Académie Auditions
Winter Auditions for the 2024-2025 academic year have been re-opened for 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th-grade students.
Winter Audition Requirements:
- Incoming 3rd-grade students audition in groups of 10; no previous dance training is required. Basic flexibility, rhythm, and coordination are evaluated. Enthusiasm and a genuine interest in dance are major factors in the tryout process. Incoming 4th-grade students must have one year of formal ballet training. Students in the 6th and 7th grades must have three to four years of Ballet training.
- Continuation in the program will be based on the student’s progress in classical ballet. Focus, physical ability, attendance, and/or behavior will be evaluated through ballet progress, assessments, and report cards.
- All female students should wear a solid-colored leotard or one-piece swimsuit, no tights, and their hair in a bun. All male students should wear fitted bottoms or shorts with a fitted T-shirt. All students should have their hair neat and off of the face.
Winter Audition Dates & Registration Process:
3rd & 4th Grade Students
Students in the 3rd and 4th grades will audition on Sat., Dec. 7, beginning at 11 a.m. Students must register online by selecting the appropriate button below. They will be assigned to a group of 10, and the audition will take approximately 20 minutes. Parents must remain in the building during the audition. Online registration must be completed by Thurs., Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. (You will receive a confirmation email once you submit your form. Please check your SPAM folder if you do not see the confirmation email in your inbox.)
6th & 7th Grade Students
Students in 6th and 7th grade must schedule an appointment to audition during the week of Dec. 2-5 (Mon.-Thurs.). They will be invited to take the 6th-grade Ballet class during the school day. To request an audition appointment for a 6th or 7th-grade student, please contact Joy Elpedes at 850.664.7787 or jelpedes@nfballet.org. Requests to audition must be made by Wed., Nov. 27 at 2 p.m.
Open House & Virtual Tour:
An open house for the Winter auditions will be held on Wed., Dec. 3, at 10:30 a.m. Students and parents will observe our ballet class and tour the school. Please contact Joy Elpedes at 850.664.7787 or jelpedes@nfballet.org. RSVPs are not required to attend the Open House but are appreciated. A virtual tour is also available in the Académie Resources section below.
Click the "View Academie Resources" button to learn more about the NFB Academie.
Trainee, Company & Pre-Professional Auditions
Registration for the 2024-2025 season auditions is now closed.
NFB’s Trainee Program auditions are designed for students in the 6th grade and up with at least three years of training.
Company auditions are open to students entering the 8th grade and up with at least six years of formal training. Additionally, female dancers must have two years on pointe to audition for the NFB Company.
Pre-Professional Program auditions are for advanced students with at least six years of classical ballet training. Female dancers should have at least three years of experience on pointe.
Auditions are by appointment only and held at the NFB Studios in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Pre-registration and a 4x6 headshot of the dancer are required. Details for the 2025-2026 season will be released in the spring.
Professional dancers wishing to audition for demi-soloist, soloist and principal guest artist positions should contact NFB Artistic Director Todd Eric Allen to schedule an audition. Dancers may also send a headshot, bio, a few dance pictures and four short video clips of both classical and contemporary/modern works.