BALLET DES MOINES TRAINEE PROGRAM

ABOUT

The Ballet Des Moines (BDM) Trainee Program is an immersive experience for aspiring professional dancers aged 18-24, during which dancers take company class, rehearse, and perform alongside BDM’s professional company. This exclusive opportunity is open to classically trained dancers with a desire to pursue a career in ballet.  BDM Trainees take advantage of a full time schedule, including opportunities to appear in BDM productions and outreach performances.  The BDM trainee program is a rigorous preparation for a career as a dancer, with BDM, with other professional dance companies, or in a variety of dance-related fields.  The ultimate goal of the program is to offer dancers a healthy environment in which they can refine the skills of technique, artistry, and performance required for a career in dance.

Trainees are offered a balanced program to nurture each individual artist, including:

  • Daily company class with the professional company

  • Weekly Trainee-only session with Ballet Des Moines Artistic staff

  • Opportunity to work with visiting choreographers and a broad repertoire

  • Opportunities to perform in various roles in BDM’s production of The Nutcracker

  • Workshops with Artistic leadership on Audition skills, resume building, and teaching skills

  • Arts Administration career planning workshops with CEO

  • Professional headshots photography

  • Opportunity for ballet audition creative materials (additional cost)

  • Outreach performances

DETAILS

  • Schedule - BDM Trainees take advantage of a full-time schedule of rehearsals and performances: five days per week (Monday – Friday) for approximately 20-30 hours per week, allowing dancers to seek out part-time jobs or pursue academic studies in addition to dancing and honing their craft in the studio. All classes are located in the Ballet Des Moines studio in Des Moines, IA.

  • Calendar - Trainee program runs from September - April, following the professional company season.  Dates TBD.

  • Holidays - Dancers observe federal holidays, including Thanksgiving (Wed - Sunday), Christmas (two weeks), and Spring break (one week)

  • Performing - Trainees will perform in BDM's annual production of The Nutcracker.  In addition, trainees may be invited to perform with the professional company in other productions at the discretion of the Artistic Director.  Trainees will also have the opportunity to perform in outreach events.

  • Trainees are responsible for their own shoes for class and rehearsals. Costumes and shoes (pointe shoes for ladies and ballet shoes for men) will be provided for use in all company performances.

  • Working outside of the studio - Trainees often hold paying jobs outside of their class and performance schedules in order to cover the cost of their living expenses. Trainees can work on weeknights and on weekends when there are no performances scheduled. One important thing to keep in mind is that trainee schedules are sometimes inconsistent during heavy performance seasons. Finding an employer who is understanding and willing to schedule around performances is crucial.

  • Trainees are responsible for establishing their own housing and transportation to and from the studio and performance venues.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and have completed High School by September 1, 2024.

  • Acceptance into the program is determined by level of technical achievement, and is at the discretion of BDM’s Artistic leadership


TUITION

The Trainee Program is tuition-based with a limited number of merit scholarships available.  

Tuition for the 2024-25 season is $5,000, due in three installments:

  • $500 upon acceptance into the program

  • $3,000 by August 23, 2024

  • $1,500 by January 1, 2025