as you can. Taught by current and former professional dancers and choreographers, they are a great way to get noticed and find out about future auditions.
Look online each day for auditions (see resources below). If the notice does not give the minimum audition age, call or e-mail to find out if you are old enough to audition.