Lafayette Ballet Theatre invites area dancers to audition Sept. 8-9 for two performances of the full-length classical ballet, “The Nutcracker.” Auditions are divided into two different days according to age and skill level.
Sept. 8 auditions are for advanced to professional dancers, ages 15 through adult. Sept. 9 auditions are for dancers ages 8 through 14. Auditions are scheduled to take place at Lafayette Ballet Theatre, 201 Petroleum Drive, Lafayette. Roles are available for beginner through advanced level dancers, male and female. To qualify to audition, a dancer must be at least 8 years old; have completed at least one full year of ballet study and be currently enrolled in an established dance program.

Roles include:

Act I – Party Scene: party children, dolls, tumblers and maids. Battle Scene: soldiers and bunny

Act II – Beginner-intermediate level students (ages 8-14): angels, candy canes, peppermints and polichinelles.

Advanced level – professional (ages 15 and over): Spanish variation (character shoes) and select Land of the Sweets variations. Roles in Snow scene and Waltz of the Flowers are open to qualified advanced level dancers – Pointe shoes required.

For auditions, dancers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to scheduled registration time. Registration forms are available at www.lafayetteballettheatre.org. (Click “LBT” on the homepage, then select “Nutcracker Auditions” on the menu.) Audition times and locations are as follows:

Saturday, Sept. 8, at Lafayette Ballet Theatre Studio, 201 Petroleum Drive, Lafayette
· Ages 15-professional, advanced pointe work: 11 a.m. -1:30 p.m.
· Ages 15 and up, no pointe work (advanced level character variations): 1:30-2 p.m.
Feel free to arrive early to warm up.

Sunday, Sept. 9, at Lafayette Ballet Theatre Studio, 201 Petroleum Drive, Lafayette
· Beginner/Intermediate Levels, ages 8-10: 1-3 p.m.
· Intermediate/Advanced Levels, ages 11-14: 3-5 p.m.
· Tumblers: 5-5:30 p.m. (No audition fee required for tumblers.)

All dancers (except tumblers) should wear ballet attire and be prepared to stay for the duration of the audition period as listed on the schedule. A $35 registration fee is required of all dancers ages 8 to 17 at the time of audition. There is no fee for tumblers participating in 5 p.m. audition. Please make checks payable to Lafayette Ballet Theatre (LBT) or bring exact change. Lafayette Ballet Theatre, along with Principal guest artists of the Pacific Northwest Ballet will present two performances of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center.

Want more information? Visit www.lafayetteballettheatre.org or call 337-262-0444.