SUMMER DANCE PROGRAM | STUDIO EXPERIENCE | RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE | AUDITION TOUR
PROGRAM GUIDEBOOK
TUITION AND IMPORTANT DATES
Tuition: $3,575 (plus $100 registration fee)
Food/Housing: $3,600 (residential students only)
Lunch Plan: $370 (optional, residential students only)
Move-in day (residential students only): Saturday, June 22
Placement classes: Sunday, June 23 – Monday, June 24
First full day of classes: Tuesday, June 25
Last day of classes / Parent Observation: Friday, July 26
Move-out day (residential students only): Saturday, July 27
PROGRAM ADDRESSES
Boston Studio:
19 Clarendon St
Boston, MA 02116
Newton Studio:
153 Needham St
Newton, MA 02464
Boston University Residence Halls
For female Boston Studio students
HoJo Dormitory
575 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
For female Newton Studio students and all male students:
Fenway Campus
150/154/162 Riverway
Boston, MA 02215
ELIGIBILITY FAQ | AUDITION FAQ | PROGRAM FAQ | Residential FAQ
ELIGIBILITY FAQ
What is the age requirement for Summer Dance Program?
Students must be between the ages of 12* and 18^ when the program begins on Sunday, June 23. While 11-year-olds may audition in January, they must turn 12 by the start of the program.
* Students from outside the US and Canada must be at least 14 years old when the program begins.
^ Housing is not available for students who will turn 19 during the program. Accepted students who will turn 19 during the program must register as a commuter and arrange for their own room and board.
What prior dance experience should I have for Summer Dance Program?
Summer Dance Program is a rigorous program with a strong focus on classical ballet technique. Students train four-five hours per day five days of the week and should be able to healthily maintain this intensity.
Additionally, though we recognize that many of our younger students will be very new to pointe during auditions in January, all ladies must enter the program in June with pointe experience. (Starting pointe during the 2023-2024 school year is enough experience for a student to audition.)
Do you accept international students?
Yes. However, an M1 student visa is required of most* international students to attend Summer Dance Program. Boston Ballet School will sponsor this visa for the duration of the summer and will work with families over the course of the spring to make sure all the necessary steps are taken. For questions about any student’s individual situation, please contact sdp@bostonballet.org.
Please be aware that Boston Ballet School does not cover the expenses of visa processing or other related fees.
* The M1 visa is not required of Canadian students. However, Canadian students must still work with Boston Ballet School to process other required paperwork.
AUDITION FAQ
Which age group should I audition with?
Students should choose an audition based on their age at the time of the audition. This split is entirely for organizational purposes, and it has no bearing on a student’s chance of acceptance or in which of our two studio locations they would be eligible to train.
What can I expect during the audition?
Auditions are a two-hour experience. The first 30 minutes will be for getting students organized: we will make sure we have all the information we need and will assign students their audition numbers.
Once all students have been organized, the audition will take the form of a 90-minute class, moving from barre to center. Throughout the class, students will demonstrate combinations in groups, so faculty adjudicators can make sure to properly evaluate each individual student.
Will I be considered for acceptance into the Boston Studio or the Newton Studio?
The training for Summer Dance Program is spread across our two studios in Boston and Newton. Ladies ages 12-15 will train at our Newton Studio, and ladies ages 15-18 will train at our Boston Studio. For 15-year-olds, final studio assignments (based on age) will be made once enrollment has settled in the spring. While the same age split will mostly be true for men, exceptions may be made across both age groups.
For more information about the differences between our Boston and Newton Studios, see our Program Guidebook.
What should I wear for my audition?
Women are encouraged to wear a black leotard with tights and slippers in the color closest to their natural skin tone or in which they feel most comfortable. In addition, women will need both technique and pointe shoes. Men should wear black tights and a white t-shirt.
For students auditioning via video, the dress code should be modified as needed so that the student can be seen as clearly as possible. For example, girls who will be auditioning in front of a dark wall should wear a lighter leotard, etc.
Are photos/resumes needed for the audition process?
No.Beyond the survey that will be completed as part of the online pre-registration, no additional information or photos are needed.
When will I be notified of audition results?
Audition results for in-person auditions will be sent out within five business days of the audition. For pre-recorded video auditions, results will be sent out on a rolling basis beginning in mid-January. Accepted students will have approximately two weeks to accept their spot in the program.
A student’s results will be sent to all email addresses provided during the registration process. Any student who does not hear back within five business days should email sdp@bostonballet.org after checking spam folders, etc.
Is financial assistance available?
Yes. In the interest of making Summer Dance Program as inclusive as possible, we encourage all accepted students with financial concerns to apply for aid. To receive an application, please email sdp@bostonballet.org upon acceptance into the program.
For an application to be processed, a completed application must be received by Sunday, March 3, 2024. Additionally, the student must have registered for the program and put down the initial deposit and registration fee. If we are unable to offer sufficient financial assistance, students may withdraw and get a full refund of their initial deposit.
Please note, we are unable to offer any need-based aid to international students or to those who have already been awarded merit scholarship.
Are merit scholarships available?
