Auditions
Calling Dancers Ages 10 and Above!
The Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet (SMB) is excited to announce open auditions for its 52nd season! Serious and dedicated dancers who meet the requirements below are eligible to audition for membership in SMB’s Junior and Senior Companies. Company dancers have the opportunity to perform in professional-quality, full-length classical ballets as well as participate in rewarding arts outreach activities throughout the year. SMB company membership is designed for dancers who have already spent several years pursuing serious dance training and who have a desire to continue improving their ballet technique and performance experience.
Dancers will have a choice between two audition dates at the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet Studio at 1520 N. Hearne Ave Suite 116.
See the audition dates and times listed below and then carefully read the audition FAQ to learn more about requirements, registration, and what to expect from the audition and company membership.
Still have questions? Contact the SMB Office Manager at 318.221.8500 or via email for more information.
Audition Dates & Location
Sunday, May 4
Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet,
1520 N Hearne Ave Suite 116, Shreveport
1:00pm - 2:30pm - Junior Company Auditions
3:00pm - 5:00pm - Senior Company Auditions
Monday, May 5
Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet,
1520 N Hearne Ave Suite 116, Shreveport
4:30pm - 6:00pm - Junior Company Auditions
6:30pm - 8:30pm - Senior Company Auditions
ALL DANCERS SHOULD PRE-REGISTER AT THE LINK AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE NO LATER THAN MAY 3.
AUDITION RUBRIC LINKS AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
Junior Company Audition Rubric
Senior Company Audition Rubric
Senior Company Male Audition Rubric
Financial and Volunteer Obligations
All dancers pay an annual company fee to help defray the cost of SMB productions and is due by the first SMB Rehearsal. The fee can be paid in installments if arranged with the Executive Director.
Junior Company Fee: $200
Senior Company Fee: $220
All dancers’ families must become members of SMB. Annual family memberships begin at $100 and include exclusive ticket privileges and other benefits.
All dancers are responsible for securing $500 in fundraising by May 1, 2026. SMB provides many organized fundraising opportunities to meet this goal.
All dancers’ families must contribute at least twelve (12) volunteer hours during the 2025-2026 season.
AUDITION FAQ
What is the difference between Junior and Senior Company and how do I know which audition to attend?
Dancers who will be 10 years old by September 30, 2025, are eligible to audition for the Junior Company. Dancers who will be 13 years old by September 30, 2025, are eligible to audition for the Senior Company. You can choose to audition on either May 4th or May 5th- the audition format will be the same on both days.
How do I register for the audition? Is there a fee to audition?
All dancers should pre-register for the audition of their choice at shreveportmetroballet.org/auditions no later than Saturday, May 3rd. There is no fee to audition for SMB.
What will the audition be like? What do I need to bring?
At the audition, you will demonstrate your knowledge of basic classical ballet technique (small jumps, turns, big jumps) and then learn a series of short combinations that you will perform in small groups. A panel of judges will evaluate each dancer in areas such as dance technique, skill execution, recall of choreography, musicality, performance, presentation, and pointe work (for senior company).
SMB will provide each dancer with an audition number to wear during the audition. Dancers should come prepared to dance in the attire described below:
Junior Company – dark blue or black leotard, ballet tights, ballet technique (soft) shoes. Hair should be secured away from the face in a bun or tight twist. No jewelry should be worn during the audition.
Senior Company – dark blue or black leotard, ballet tights, ballet technique and pointe shoes. Hair should be secured away from the face in a bun or tight twist. No jewelry should be worn during the audition.
Male Dancers - black tights and white shirt, ballet technique shoes. Hair should be secured away from the face. No jewelry should be worn during the audition.
I came to the Sunday audition but I didn’t dance my best and want to try again on Monday. Can I?
No – you can only audition once per season.
Can I see my scores/evaluaton sheets after my audition?
No. All scores and evaluation sheets remain confidential and are available only to the Artistic and Administrative Team. You can, however, request feedback from your audition and our Artistic Team will respond via email.
When will I learn whether I’ve been accepted into SMB?
Dancers will be notified of the results of the audition by email no later than Tuesday, May 6, to plan for callbacks for Friday, May 9. You will be asked to provide a current email address during the online registration process.
