An Estelle Dennis Scholarship Audition offers a rare and broadly useful opportunity to support and reinforce the career paths of male identifying professional aspirants who are ballet-trained, ages 13-21, and on the brink of their careers. A recipient of the award may use the scholarship money as a student at a well-recognized school, or as a trainee, apprentice, or entrant member of a professional ballet company. A portion of the cash award may also be used for needed dance-related expenses, including dancewear, travel, and accommodation. Past award winners are now dancing with BalletMet, Boston Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet.
Auditions will be held Sunday, April 6, 2025, hosted by the Preparatory Dance Department of the Peabody Institute.
17 East Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Dance Studio LH16
Day of Audition Timeline for Group 1 (ages 13-16):
Arrival and registration check-in at 10:00 AM
Self warm-up (dancers should be in ballet attire): 10:00-10:30 AM
Photo of first arabesque starting at 10:30 AM
Ballet class auditions will be held from 10:45-12:15 PM
Dismissal by 12:30 PM. Group 1 award recipients will be notified by email by the end of the day.
Day of Audition Timeline for Group 2 (ages 17-21):
Arrival and registration check-in at 12:45 PM
Self warm-up (dancers should be in ballet attire): 12:45-1:15 PM
Photo of first arabesque starting at 1:15 PM
Ballet class auditions will be held from 1:30-3:00 PM
Judges deliberate from 3:00-3:45 PM with the adjudicating committee (dancers can change out of dance attire)
Individual conferences with all Group 2 participants 3:45-4:15 PM
Applicant Checklist:
1. Register using the EDSA 2025 Registration link: EDSA 2025 Registration
2. Apply using the EDSA 2025 Application link, which includes a 2-paragraph statement of purpose (Deadline: March 31, 2025): EDSA 2025 Application
3. Have a current instructor/teacher fill out the EDSA Teacher Recommendation form (Deadline: March 31, 2025): EDSA 2025 Teacher Recommendation
4. Audition for scholarship.