Contemporary Dance

 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (B.F.A.)

The following information is for entry into the 2027-28 school year.

Prescreening Requirements

All contemporary dance applicants must submit prescreen recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1.

Video recording(s) should be no more than three minutes total in length and include:

• A solo (or solo excerpt) that best demonstrates your strengths as a dancer, in performance or in the studio. The solo can be choreographed by a dance professional, self-choreographed, or improvised.
• A phrase in any dance form that reflects a supporting area of dance study. For example, if you share a solo in the contemporary genre, you might choose to include a phrase grounded in tap dance, jazz, ballet, improvisational studies, or world dance forms.

Audition Requirements

Select applicants will be invited to a live audition based on prescreening review.

If you are invited, you will be scheduled for one of the following audition dates and will receive your schedule by email 3-4 weeks prior to your audition:

• January 29, 2027
• February 5, 2027
• February 26, 2027

Applicants, parents, and family are also invited to attend a special information session as part of the audition day. In addition, applicants, parents, and families are invited to watch rehearsals as scheduled. A detailed itinerary will be provided upon audition acceptance.

What to expect:

• Auditioners will participate in a two-hour audition class/workshop, offered by contemporary dance faculty. Please expect and be open to a diversity of forms.
• Please prepare a one-minute solo to share with the contemporary dance faculty that best demonstrates your strengths as a dancer . The solo can be choreographed by a dance professional, self-choreographed, or improvised.
• Participants will also have the opportunity to view contemporary dance majors in class and/or rehearsal, and will participate in small group discussions with auditioners, current majors, and faculty.

Dress code, choice of:

Class

• Applicants should dress neatly. Long pants are preferred, please no tights or leggings. Tops should cover the back and abdomen and not be too tight, or large and bulky. Long hair should be secured, no buns please. Shoes: if you own tap shoes, please bring them; please also bring tennis shoes. We do not expect applicants to purchase clothing or shoes for the audition. 

Solo

• For the solo performance, applicants may dress in a manner that is consistent with their standard attire for dance performance, especially if it provides cultural context for the work.

Questions? Please reach out to Kate Lyons, Contemporary Dance Audition Liaison, at kavander@iu.edu