For more information on our program please visit the following links:
To arrange a virtual or in-person tour of the School of Dance please contact admissions@cfa.fsu.edu
MFA and MA (Studio and Related Studies) Audition Process for Fall 2024 Admission
For applicants interested in our MFA Returning Professional track https://dance.fsu.edu/programs-2/programs-4/mfa-returning-professional/ please note that Returning Professional eligibility will be determined by the School of Dance faculty upon the applicant’s acceptance to the MFA program.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the School of Dance will offer in-person auditions for our MFA and MA Studio and Related Studies (MA/SRS) programs in our Montgomery Hall location on the campus of Florida State University. To initiate this process, please begin by completing the School of Dance Graduate Audition Application below. Applicants will select one of the two available in-person auditions within the School of Dance Graduate Audition Application. Please note that the application requires a resume with links to video of the applicant dancing in two genres of the applicant’s choice – specifically for the purpose of demonstrating the applicant’s training in those genres – as well as video of the applicant performing a two-minute solo and two work samples highlighting the applicant’s research interest. Regarding the genres, applicants should simulate classroom exercises with an emphasis on fundamentals of technical training, and the applicant should be the only person dancing in these videos. The solo is intended to showcase the applicant’s unique skill and artistry as a performer, and it can be in whichever style the applicant chooses. Dancers auditioning for the MFA and MA/SRS are expected to choreograph their own original two-minute solos, and they will be required to perform these solos onsite during the in-person audition (see sample audition schedule below).
Two work samples should highlight the applicant’s research interests in choreography, performance, dance on film, teaching, or other. Applicants should provide a maximum of five videos in total (i.e., 2 genres + 1 solo + 2 work samples). Applicants are encouraged to include a brief statement at the beginning of each video in which they discuss the content of the video, specifically addressing the genre/style and their relevant training and experience. Applicants are also required to upload a resume within the audition application specifically highlighting dance training and experience. The videos requested above should be uploaded to forums such as Youtube or Vimeo, and links to these videos must be provided in the applicant’s resume. Please be sure the video links provided in your resume open properly prior to submission.
Please be advised that the School of Dance Graduate Audition Application is separate from the university application. Admission to the university is authorized by the FSU Office of Admissions, and all prospective MFA and MA/SRS applicants must submit the FSU graduate application in addition to the School of Dance Graduate Audition Application by the deadline for the audition date you select. The university’s graduate application and all relevant information can be found on the FSU Graduate School’s website (link provided below). Please note that the FSU graduate application requires the following materials: 1) a statement of purpose (this is a 1-2 page letter in which you articulate your motivation for attending our program), 2) a writing sample (an essay, an academic or narrative paper, an article, or other writing assignment), 3) three letters of recommendation composed on official institutional letterhead, 4) official college/university transcripts, and 5) a resume/CV (the resume/CV must be uploaded both in the university application and the audition application). Our program does not require the GRE nor any other graduate admissions examination.
MFA and MA/SRS Audition Dates and Application Deadlines:
(Applicants will select their audition date in the School of Dance Graduate Audition Application).
OPEN – Additional Audition Dates by Invitation: Submit application materials by March 25, 2024 to receive an invitation for an on-site audition date.
CLOSED – November 13-14, 2023: All application materials must be submitted by November 8, 2023.
CLOSED – January 18-19, 2024: All application materials must be submitted by January 10, 2024.
In order to be considered for admission to our program, it is imperative that both the audition application and the university graduate application (along with all required materials) are received by the deadlines indicated above. Applicants will travel to Tallahassee to attend the two-day audition they have selected. We will provide applicants with all relevant information prior to the audition.
Summary of Required MFA and MA/SRS Audition Application Materials:
Sample Schedule for MFA and MA/SRS Auditions
First Day: MANDATORY
Upon arrival check in with the Dance Office – 202A Montgomery Hall
◦ Applicants should bring an audio device and an audio jack.
◦ Solos should be 1-2 minutes in length.
◦ Prepared solo should be of dancer’s own original choreography.
Second Day: MANDATORY
Parking:
Please follow this link to learn about visitor parking options on campus, including locations, hourly rates, and daily permits: https://transportation.fsu.edu/visitors
Applications:
School of Dance Graduate Audition Application (for MFA and MA/SRS only):
School of Dance Graduate Audition Application
Link to the FSU Graduate School (Office of Graduate Admissions):
https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions
For questions regarding the application or the admissions process, please contact Dr. Jeff Bray, jbray@fsu.edu
The American Dance Studies (ADS) program is currently on hiatus and will begin accepting applications again in late 2023 for the 2024-2025 academic year. If you would like more information about the ADS program, curriculum, and/or opportunities, please contact Dr. Jeff Bray (jbray@fsu.edu), who will connect you with an advisor.
