Greater Niagara Ballet Company to host auditions for 'The Nutcracker'

The Greater Niagara Ballet Company’s “The Nutcracker” is returning to the Niagara Falls High School Performing Arts Center on Dec. 13-14. The family-friendly holiday show features local dancers, guest artists and character performers.

Auditions for “The Nutcracker” will take place Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, 1201 Pine Ave. Enter through the purple door on the Portage Road side.

Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. Dancers must arrive at least 30 minutes earlier than their listed audition time to allow time for registration.

Dancers will be expected to be fully warmed up prior to their audition times. There will be no time during the audition for warming up.

Schedule

The schedule includes tryouts for the following:

√ 10-10:30 a.m., girls and boys ages 6-7: Dancers needed. Some dance experience encouraged, but not required. Available roles include party scene, bon-bons, angels.

√ 10:30-11 a.m., girls and boys ages 8-9: Dancers needed. Some dance and/or gymnastics experience is encouraged. Available roles include party scene, bon-bons, battle scene, angels.

√ 11-11:45 a.m., girls and boys ages 10-12: Dancers needed. Some dance experience encouraged. Available roles include party scene, battle scene, angels.

√ 11:45 a.m. to noon, youth ages 10-plus for the role(s) of jester: Must have at least two years of gymnastics, acro-dance or other formal acrobatic training – no exceptions. Dancers who are self-taught need not attend. All interested dancers should attend one other audition (based on age and experience).

√ Noon to 12:30 p.m., teens ages 13-plus, adults (party scene, non-pointe second act roles): Dancers needed. Some dance experience encouraged. Available roles include party scene, battle scene, various character roles, non-pointe second act roles.

√ 12:30-1 p.m. break.

√ 1-1:30 p.m., Clara auditions for ages 12-14: Those auditioning must be 12 years old by Dec. 1, and have several years of ballet training. All dancers attending this audition must attend one other audition before or after to be considered for the role. Note: Dancers who have previously played Clara in the GNBC production of “The Nutcracker” are not eligible.

√ 1:30-2:15 p.m., junior corps, ages 11-16: Several years of ballet training required (about three-plus years post primary/creative movement classes). Those currently training in pointe shoes should bring their shoes into the studio, but wear regular ballet slippers into the audition.

√ 2:15-3 p.m., senior corps and solos for ages 18 and up: Girls: One or more years of pointe training and four-plus years of ballet required; boys/men: several years of ballet/dance training is necessary. Pointe shoes should be worn into the audition. Last section may be off-pointe, so regular ballet slippers should be carried in.

Non-pointe second-act and character roles will also be auditioned at the 1:30 and 2:15 p.m. auditions.

Party scene parents do not need to audition unless also interested in other dancing roles. Those only interested in party scene parent roles should sign up on the list at auditions.

With the exceptions of the jester and Clara auditions, no one should attend more than one audition time. Some dancers in the junior corps section may be asked to stay for senior corps auditions.

Most regular rehearsals will be on Sunday mornings and afternoons. A few rehearsals may be on Saturday. Please indicate weekend availability on the registration form. Junior and senior corps de ballet and soloists must be available for Sunday rehearsals.

“The Nutcracker” file photos by Mark Yerger.

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Registration

Audition fees of $20 per dancer are due the day of the audition.

Dancers/parents are strongly encouraged to register and pay online prior to arrival to avoid delays. Once registered, log in directly to the Portal to access an account and pay a bill.

Those registering in-person will still need to register through the same system online when arriving, since the GNBC no longer uses paper forms. Register online and pay the audition fee in person if preferring not to pay via credit card. The GNBC cannot accept credit cards in person.

The GNBC asks that no dancers attend auditions at a higher age range or level, due to safety/injury concerns and casting requirements. This includes dancers running late or those who misread audition times.

Contact the GNBC at [email protected] at least 24 hours before the audition if unsure which audition to attend.

Those who cannot make the audition date must contact the company before auditions via email at [email protected] to make arrangements. This policy is in place for both new and returning dancers. The company strongly prefers that dancers who cannot make auditions try out via one of our ballet classes the week prior to auditions.

For more information, visit the GNBC website at greaterniagaraballetcompany.com.