Becoming An EIU Dancer 

Eligibility              Evaluation
Fee                      Required Attire
                           Additional Info

All members of our Company and our Performance Team must go through an audition process each year.  To audition you must fulfill one on the following :

1)  Be a current EIU Student. 
2)  Previous dance experience.

Eligibility:

EIU students, incoming freshmen, or transfer students enrolled with 12 or more academic hours AND a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher from either EIU, a transfer college, or high school. Incoming freshmen or transfer students are welcomed to audition and need to show proof of admittance to EIU (a class schedule or Panther Card).

To be a part of our performance groups it will require a desire, commitment and enthusiasm for dance that goes beyond just mere interest. It is our belief that if you are a EIU Dancer than you not only believe in dance, but you are wiling to be apart of something bigger than yourself.  These are the kind of people we want on and in our performance.  Our performance is about the group not the individual.

We have two auditions a year, one in the spring and one in the fall.  The tryout in the spring is designed to select the core dancers that will help make up our foundation going into the new academic year.  During this spring audition we also hold opening tryouts for our choreographers.  Due to the commitments we have in the fall when school starts we find that having this audition allows our groups the ability to choreograph and plan out most of our dances over the summer.  Also it gives participants feedback for targeted improvement for fall.

The fall auditions allow individuals that did not get the opportunity to join in the spring a second opportunity to audition again to show their talent and skills.

Fee:

Non-refundable $100 check or money order payable to EIU.  This can be paid 2 installments ($50 in the Fall Semester and $50 in the Spring Semester)  This fee assists in Production Costs, Costumes, EIU Dancer wear, and other odds and ends. 

Forms:

You will need to complete, sign and bring with you the necessary forms to auditions.

Necessary forms are:

1) Next semester schedule
2) Printable version of online registration form (filled out)
3) Headshot (photo of yourself)

                                 2018 Fall Auditions

                        September 4, 2018 -- 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Anyone interested in auditioning should come to The Theatre, located in the Doudna Fine Arts Center.  Men and women are encouraged to participate. Applications can be filled out online or at the auditions.  

Evaluation:

Auditions are broken up into 4 Parts. Warm-ups, Original piece, Routine 1 and Routine 2.

Warm-ups:

          During warm ups all candidates will participate in, basic loco-motor movements across the floor, such as jazz walk, kick sequence, chasse, and leap combinations.  This part of the auditions ensures that everyone is ready for the day and it gives participants a glimpse of what being on a performance group is all about.  During this section candidates are not scored only assessed.  This exercise gives the staff and volunteers an opportunity to get to know the candidates during these activities.

Phase 1: Original piece:

          This is the first actual scoring part of the auditions.  During this section each candidate will choreograph a one-minute piece that they will perform for the judges.  This piece will be judged on performance quality, originality, technique and energy.  This audition will determine which candidates should remain club members and which ones should be considered as part of the performance groups.  Also, this part of the audition allows the judges the ability to identify possible guests that might not make it as part of the company but could be invited into a single spring performance piece.

Phase 2: Routine ONE (Feeling):

          This part of the auditions will be a routine that is taught to the candidates.  The judging of this routine will be based on performance quality.  Though we will judge certain technical aspects of the routine, specific attention will be given to the ability to interpret and perform the piece.  Candidates that make it through this round will find a spot on our EIU Dancers Performance Team.

Phase 3: Routine TWO (Technique)

          This section of the audition will focus on the technical aspect of dancing.  The routine that candidates will learn will be designed to be technically challenging to see how candidates adapt.  Candidates that score high enough in this category will be welcomed as part of the Company and will get to perform in our Spring Concert.

• Required Attire: Dance shoes, shorts or pants, appropriate undergarments for support and coverage - Absolutely NO TANK or CAMI tops.

• Hair: Out of face, neat, controlled, professional for the dance. 

• Jewelry: NO JEWELRY ANYWHERE - this includes ALL PIERCINGS

Additional Information:

• Choreography Auditions are only in the Spring Semester, to find out more about this EMAIL US.

• Practice (due to Change after auditions)

  • TBD based on who is selected and Class Schedules