Navigating Virtual Auditions: 4 Strategies for Success

If you plan to study dance in college or put your dance skills toward a musical theatre degree, auditions will be an integral part of your application process. While you’ve probably been through various audition processes before—from summer intensives to your studio’s competition team—college performing arts auditions will require a different kind of preparation physically, mentally, and logistically.

Speaking of logistics, virtual auditions have reshaped the college performing arts landscape in recent years, so it’s likely that several of the programs on your application list will offer an online audition option. But is taking advantage of this opportunity right for you? And if so, how do you prepare to audition from home in front of a webcam?

To help you answer these questions for yourself, let’s walk through four strategies for navigating the virtual college audition landscape as a high school dancer.

1. Understand Your Audition Options

Since the arts community realized the various benefits of virtual auditions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person auditions weren’t possible, many colleges have since shifted to some type of hybrid model. This change means you now have more choices as to how you audition for each program, and each option has various pros and cons.

Here is a quick breakdown of the advantages and drawbacks of each of the three major college audition formats:

Virtual auditions: Since you don’t have to travel for virtual auditions, they’re an extremely cost-effective and flexible option. While some programs might allow you to connect with representatives online before your audition, you likely won’t meet as many faculty members and students as you would in person.

In-person auditions at individual colleges: With this option, you not only get to meet many people involved with the program but also see the campus and spaces where you’ll rehearse and perform for four years. However, this is the most expensive and time-consuming option since you’ll have to travel to a separate location for each audition.

Audition weekends: At these events (such as the National Unified Auditions), you can audition in person for multiple programs back-to-back. They’re a convenient way to knock out many in-person auditions with minimal travel, but bringing together hundreds of talented performers can create a high-pressure environment.

Many students end up doing a mix of several different audition formats. For instance, they might audition in person for their top-choice program or at a college that’s relatively local, and save money on travel for the rest of their auditions through an audition weekend or virtual auditions. Talk to your instructors and family to determine the most manageable combination for you.

2. Submit Pre-Audition Materials Carefully and on Time

In most cases, you have to submit multiple preliminary materials for approval before deciding on your audition format for a program. Make sure to send all of these items to each school by their deadlines:

Updated resumes, portfolios, or artist profiles. No matter what each college calls it, this material allows them to see if your performing arts experience aligns with what they’re looking for in an auditionee. Start creating it as early as possible to ensure you just have to add the finishing touches—such as your summer dance program or your role in your high school’s fall musical—before you send it off at the beginning of senior year.

Prescreen videos. Prescreens are essentially your first round of asynchronous virtual auditions, which many (but not all!) colleges use to decide whether you’ll move to the synchronous audition phase. Review each college’s website carefully to ensure your submissions meet their prescreen requirements.

College application. At most schools, performing arts students have to audition and apply academically to be accepted into the program. So, you’ll still need to submit your transcripts and test scores, write essays, fill out financial aid forms, and do interviews as required for each college.

Planning ahead is critical in this process. In addition to scheduling when you’ll complete each of these requirements, start thinking about the best way to audition for each school. Just don’t solidify any audition plans—especially travel—until you’ve heard back about these preliminary materials!

3. Practice Your Self-Taping Skills

Thoroughly rehearsing your repertoire is equally important, no matter how you audition for a program. However, virtual auditions come with an extra layer of difficulty: how to confidently perform to a camera rather than a person sitting in front of you.

Self-taping is a great way to gain this type of performance confidence, plus it helps you master setting up your audition space at home or your local dance studio. My College Audition recommends these tips for effective self-taping:

Film against a solid wall or other simple background that won’t distract from your performance.
Ensure your entire body is in the frame for dance videos so the adjudicators can see every movement in your combination. (For musical theatre audition songs and monologues, waist-up framing is usually fine.)
Place your main light source (lamp, ring light, large window, etc.) behind the camera or to the side—if it’s behind you, it’ll cast shadows over you.
Use any camera you have available—smartphones, tablets, and laptops are totally fine as long as you set them up at the right height and distance from you.

Once you create a few rehearsal self-tapes, watch them back with your instructors. Not only will you see what you’re doing well and where you could improve in your performance, but you can also adjust your setup as needed before your actual audition.

4. Check on Virtual Audition Logistics in Advance

In the weeks leading up to your virtual auditions, managing your calendar and ensuring you understand the process for each program are vital steps. Some logistical details you should always be aware of include:

When you’re scheduled—according to Acceptd, some schools book one slot per auditionee, while others create longer calendar blocks and audition multiple performers during each one, so make sure you know when you’re expected to join the session.

Which audition materials you’re using for each program, since it’ll vary depending on the school’s requirements and the repertoire you used for your prescreens. (Most colleges want to see two different performances during the prescreen and live audition.)

How to log into the platform, join the session, check your camera and microphone, and log out when you’re finished.

How to contact the school with any questions about technicalities, scheduling changes, or decision deadlines.

Create a folder or spreadsheet to track all of this information, and share it with your instructors and family so they can help you work through the process and address any issues that may arise.

College performing arts auditions can be challenging to navigate, especially when some or all occur virtually. But by staying organized, relying on your support system, and remembering that the college application journey is unique for each student, you’ll be able to showcase your best self as a dancer both in-person and online.

Sarah Muirhead

Sarah Muirhead is a Consultant at My College Audition, a Togetherwork company that is the premier recruitment, application, and audition platform for the arts. She believes that artists are changemakers who bring empathy, joy, and awareness to society, with young artists shaping the future.

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