A limited number of merit-based scholarships are available to students of all ages. These scholarships will be awarded based on a student’s audition, and students will be notified of any scholarship they’ve received with their acceptance into the program.
If I’m not accepted to the program, may I audition again?
Students are not eligible to audition more than once per year. Students are, however, welcome and encouraged to audition for SDP in successive years.
May I request and receive feedback from my audition?
Due to the number of students who audition each year, we are unable to provide individual feedback.
Can I be considered for Boston Ballet School’s 2024-2025 Professional Division during my SDP audition?
Students who are interested in Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division for the fall of 2024 are advised to separately begin this audition and application process as soon as possible by submitting a pre-audition video to Walnut Hill. Learn more here, and direct any questions to admissions@walnuthillarts.org.
PROGRAM FAQ
Is financial assistance available?
Yes. In the interest of making Summer Dance Program as inclusive as possible, we encourage all accepted students with financial concerns to apply for aid. To receive an application, please email sdp@bostonballet.org upon acceptance into the program.
For an application to be processed, a completed application must be received by Sunday, March 3, 2024. Additionally, the student must have registered for the program and put down the initial deposit and registration fee. If we are unable to offer sufficient financial assistance, students may withdraw and get a full refund of their initial deposit.
Please note, we are unable to offer any need-based aid to international students or to those who have already been awarded merit scholarship.
Are merit scholarships available?
A limited number of merit-based scholarships are available to students of all ages. These scholarships will be awarded based on a student’s audition, and students will be notified of any scholarship they’ve received with their acceptance into the program.
Based on what age or date will the Boston/Newton split be determined?
Students will be assigned to a training location based on their age at the start of the program. The specific cutoff for 15-year-olds will be determined in the spring.
Boston Ballet School is not able to accommodate any requests for placement into a particular studio. Any exceptions to the above age cutoffs will only be initiated by the Artistic Staff. All students accepted to SDP are high-level students who will receive excellent training by participating in our program.
Will my experience differ based on the studio – Boston or Newton – I train in?
The differences that students experience will largely be determined by the curriculum offered to their specific levels. Primarily, these differences will manifest in varying partnering and performance opportunities.
Students at both our studios will have the same experience in terms of the frequency and the caliber of training. Additionally, while each studio may see certain faculty members more than others, some instructors will have a presence at both studios over the course of the program. Additionally, while students will have an equitable training experience across the two locations, day-to-day routines may differ based on the different locations of the two studios (daily transportation, etc.).
Are there different levels within the program?
Yes, there are five different levels for women, and three different levels for men. There will be several class sections of each level (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, etc.), and students will be placed into their level/section based on a placement class at the beginning of the program.
In addition to the levels mentioned above, advanced students nearing the completion of their training may place into our Ensemble Level, which features additional repertoire work and a heavier focus on performance.
Can I be considered for Boston Ballet School’s 2024-2025 Professional Division during SDP 2024?
Students who are interested in Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division for the fall of 2024 are advised to separately begin this audition and application process as soon as possible by submitting a pre-audition video to Walnut Hill. Learn more here, and direct any questions to admissions@walnuthillarts.org.
RESIDENTIAL FAQ
Do I have to live in the residence hall?
No. Students may choose to commute from home or find alternate housing on their own. If you choose to search for independent housing arrangements, please make sure to take into consideration which Boston Ballet School studio you will be training at.
Can I request to room with a specific person in the residence halls?
Yes, roommate requests will be collected in the spring. For roommate requests to be accommodated, the following must be true:
- Students must train at the same Boston Ballet School studio, as this will dictate the residence hall that they will be assigned to. Students who train in Boston will not be able to live with those who train in Newton, and vice versa.
- Students must mutually request each other. Please make sure to confirm plans with students you want to live with before submitting a roommate request.
Those who do not request a specific roommate will be assigned to room with another student close to them in age. Roommates will be put in contact with one another a few weeks prior to the start of the program, so they can begin developing a relationship in advance of move-in day.
What do students do in the evenings and on the weekends?
Over the course of the program, each Residential Counselor is responsible for hosting 4-5 activities, ranging from small group offerings on the weeknights to large events on weekends. These activities may be hosted on campus or out in Boston. Some favorite activities from previous years include movie nights, trivia nights, arts and crafts, lip sync competitions, outings to local parks, etc.
Outside of planned on-campus programs or weekend activities, students will have access to local spots such as Target, Newbury Street, Trader Joe’s, Boston Public Library, Star Market, Insomnia Cookies, Tatte Bakery, and more. Additionally, parents or other approved guardians may sign students out of the dorms, for both daytime and overnight releases.
Will parents be able to contact their child’s Residential Counselor?
Parents will not be able to directly contact any individual Residential Counselor. All parent communications will go through our Residential Office, which can be contacted via phone or email during the program. The Residential Office staff will be able to pass messages along to individual Residential Counselors or help to schedule a virtual meeting or phone call.
To learn more about what you can expect, review our PROGRAM GUIDEBOOK or email SDP@BOSTONBALLET.ORG.
SUMMER DANCE PROGRAM | RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE | AUDITION TOUR | TUITION, DATES, & FAQ
