Apply & Audition
Thank you for your interest in our undergraduate degrees. Formal acceptance into the School of Dance (for incoming freshman majors, minors, and transfer students) is contingent on completion of two applications: (1) the University of Utah Admissions Application and (2) the School of Dance Audition Application. Student must be admitted by the University of Utah Office of Admissions and pass a School of Dance audition.
To apply for admission to the University of Utah, please check with the Office of Admissions for all information about the University application process and deadlines. Although recommended, you do not need to be admitted to the University of Utah in order to audition. The earlier you apply for admissions to the University of Utah, the better your chances to receive early admissions offers, scholarships, and acceptance into the School. Various admissions deadlines start as soon as December 1, so don't wait!
To sign up for an audition to the School of Dance, please complete the Audition Application. Within the application, you’ll be asked which audition you’ll be attending. Dates, times, and locations will be posted below as they are made available. Register early! Each audition date is limited to a certain number of applicants. Each audition will be closed upon reaching maximum capacity. You will receive an email with your submitted audition application information when completed—this will act as your audition confirmation. An email with detailed audition information will be sent one week prior to each audition.
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In-person registration for auditions will begin 30 minutes before the audition time posted below. Auditions that are held at the Marriott Center for Dance on the University of Utah campus are held over weekends in which we will be presenting School of Dance concerts featuring our students. You are invited to attend these performances for free as our guests if your schedule permits.
November 14, 2026 | Salt Lake City, UT
9:00am - 2:00pm (Contemporary Dance BFA, Dance Teaching BFA, & Dance Minor)
9:00am - 1:00pm (Ballet BFA)
10:00am - 12:30pm (UBSI)
Marriott Center for DanceFebruary 12, 2027 | Salt Lake City, UT
4:30pm - 6:30pm (UBSI)
Marriott Center for DanceFebruary 13, 2027 | Salt Lake City, UT
9:00am - 2:00pm (Contemporary Dance BFA, Dance Teaching BFA, & Dance Minor)
9:00am - 1:00pm (Ballet BFA)
1:30pm - 3:30pm (UBSI)
Marriott Center for Dance -
Note that a $50 Non-Refundable Audition Fee or Fee Waiver must be paid for the Audition Application to be complete. You can pay the Audition Fee when you submit your application or ahead of time here. Both the application and payment must be received in order for your Audition Application to be considered. The Audition Fee will not be refunded for any reason.
If paying the Audition Fee is a financial burden, please reach out to info@dance.utah.edu to request an Audition Fee Waiver. The University of Utah School of Dance is dedicated to ensuring all prospective students are able to secure an audition opportunity regardless of financial status. You can also request a Fee Waiver for your application for admissions to the University of Utah here. The inability to pay a college application fee or audition fee should never be a barrier to applying to the University of Utah School of Dance.
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Ballet BFA
The center section of class will be taught en pointe. There will be additional allegro enchainment for male identifying students (batterie, tours, traveling steps).
Contemporary Dance BFA, Dance Teaching BFA, & Dance Minor
The audition class will incorporate ballet barre, contemporary technique, and improvisation. At the conclusion of the audition class, dancers will be asked to present their solos, showing 1 - 2 minutes of a self-choreographed solo.
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Ballet BFA
All dancers should wear solid-colored tights with either a solid colored leotard or tightly fitted shirt that allows the adjudicators to clearly see the body. Please no skirts or leg warmers. Female identifying students will wear pointe shoes and ballet slippers, male identifying students will wear ballet slippers throughout.
Contemporary Dance BFA, Dance Teaching BFA, & Dance Minor
Please come prepared to move—no specific dress code required.
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We will accept video auditions only from those prospective students unable to attend one of the in-person audition dates. If auditioning via video, complete the Audition Application above to submit your video. Video Auditions will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The deadline to submit a video audition is April 1.
View the Ballet BFA Video Requirements
View the Contemporary Dance BFA, Dance Teaching BFA, & Dance Minor Video Requirements
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Utah Ballet Summer Intensive
All auditioning participants will also be considered for acceptance to the Utah Ballet Summer Intensive. Spend four amazing weeks working with internationally recognized faculty and guest artists. Take advantage of this opportunity to meet choreographers and dancers from across the nation and the world and explore the beautiful Utah outdoors.
Dance West
All auditioning participants (aged 18+) will also be considered for acceptance to Dance West. Dance West is a two-week intensive presented by Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and the University of Utah School of Dance—bringing together some of the region’s most celebrated artists and educators.
