Train where serious dancers are known, challenged, and supported.
The School of Ballet 5:8 is a company-affiliated training environment for students who want strong classical technique, high-level performing experience, individual mentoring, and a clear pathway toward college, trainee, or company work.
Looking for Company auditions? This page is focused on School, Conservatory, Trainee, Boys, and Fox Cities pathways. Professional dancers should visit ballet58.org/company-audition.
Audition at Ballet 5:8
See the school environment and the training culture students step into.
See the Ballet 5:8 Difference
High-level training, meaningful mentorship, and company-affiliated opportunities.
High challenge. High support.
The right training environment should stretch a dancer without leaving them unsupported. Ballet 5:8 students train with professional artists, perform meaningful repertoire, receive individual correction, and build the habits needed for long-term success.
- Company-affiliated school with direct exposure to Ballet 5:8 artists and faculty
- Mentoring for students preparing for college, Conservatory, Trainee, Second Company, or Company pathways
- Performance experience that develops artistry, musicality, stamina, and stage presence
- A values-driven environment where serious training and whole-person care belong together
Choose your audition path.
Dancers should register for the class that best matches their age and current training level. Faculty may recommend a different level or program after seeing the dancer in class.
| Audition | Best for | Time | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning & Intermediate Ballet AuditionOrland Park, IL | Students ages 9-13 seeking level placement, school admission, and training recommendations | 10:00-11:30 AM | Register |
| Advanced Ballet AuditionOrland Park, IL | Students ages 14+ seeking advanced placement, Conservatory, Trainee, or pre-professional consideration | 12:00-1:30 PM | Register |
| Community Cast: Beyond the Nutcracker AuditionOrland Park, IL | Students and community dancers interested in Beyond the Nutcracker community cast consideration | 2:00-3:00 PM | Register |
| Fox Cities Sample Class Audition OptionMenasha, WI | Wisconsin students attending the Fox Cities Grand Opening who want placement or audition consideration | Grand Opening schedule | Register for Grand Opening |
Families interested in weekly classes, level descriptions, and campus-specific details may also visit School Classes, School, Trainee & Conservatory, or Fox Cities.
School pathways for growing artists.
Beginning through advanced ballet training
Students receive clear level placement, strong technical foundations, age-appropriate progression, and opportunities to grow in musicality, discipline, and performance quality.
View school classesFor serious students ages 14-22
Conservatory is designed for students who want a more focused pre-professional environment while continuing to develop technique, artistry, repertory, and professional habits.
Explore ConservatoryBridge into college or company life
The Trainee Program supports advanced dancers preparing for the next stage of their training or career through daily work, mentoring, repertoire, and performance experience.
Explore TraineeTraining that carries forward.
Students in Ballet 5:8's Conservatory and Trainee pathways build the technique, confidence, and performance experience they need for the next step, whether that is college, a trainee program, professional audition season, or company work.
Male dancers need more than a place to stand in the back of class.
Ballet 5:8 gives boys and men visible representation, serious coaching, and a clear training pathway inside a company-affiliated school. Students are coached as artists and athletes, with attention to classical technique, batterie, turns, allegro, strength, partnering readiness, musicality, and stage presence.
- Technique classes that address the specific demands placed on male dancers
- Performance opportunities that build confidence, presence, stamina, and partnering awareness
- A high-challenge, high-support environment where male students are taken seriously
Learn from Ballet 5:8 artists and educators.
Students are shaped by teachers who understand both the technical demands and the lived experience of professional ballet. Auditioning families are encouraged to meet the full team on our Artists & Faculty page.
Sarah Clarke
Technical clarity, stage experience, and a strong model of professional artistry for developing dancers.
Miranda Rubio Opsal
Mentoring, musicality, and pre-professional guidance for students learning how to train with purpose.
Emma Michaux
A company-affiliated teaching voice with performance insight and attention to detail in the studio.
Ignacio Rivera
Visible male representation and mentorship for boys and men pursuing serious ballet training.
Recognition for serious dance students.
The School of Ballet 5:8 is affiliated with the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, a program that recognizes students for artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in dance. For motivated students, this provides a formal way to track growth, service, performance, and leadership as part of their broader dance education.
Artistic Merit
Students can document meaningful dance participation, performance, training, and creative growth.
Leadership
Students are encouraged to build responsibility, service, collaboration, and leadership within the dance community.
Academic Achievement
NHSDA connects dance excellence with academic seriousness, helping students articulate their work for future opportunities.
Audition class is also a placement conversation.
Faculty are looking for more than perfect steps. We look for technical foundation, musicality, focus, resilience, coachability, curiosity, and readiness for the next level of training.
- Arrive early enough to check in and prepare calmly.
- Wear neat ballet class attire and bring ballet shoes.
- Advanced dancers should bring pointe shoes if applicable.
- Families may receive program or level recommendations after the audition process.
Start in an environment built for growth.
The beginning of the year is the right time to enter a training culture that gives dancers the tools they need: technical consistency, artistic confidence, personal responsibility, mentoring, and meaningful performance experience.
Audition for the School of Ballet 5:8.
Whether your dancer is preparing for stronger weekly training, Conservatory, Trainee, a college program, or a future company path, the August 15 audition is the best next step.
Need help working through acceptance and rejection? Curious how to select which organization to give your “yes” to? My Audition Journal was written with dancers like you in mind. Get access to mental health resources, emotional resilience coaching, audition planning, self-care tips and motivation from the Ballet 5:8 dancers.
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