Who is eligible to audition for featured Junior Company roles in The Nutcracker and for the soloist and principal positions in the Senior Company?
Junior Company dancers will be invited to audition for featured roles in The Nutcracker (including “Clara”) if they meet the following criteria:
Have been a member of the Junior Company for at least one year (full member or apprentice)
Score high enough to be a full member of the Junior Company at the initial auditions on either May 4 or 5, 2025
The audition for Junior Company featured roles will be held in the fall, immediately following the first Company rehearsal for Nutcracker.
Senior Company dancers will be invited to audition for soloist and principal positions for the 2024-2025 season if they meet the following criteria:
Have been a member of the Senior Company for at least one year (full member or apprentice)
Score in top third at the initial auditions on either May 4 or 5, 2025
The audition for Senior Company soloists and principals will be held on Friday, May 9, from 5:00 - 7:00pm at Shreveport Metro Ballet Studio in Shreveport and you will be notified no later than the evening of May12.
If I am accepted as a member of SMB, what are the training requirements and financial/volunteer obligations for me and my family?
SMB dancers must pursue serious and rigorous dance training while they are members of the company, with an emphasis on classical ballet. Dancers can train at the dance studio of their choice and must provide documentation to SMB that they are meeting the weekly training requirement outlined in their contracts. All dancers sign a contract and agree to adhere to SMB’s code of conduct and policies and procedures. These documents will be provided to dancers and their families after they are accepted into the company.
Training requirements are:
Junior Company – 2 ballet classes per week (can include pre-pointe or pointe class) from August through May
Senior Company – 4 ballet-based classes per week (2 ballet technique, 1 pointe, 1 ballet-based elective) from August through May
Soloists/Principals – 5 ballet-based classes per week (2 ballet technique, 1 pointe, 2 ballet-based electives) from August through May
Summer 2024 training: All Junior Company dancers are required to complete at least 35 hours of summer dance training and all Senior Company dancers are required to complete at least 45 hours of summer dance training. This is in order to prepare for the upcoming season and continue to advance in the art of classical ballet. Local or regional summer intensive workshops or regular summer dance classes can fulfill this requirement.
Additional financial/volunteer obligations include:
All dancers pay an annual company fee to help defray the cost of SMB productions and is due by the first SMB rehearsal. The fee can be paid in installments if arranged with the Office Manager.
Junior Company Fee: $200
Senior Company Fee: $220
All dancers’ families must become members of SMB. Annual family memberships begin at $100 and include exclusive ticket privileges and other benefits.
All dancers are responsible for securing $500 in fundraising by May 1, 2026. SMB provides many organized fundraising opportunities to meet this goal.
All dancers’ families must contribute at least twelve (12) volunteer hours during the 2025-2026 season.
When do SMB rehearsals begin and when will they be held?
SMB company dancers will begin rehearsals for The Nutcracker on in August. Rehearsals will be on Saturdays. Some solo roles or small groups may be called to rehearsals before that date. You will receive a rehearsal schedule after you are accepted into the company and should expect to rehearse at least once a week (on Saturdays) from August through Nutcracker, which will be held this year on December 13 and 14, 2025.
Rehearsals for our Spring ballet will begin in early January 2026. The performance dates are April 18 and 19, 2026.
In addition to The Nutcracker, what other performances will SMB produce this year?
We will produce a spring ballet in April 2026. Our season will also include a number of civic performances – little snippets of our upcoming performances that we produce for free at public libraries, nursing homes, community centers, and festivals. We will perform Act 1 of The Nutcracker for free for thousands of local 3rd graders on December 12, and will find many other opportunities throughout the season to share the joy of classical ballet with our community through a variety of arts outreach activities. A very special part of SMB’s arts outreach is Chance to Dance, a collaboration with the Volunteers of America’s LightHouse program. SMB dancers will have the opportunity to mentor Chance to Dance participants as they join our company dancers onstage in the spring performance. We also perform at the Revel and have 4 civic shows for the season.
More questions? Contact SMB at 318.221.8500 or sara.mangum@shreveportmetroballet.org for more information.