For questions regarding the application, the admissions process, the BFA out-of-state tuition waiver for non-Florida residents, or if you are a current FSU student interested in auditioning for our program, please contact Dr. Jeff Bray, jbray@fsu.edu
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the School of Dance will offer both in-person auditions as well as a remote audition option for our BFA program. To initiate this process, please begin by completing the FSU undergraduate application found on the FSU Office of Admissions website (link provided below) and select Dance as your intended major. The FSU application portal will open on August 1, 2023. After submitting the FSU application, you will have access to the Application Status Check portal, and you will be prompted to complete the Dance Supplemental Application. In the Dance Supplemental Application, you will select one of the in-person auditions or the remote audition option, and you will be asked to provide basic information about yourself, upload a resume, and upload a photo (either a headshot or full-body photo). The resume should specifically highlight dance training and experience, and it should include a statement of career goals. If you select the remote audition option, you must provide videos or links to videos in the portfolio tool located in the Application Status Check portal.
University Application Deadlines and Admissions Decision Release Dates:
Early Action (Florida Students Only)
Application Deadline: October 15, 2023 (decisions released beginning December 14, 2023)
Regular Decision (All Students)
Application Deadline: December 1, 2023 (decisions released beginning February 15, 2024)
Rolling Decision (All Students)
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024 (decisions released on a rolling basis in early April 2024)
Please note that in addition to the university deadlines listed above, applicants must also meet the School of Dance deadlines listed below for the audition option selected. Admissions decision release is contingent on the availability of audition results (for example, applicants who meet the university’s December 1 deadline, but who attend the February 14 audition, will not receive dance decisions on February 15, etc.). Although the university will accept applications until March 1, 2024, the School of Dance will not consider any application submitted after January 10, 2024 (for the January 17 and February 14 auditions).
Applicants selecting one of our in-person auditions will be required to travel to Tallahassee to attend a full day (8am-4:30pm) of onsite audition activities in the School of Dance located in Montgomery Hall on the campus of Florida State University. The day will begin with an information session, and applicants will proceed to take classes in ballet, contemporary, and improvisation. The audition will conclude with the performance of solos.
In-Person Audition Dates and Application Deadlines:
(please note that the in-person auditions are limited to a certain number of applicants per audition. Each in-person audition date will be closed upon reaching maximum capacity).
CLOSED – November 15, 2023: All application materials must be submitted by November 8, 2023.
CLOSED – January 17, 2024: All application materials must be submitted by January 10, 2024.
CLOSED – February 14, 2024: All application materials must be submitted by January 10, 2024.
Important Information for In-Person Auditions:
Sample Schedule for In-Person Auditions:
8:00AM-8:30AM Audition check-in (main lobby of Montgomery Hall)
8:30AM-9:00AM BFA Information session for applicants and family members
9:00AM-1:00PM Dance Building Tours
9:20AM-10:50AM Group 1 Audition Technique Class (ballet, contemporary, improvisation)
11:00AM-12:30PM Group 2 Audition Technique Class (ballet, contemporary, improvisation)
11:00AM-1:30PM Lunch Break
1:30PM-4:30PM BFA Applicant Solos
Parking:
Please follow this link to learn about visitor parking options on campus, including locations, hourly rates, and daily permits: https://transportation.fsu.edu/visitors
Applicants selecting the remote audition option are required to provide videos or links to videos of the applicant dancing in two genres of the applicant’s choice – specifically for the purpose of demonstrating the applicant’s training in those genres – as well as video of the applicant performing a two-minute solo. Regarding the genres, applicants should simulate classroom exercises with emphasis on fundamentals of technical training, and the applicant should be the only person dancing in these videos. We would like for you to show us your strongest work and diversity of your technique and skills. In your videos, demonstrate the movement fundamentals that directly influence and relate to the techniques you are currently studying. When relevant, demonstrate your ability to move up and down from the floor. When submitting a ballet demonstration, please include plié, tendu, dégagé, rond de jambe, grand battement, and two center combinations which include pirouettes, jumps, and movement across the floor (if space allows). Applicants are encouraged to include a brief statement at the beginning of each video in which they discuss the content of the video, specifically addressing the genre/style and their relevant training and experience. For the solo, applicants should identify the choreographer. Applicants should provide a maximum of three videos (i.e., 2 genres + 1 solo). The two genre videos should be no more than five minutes each, and the solo video no longer than two minutes. All videos or video links must be provided in the portfolio tool located in the Application Status Check portal. Please be sure that the videos and/or links work properly prior to placing them in the portfolio tool. Applicants selecting the remote audition option must submit all application materials by November 8, 2023.
Summary of Required BFA Audition Application Materials:
Link to FSU Office of Admissions:
For questions regarding the application or the admissions process, please contact Dr. Jeff Bray, jbray@fsu.edu