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Gifted/Talented Programs » How to Prepare your child for Visual/Performing Arts Auditions/Demonstrations

How to Prepare your child for Visual/Performing Arts Auditions/Demonstrations

How to Prepare for Auditions/Demonstrations

Visual Arts Demonstrations are made up of two parts:

Visual Arts Ability Category Overview New!

Evaluation of two on-site drawings

Portfolio review

Portfolio

The portfolio is uploaded to a special Schoology course approximately one week before the demonstration. Parents are sent a letter with information on how to upload photos of student artwork to the course.
 
The portfolio should include:
  • 6-10 artworks.
  • Artwork that is fairly recent (within 3 years)
  • A variety of age-appropriate artwork (e.g. watercolor, portrait, pencil drawings, landscape, still life, three-dimensional work, collage, mixed media, photography, digital art etc.)
The portfolio should not include:
  • Copyrighted characters/images
  • Painting by numbers
  • Class assignments where all artwork looks the same

Performing Arts Auditions: (students may participate in one area only on the day of the audition)

 
The Performing Arts evaluation process is an audition that occurs simultaneously for all three disciplines (dance, voice, drama). If your child excels in more than one discipline, they may audition for the other discipline within the same school year.

Drama

  • Students should come prepared to perform a memorized 1 to 2-minute monologue (no profanity)
  • Students may be asked to perform an improvisational piece.
  • No costumes; comfortable clothing is recommended

Dance

Students should prepare a one-minute, age-appropriate dance to music prior to the audition. Candidates should bring a device (charged or with fresh batteries) with music cued to the starting point. Dance style and musical choices are open and must be age-appropriate (e.g., ballet, tap, hip hop, etc.).

Students should come dressed in appropriate dance clothing: black tights/leotards or black sweats/white T-shirts (no costumes, big shirts, jeans or oversized sweats (long hair should be tied back or pinned up neatly)

Students may perform in dance shoes or bare-footed

Voice

Students should come prepared to sing a few verses from an age-appropriate song suited for their voice range.

Students may bring their own music device (charged or with fresh batteries) with music cued to the starting point, sheet music and/or their own accompanist.

Singing a capella is not recommended.