POB Auditions

[Daniil]

Hi!

I'm living in Germany and considering to go maybe to the POB. Does anybody know anything about the annual auditions held there? I would like to know anything about it. As I heard they're held usually in summer, but I'm not sure. Does the audition consist only of a training or also of variations?

Ok, hope someone knows something about it

in advance

Edited January 2, 2005 by Daniil

[Estelle]

There are some auditions, usually at the beginning of the summer, but as far as I know, there are two kinds of auditions: one for the students of the POB school only, and one open to anybody but it is only for some "surnuméraire" jobs, i.e. temporary contracts (and also, it often happens that such positions are in fact given to some POB school students who were not successful at the first audition). However, some "surnuméraire" contracts can be transformed into permanent contracts; for example, as far as I know, that was the case for Alessio Carbone, Sophia Parczen, Simone Valastro and a few others.

The auditions are announced on the POB web site:

http://www.opera-de-paris.fr/

However, as far as I know, not much is known about the number of available positions each year, and it can be announced quite late.

[cygneblanc]

Estelle said everything. I'm sure there is a barre work and that they are eliminating some candidates. For the milieu, I believe there is a variation. Some permanent contracts can be offered at the audition opened to everyone but they usually give them to dancers that have been "surnemeraire" before.

Generally, there are taking four "sunuméraire" andd it can be less or more. You can also have a contract for one ballet. It changes each year

Good luck

[Daniil]

Hi!

Thanks for the replies! I have asked a friend at the opera and he said that the audition takes place normally in the end of June.

But I have still some more questions:

1. What is different from the "surnemeraire" contract and the permanent one? Does it differ only in lenght (one year), have you the "right" to dance the same things as a normal corps dancer?

2. Do you need any diploma to be accepted at the opera? My mother is teaching me ballet and so in a year, when I'm done with my school, I won't have any ballet education diploma. I've won a few Int'l competitions, but I'm worried that I need any diploma.

Hope you can help me further

[Leigh Witchel]

Hi Daniil -

I believe you'll get more answers here as well, but to supplement them, try Sophie Parcen's website - http://mapage.noos.fr/sparcen/indexeng.html

She took the route you're hoping to take and did get a contract with POB. There might be something to learn from her - maybe contacting her would be useful.

Best of luck!

[Estelle]

But I have still some more questions:

1. What is different from the "surnemeraire" contract and the permanent one? Does it differ only in lenght (one year), have you the "right" to dance the same things as a normal corps dancer?

I'm not sure, but I think the only big difference is the length, and also the "surnuméraires" are not listed among company members (but they are listed on the cast sheets when they perform). They generally dance only corps de ballet roles, a bit like the quadrilles (the lowest rank in the POB hierarchy).

2. Do you need any diploma to be accepted at the opera? My mother is teaching me ballet and so in a year, when I'm done with my school, I won't have any ballet education diploma. I've won a few Int'l competitions, but I'm worried that I need any diploma.

I've never heard about the need for a diploma... There used to be some citizenship conditions, but I don't think that it's still the case, as there are several company members from various countries (Italy, Spain, Korea, Hungary...)

Indeed, contacting Sophia Parczen could be a good idea, as she joined the company in 1998 as a surnuméraire, and then got a full position one year later.

[cygneblanc]

If you get a permanent contract, that mean you will become a state employee after a six month internship. You'll have a spot in the compagny until you're 42, and then you'll get a pension.

With a "surnumeraire" contract, you won't have that.

And no, no diplomas are required. And I think problems of nationality can be solved.

I support Estelle and Leigh, it would probably be helpful to you to contact Sophie. She's really nice

And it could be helpful for you to learn some French.

[Daniil]

Thanks for the help!

Well, then I will get in touch with Sophie...

PS. Je peux parler en francais un peu, mais je n'aime pas, parce-que c'est très difficile

[cygneblanc]

Well, I just reminded that the pupils from the POB school need the "Brevet des Colleges " ( a diploma you get when you're 14 at the end of grade 9. In France high school begin on grade 10. It ins't a ballet diploma but a school one ) in order to be accepted in the Corps so I wonder if it's the same thing for the others dancers..

Don't forget to check that out with Sophie but I don't think you have to worry, a german school diploma will probably be perfectly fine if the diploma is required

[Daniil]

Well, I just reminded that the pupils from the POB school  need the "Brevet des Colleges " ( a diploma you get when you're 14 at the end of grade 9. In France high school begin on grade 10. It ins't a ballet diploma but a school one  ) in order to be accepted in the Corps so I wonder if it's the same thing for the others dancers..

Don't forget to check that out with Sophie  but I don't think you have to worry, a german school diploma will probably be perfectly fine if the diploma is required 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think this will be the smallest problem of all. I'm staying in school just to get my Abitur (It's the german high school diploma, just like the bac in France), so I hope there won't be any problems...

[Estelle]

I guess that they probably aren't too strict about the "brevet des collèges" for foreign dancers...

By the way, Daniil, you might be interested in the other board "Ballet talk for dancers", in case you haven't found it yet (it is for dance students, professional dancers, and dance parents):

http://balletalert.com/dancersforum/index.php

Also we don't have many people posting from Germany, and if you see some interesting performances, please feel free to post some comments about it !

[cygneblanc]

Yes, everyone will be happy to hear from the Varna Gold Medalist .

Congratulations for your accomplishments, since moreover to being an excellent dancer you seem to be a very good student at school. That isn't given to everyone.

We hope to see you in Paris soon

[Daniil]

Also we don't have many people posting from Germany, and if you see some interesting performances, please feel free to post some comments about it !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi again!

Well, some days ago I just came back from Hamburg, where I have seen two performances of "La Bayadère". If you want, I could write a short review, but I just don't know where to post it.

PS. I plan to go to Paris in June for audition, if everything works out as I think.

[Leigh Witchel]

Daniil -

You can post it in the Hamburg Ballet forum.

And good luck!

[Alexandra]

Dancelyssa posted this on the other board before the move:

Is a surnurmiere like a "super" or children's role in an ABT ballet?

[cygneblanc]

No, it isn't.

A surnumeraire is as a quadrille, the lowest rank of the corps de ballet , and is dancing the same parts. Definitively, these parts aren't" like super" or children's roles in an ABT ballet.

Eg, a surnumeraire can be one of the willis in Giselle, a swan in the Swan Lake...

[dancelyssa]

Oh, I see. A "super" which is also known as a supernumary and children's roles with ABT are walkon roles open to the public. However, my teacher sends students from her school to childrens auditions for ABT's Raymonda, Coppelia, etc.