5 Performance Opportunities For Adult Ballet Dancers

Adult ballet students are not expected to perform, but some want to! If you long to grace the stage, talk to your teacher. They can offer suggestions about how to prepare and where you can participate in a production. Consider five performance opportunities available to adults.

1. Local Theater

Go downtown or check out your county’s local theaters. Acting troupes and other charitable organizations hold their events here and you never know if they need extra performers. This doesn’t mean that you will necessarily be performing in an actual ballet, but your skills could be put to use. Companies putting on musicals almost always hold open auditions. At the very least, the box office can provide you a list of upcoming events and the names of directors/managers. You can contact them directly with any questions.

2. Community College

Take a class at your local junior college. They offer performances each semester, and you can usually find a great mix of ages and abilities in class. I loved taking class while going to school, because a group of regulars enrolled every semester, and it came to feel like a company. If you can dance on pointe, that is also an added bonus, since department heads are always trying to expand and elevate the school’s performances from becoming too contemporary or weighed down with hip hop and jazz numbers. You even have a greater chance of scoring a solo. Community college is a fun and affordable option, and you won’t have to share the experience with grade school children.

3. University

Dance degrees are offered at most major universities. Even if you don’t pursue dance as a profession, the dance program may allow you to audition. If you are seriously pursuing dance as a career, having performance experience in a university dance department can boost your resume and lead to a job. Regardless of your GPA, if there are no community colleges in your area, approach the dance department about participating in one of their productions.

4. Recreation Centers

Next time you’re on the elliptical at your local recreation center, look for flyers advertising dance, or request a catalog of all their classes. Not all recreation centers are created equal. Some cities have better funding, providing better equipment and programs. The recreation center I taught at didn’t have a stage, so I put together a recital for my students in the gym. I made a makeshift stage on the basketball court and raided Hobby Lobby for props and scenery. What’s more, I would’ve loved to have adults in the show! Take it from me, ask any teacher involved in a community endeavor, and they will make a spot for you!

5. Pre-Professional Schools and Studios

This is a pretty safe bet. Recitals are a guaranteed feature of every spring semester, and teachers find a way to tie their adult students into the big show. You will normally perform as a class, but sometimes, you may be able to extend into other class numbers. Keep in mind, rehearsals for these can be long and hectic since hundreds of students may be participating, most of them children. Also, they’re always held at another performance venue that might not be close to where you live. Nonetheless, it’s a popular avenue if you want to land some stage time.

Remember, these are most likely going to be unpaid performance opportunities, but at least you’ll have some fun! Live performance is unlike anything. Whether you simply want to perform once to fulfill a childhood dream, or you want to pursue more, performance opportunities for adults are out there. You just gotta look for them!??