Auditions & Careers

Smuin Contemporary Ballet is now accepting applications for the 2023-24 season, which marks the Company’s 30^th anniversary. Interested and qualified applicants with a minimum of two years of professional performing experience may submit their audition materials digitally.

Auditions are in person and by invitation only. Please, only serious candidates who are prepared to move to San Francisco should apply.

Smuin Contemporary Ballet Audition Dates and Locations

Sunday, February 5, 2023 | New York City

The Ailey Studios
The Joan Weill Center for Dance
405 West 55th Street at 9th Avenue
New York, New York 10019

12:00 pm, Studio 6B – Check-in (no registration fee is required)

12:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Studio 6C – Audition including ballet class (women en pointe), partnering and repertoire

Sunday, February 12, 2023 | San Francisco

Smuin Center for Dance
1830 17th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

1:30 pm – Check-in (no registration fee is required)
2:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Audition including ballet class (women en pointe), partnering and repertoire. Select audition candidates may be invited to join Smuin Company class on Monday, February 13 for callbacks.

• Female identifying dancers: 5’3″ – 5’6”; Male identifying dancers: 5’10” and taller
• Candidates must be eligible for employment in the United States as US citizens or possessing a current O-1 visa
• Minimum two years of professional experience is required
• For New York and San Francisco auditions, please send CV, photo(s), and video link to audition@smuinballet.org by January 31, 2023.
• Include Name/Audition 2023-24 in subject line (i.e., Anna Ballerina/Audition 2023-24). In your email, please indicate whether you are interested in attending the NY or SF audition

Video material should include 3-4 minutes of center work (no barre work) demonstrating adagio, petite allegro, pirouettes, grand allegro and, for the men, double tours. Women’s class work should be en pointe. Rehearsal or performance footage in classical repertoire and contemporary work, including partnering samples, should also be included. Entire video should not be longer than 8-10 minutes. If file is too large to email, applicant may send a password-protected link via Vimeo, etc.

Smuin Contemporary Ballet is a San Francisco Bay Area organization in its 29^th year. Founded by Michael Smuin in 1994, and led by Celia Fushille, Artistic Director since 2007, the Company presents not only the works of its founder, but the works of established choreographers as well. Recent repertoire includes works by Jiří Kylián, James Kudelka, Val Caniparoli, Trey McIntyre, Amy Seiwert, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Helen Pickett. The Company performs and encourages the works of emerging choreographers as well.

Smuin Contemporary Ballet anticipates that it will engage its Artists for 36-40 weeks for the coming season. Submissions will be considered through March 15, 2023, if positions remain available. Smuin offers competitive dancer contracts, presenting 60-65 performances per season. Smuin pushes the boundaries of contemporary ballet, combining classical ballet training, technique, and artistry with uncommon physicality and expression. The Company attracts and engages versatile dancers who meet the challenges of our diverse repertoire.