Undergraduate Auditions
MASTER YOUR CRAFT
We seek applicants who:
have established themselves as experienced performers, choreographers, teachers, curators, administrators and/or researchers who are now looking to delve more deeply into their practices
can communicate a compelling idea for a self-directed research project - scholarly or creative in nature - that serves as the culmination of the graduate degree
For those individuals interested in the MFA program who might not currently hold an undergraduate degree, the School of Dance offers retiring professionals the opportunity to complete a Ballet BFA in an expedited three-year program. During the final year of the expedited BFA program, students may apply for the Ballet MFA degree. For additional information about this possibility, contact the Director of Graduate Studies.
Priority University of Utah admissions deadline (initial review of applicants) will begin on TBD.
Please direct any inquiries about graduate studies to Professor Joselli Deans, Director of Graduate Studies
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Applicants should demonstrate:
• 3+ years of experience in the professional field of dance in performance, choreography, staging, teaching, Screendance, curation, etc.
• Proficient teaching abilities in areas that align with School of Dance undergraduate curricula and/or offer new perspectives and topics that will enrich our existing curricula. (Please ensure teaching experience is evident in the Personal Statement, CV, and video links.)
• A clear articulation of personal interests, areas of study, or creative or theoretical inquiry that could be developed into a personalized research agenda.
• A clear justification as to why pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree is necessary to future goals.
Application Materials
1. CV or Resume
• Must include credentials in the areas of education, training, and work experience, and
• At least three references.
2. Creative work
• For candidates wishing to conduct a creative thesis, include links to full-length examples of 1-3 recent choreographic, Screendance or performance projects.
3. Teaching samples
• Ballet MFA applicants: Include 1-2 links of clear audio/visual recordings of you teaching a full-length ballet class.
• Modern Dance MFA applicants: Include 1-2 links of clear audio/visual recordings of you teaching contemporary techniques (broadly defined), improvisation, or composition classes
4. Letters of Recommendation
• Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation. Please request a letter from two professional dance references. Direct them to upload their letters of recommendation to Slate.
5. Transcripts
• Applicants must provide unofficial transcripts from all institutions of higher education you have attended.
6. Personal Statement
• Prepare a 3-4 page essay that articulates your interest in pursuing an MFA degree from the University of Utah’s School of Dance including: 1) your graduate school and post-graduation goals; 2) potential scholarly or practice-based research interests (i.e., choreography, Screendance, history, criticism and theory, interdisciplinary arts and technology, Arts-in-Health, etc.,); 3) how your professional, artistic, or personal experiences in dance have prepared you for pursuing an advanced degree.
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Select applicants may be invited to attend an on-campus interview (known as MFA Day). MFA Day offers prospective students an opportunity to observe School of Dance classes and rehearsals, tour campus and dance facilities, converse with current graduate students, and interview with the faculty. Those candidates selected to attend MFA Day will be contacted by the Director of Graduate Studies.
On-campus MFA Day for Fall 2026 admission will be held on TBD 2027 and will include class observations, campus tours, conversations with faculty and current grads and a concert. -
Tuition & Fees
The cost of graduate school is determined by the University of Utah Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid. To estimate the Cost of Attendance, see information on their website as well as the University of Utah Tuition Calculator.
Funding Opportunities
All applicants may apply to receive funding opportunities through a Teaching Assistantship.
A full-time Teaching Assistantship includes a tuition waiver (up to 15 credits per semester, not to exceed 60 total credit hours across two years), accompanying payroll stipend divided across each semester and paid according to the University payroll schedule, and eligibility for the University Graduate Student Health Insurance Program. A full-time Teaching Assistantship requires up to 20 hours of teaching-related work per week.
Candidates who wish to earn an MFA degree without the obligations of a Teaching Assistantship are also welcome to apply. Tuition costs will fall to the candidate, and health insurance benefits are not included.
Viable Applicants for TA funding:
• Demonstrate a track record of teaching classes that align with our needs in existing undergraduate curricula and/or offer new perspectives and topics that will enrich our existing curricula.
• Possess 3+ years of professional experience as performers, choreographers, stagers, and/or teachers and are familiar with the artists and practices currently shaping the field.
• Attendance at MFA Day is required for TA funding consideration unless alternative arrangements have been made.
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International students must:
• Be accepted to the University. (see International Graduate Admissions)
• Meet or exceed the University TOEFL requirements - Students whose native language is not English are required to submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as part of their application. Applications are not considered complete without the most recent test scores for Speaking. (see English Proficiency Requirements)
Additional information can be found here: https://gradschool.utah.edu/resources-hub/international-student-info.php
Successful candidates will be contacted for a virtual interview. -
A Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for acceptance into the Ballet MFA nor Modern Dance MFA degrees.
Graduate Applications