2026 Ballet Festival Applications are still open!
APPLICATION FOR THE 2025 BALLET FESTIVAL
The next SoCal Ballet Scene festival will be held September 12th 2026 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. The mixed-repertoire program features professional ballet dancers from all across Southern California, in a wide array of ballet styles ranging from classical to contemporary ballet.
Local Professional Ballet Dancers
Both returning festival dancers and new dancers are welcome to apply.
Application Deadline: March 23rd
PROFESSIONAL DANCER APPLICATION IS NOW CLOSED
Spaces are limited
Independent Choreographers
Moving forward, our choreography application form will remain open year-round and we will accept submissions on a rolling basis.
Due to very limited space in the festival program, only 1–2 independent works are typically selected for the upcoming festival. In most cases, submissions are reviewed and held for consideration in future festival seasons.
Choreographers who have previously submitted work do not need to resubmit the same piece. New works not yet shared with us are welcome and may be submitted using the link below.
Recreational Adult Dancers
Our annual Ballet Festival provides advanced-level recreational adult dancers in the community with the opportunity to dance in the corps de ballet of an excerpted story ballet, performing alongside professional soloists and principals in a world-class production.
If you're interested in joining our recreational corps this year, please apply at the link below.
Application Deadline: April 30th
RECREATIONAL DANCER APPLICATION IS NOW FULL AND CLOSED
Professional Freelance Dancers
Application Deadline: April 5th
CLOSED
Spaces are limited
FAQs
The professional freelance dancers hired directly by SoCal Ballet Scene will be paid a flat fee, commensurate with the level of the role being performed and time on stage.
Yes! Submitting the application form tells us that you're available for the specified rehearsal/performance dates and that you're interested in joining the festival again.
We love working with returning dancers and try to find positions as much as possible, but we cannot guarantee this. It all depends on the repertoire, budget, and what type of dancers are needed for a given year.
Open applications for professional artists are now closed!
Application Deadlines
- Choreographers & Regional Companies: April 6th 2024
- Freelance Dancers: April 19th 2024
We received many applications for our Festival this year from professional artists throughout Southern California. Thank you to all who have expressed enthusiasm and interest in being a part of this cultural event! Stay tuned for 2024 programming details to be announced soon!
Performance opportunity for recreational adult ballet dancers
We love the community of recreational dancers in Southern California, many of whom study ballet for years, but rarely are given the chance to dance on stage. We are thrilled to announce that we will be providing a performance opportunity for these dancers in our upcoming ballet festival this Fall - September 14th at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center!
This opportunity is open to advanced level recreational adult dancers with at least 10 years of ballet experience. We will be selecting a group to perform in the corps de ballet of Act 1 of Don Quixote. Perform onstage alongside the professional dancers in our festival!
- Pointe shoes are not required; The corps de ballet will dance in flat shoes
- Must be available to attend our open classes and rehearsals at Laguna Dance Theatre every Sunday from July 7th through September 8th
- No participation fees other than class tuition; unpaid performances
If you are interested in participating, email info@socalballetscene.com by June 1st 2024.
Festival Timeline & Guidelines
Interested in participating in our Annual Ballet Festival? Please review the general timeline and application guidelines below. This will help you prepare and understand what to expect each year.
Key Dates & Process
Application Period (Professionals):
Applications for professional freelance dancers and companies typically open January through March. For choreographers, applications are now on a rolling basis, where work can be submitted at any time of the year for consideration for a future festival.Dancer Auditions:
Select dancers from the online application pool will be invited to a closed in-person audition in March. Note: All dancers, including artists from previous festivals, must submit a new application each year.Casting Decisions:
Dancers: Casting is finalized in May.Choreographers: Selections are finalized in May.
Adult Recreational Dancers:
We welcome adult recreational dancers to apply online from January through April for potential inclusion in a large classical corps de ballet excerpt. No formal audition is required, but you may be asked to attend an open class for evaluation.Rehearsal Schedule:
Festival rehearsals are held on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) from July through early September.
PO Box 1239, Lake Forest, CA 92609
© SoCalBalletScene. All Rights Reserved.
Hollywood Ballet presented the iconic White Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake, performed by principal ballerina Petra Conti and principal dancer Eris Nezha. Petra and Eris are former principals from Boston Ballet, La Scala Ballet, and LA Ballet. They are now the artistic directors of Hollywood Ballet.
Workshops are hosted throughout the year by SoCal Ballet Scene, enabling both recreational and professional dancers to explore different aspects of ballet that are not covered in a standard technique class, such as pas de deux and contemporary ballet choreography.