Parents’ Meet and Greet During the Audition
Mandatory Meeting with the Director at 2:30 pm
City Ballet of Cleveland is a pre-professional dance company of the highest caliber in Northeast Ohio. We foster every dancer’s ability and promote a love of dance through pre-professional training, performance, and community engagement.
The City Ballet of Cleveland (CBC) audition is open to all serious dancers of ballet ages 10-21. The company has two annual performances in May and December, as well as potential performances at All Ohio Dance Festival, local schools, and more. Applications are available at the Company bulletin board and online at www.cityballetofcleveland.org under Company information.
Potential dancers can be students from any area dance school. All dancers must be a minimum of 10 years old by September 2022; be currently taking ballet, modern, or jazz.
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy; The City Ballet of Cleveland does not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin, ancestry, or nationality in its admissions policies, scholarship programs, or any other company activities administered.
If you do not take ballet classes at Cleveland City Dance and make it into the Company, your current dance school will be asked to sign off monthly to confirm you are taking the required dance training necessary to be a member with City Ballet of Cleveland.
All potential Company members must audition in the spring prior to the upcoming season. This includes all current Company members. There is a $25 non-refundable audition fee (cash or check). Applications are due the Thursday, April 21 before the audition. Applications arriving after Wednesday will be assessed an additional $10. The audition class will be taught by the Company Artistic and Executive Director, Courtney J. Laves-Mearini.
If unable to attend the audition; In lieu of an in-personal audition, one may submit a virtual audition on a private YouTube channel. The audition requirements are:
- A 15-20-minute demonstration of barre and center technique.
- The barre technique should include pliés, battement tendus, battement jété, ronde de jambe, passé, développé en croix, grands battements and balances on one leg.
- The center technique should include adagio, pirouettes, petite allegro and grande allegro. (For female dancers on pointe include relevés in first, sous sus, éschappés and retiré balance)
- A classical variation one to two minutes in length. (On pointe for advanced ladies)
This is to show your technical abilities along with performing presence.
Email the YouTube link with a brief resume and photograph in arabesque by Thursday, April 21 to:
City Ballet of Cleveland
c/o Cleveland City Dance
Attn: Artistic Director, Courtney J. Laves-Mearini
13108 Shaker Square
Cleveland, Oh 44120
216-848-9088
NOTE: Company members will receive preferential casting in all Company productions.