You must complete your General Admissions application to Indiana University. In order to be considered for merit scholarships, you should submit your application by November 1.

Early application is helpful in the audition process. You must be accepted to IU to receive your audition results.  You do not need to be accepted to complete your prescreen or audition.  You can direct questions to Kate Lyons, Dance B.F.A. Liaison (kavander@iu.edu)

Indiana University is restructuring many degrees, including the BFA in Dance in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the B.S. in Ballet in the Jacobs School of Music. We are working toward growth and support for the performing arts and are excited about the future of dance at Indiana University. 

To that end, when you apply for admission to Indiana University, Bloomington, please select the BFA in Dance. The application will indicate that the program (BFA in Dance) is currently suspended, with no new students being admitted. This simply means that the existing BFA in Dance will close, and a new iteration will be offered. Please be assured that contemporary dance will continue to flourish at Indiana University. 

Audition Days for the 2025/2026 season are:

• Friday, November 21, 2025

• Friday, February 6, 2026

• Monday, March 9, 2026 (By special permission only)

To be invited to an audition day, you must first submit a prescreening audition through acceptd.com

All audition materials must be received by November 14, 2054, for invitation to the November 21 audition, and by January 30, 2026, for the February 6 audition, and by March 2, 2026, for the March 9 audition.

Notification of audition invitation will be emailed no more than one week after you have submitted your prescreen. Applications for 2024-2025 auditions will open August 15, 2025.

The itinerary for those granted a March 3, 2025, audition will be provided under separate cover.

If you have been granted an audition with the IU Contemporary Dance Program you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application and your audition date via Acceptd. Be sure to follow the instructions below to assist in preparation for an excellent audition. 

• Upon submission via Acceptd, and based on the review of the submitted materials, you will be notified if you are invited to advance to the in-person audition. 

• Dancers advancing to Round Two will be invited to campus for a live audition experience which will include a two-hour class and solo performance.

This part of the audition will be held on:

• Friday, November 21, 2025, 8:30am-4pm EST for the Fall

• Friday, February 6, 2026, 8:30am-4pm EST for the Spring

• Monday, March 9, 2026 (this itinerary will be provided under separate cover)

• Audition results will be announced no later than one month after the audition date, provided you have been accepted to the university.  YOU MUST BE ACCEPTED TO IU TO RECEIVE AUDITION RESULTS.

What the audition day will look like:

• For November 21, 2025, and February 6, 2026, auditions:

Audition activities will begin in the dance studios at Gresham Dining Hall (room 128) located at 1000 N Fee Ln.

8:30am-8:55am - Registration/Check-in

9:00am-11:00am - audition class (dancers only, parents may not view)

11:00am-11:45am - IU Contemporary Dance Performance and small group discussion(dancers only, parents may not view)

11:45pm-1pm - Solo presentations (dancers only, parents may not view)

1pm-2:15pm - Lunch Break (parents will meet their children in in Gresham 128 and be led to the Indiana Memorial Union where there are several options for dining.

2:15pm-3:15pm - Q&A with students, parents, and faculty in the Whittenberger Auditorium, located on the first floor of the Memorial Union.

3:15pm-4pm - Tour of dance facilities at Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center, located at 275 N Eagleson Ave.

4pm - End of day

• A short concluding meeting will follow the tour. You may also elect to view repertory rehearsals scheduled after the audition and faculty and current dance majors will be available to answer questions at this time. An informal campus tour is also available.

• Attire: Applicants should dress neatly. Long pants are preferred, please no tights or leggings. Tops should cover the back and abdomen and not be too tight, or large and bulky. Long hair should be secured, no buns please.  We do not expect applicants to purchase clothing or shoes for the audition.  


 For the solo performance, applicants may dress in a manner that is consistent with their standard attire for dance performance, especially if it provides cultural context for the work.

• The itinerary for the March 9, 2026 audition will be provided under separate cover.

Please dress to maintain safety in the dance space. Wearing a face covering will in no way negatively affect your audition. We strongly encourage best and safest practices for dancers.