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DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts

Dekalb County Schools

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DESA Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements


DESA Grades 4-8 Audition Requirements

 

Students auditioning to enter grades 4-8, must audition in two (2) of the following art disciplines: dance, drama/theatre, instrumental music, vocal music, or visual arts. All students will participate in a brief interview during their audition. The audition requirements for each discipline are below and the scoring rubrics can be found on pages 10-14.

 
Dance
  •  Perform a 60-90 second dance selection in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, lyrical, or ethnic/cultural dance ONLY.
  • Liturgical, mime, or hip hop dance will not be scored.
  • Applicants must dress in proper dance attire NO COSTUMES:
  • Shoes: Ballet, jazz, or tap dance shoes, or barefoot
  • Girls - Leotard, tights, convertible tights if dancing barefoot, and jazz pants or dance shorts if desired
  • Boys – Black sweat/jazz pants and a plain black or white t-shirt
  • Choreography should demonstrate the student’s technical ability and skill.
  • Music MUST be: Age appropriate and brought in on a CD, iPod, or downloaded on a cell phone on airplane mode.
  • Music from YouTube cannot be used during the audition.
  • Students may be asked to define/demonstrate ballet terminology and technique/skills.
Drama/Theatre


  • Memorize and perform a monologue (provided).
  • Improvisation or a cold read (theatrical cold reading is reading aloud from a script or other text with little or no rehearsal, practice or study in advance of the selected piece).
  • Sustain characterization with a clear understanding and interpretation of monologue, improve, and cold read script.

 Instrumental Music (Standard Band or Orchestra Instruments – NO PIANO see instruments below)


  • Recorder, woodwinds, brass, double reed, and percussion instruments, violin, viola, cello, and bass.
  • Audition Grades 4-8: Play a selection with or without accompaniment. Music for accompaniment MUST be: Age appropriate and brought in on a CD, iPod, or downloaded on a cell phone on airplane mode. Music from YouTube cannot be used during the audition.
  • Audition Grade 4: Play and read one pentachord in any key.
  • Audition Grades 5-8: Play two (2) one-octave scales.

Visual Arts


  • Provide a portfolio with 3-5 pieces of work in at least two different mediums completed in the past two years.
  • Please do NOT submit any work on lined notebook paper.
  • The portfolio with 3-5 pieces of work must be submitted with application at the time the audition is scheduled.
  • Produce a still life drawing on site.

 Vocal Music


  • Audition Grades 4-8: Sing major arpeggio using solfège DO-MI-SOL-MI-DO
  • Audition Grades 4 and 5: Sing a five tone scale ascending and descending using solfège.
  • Audition Grades 6-8: Sing an eight tone scale ascending and descending using solfège.
  • Audition Grades 4-8: Select one song from the list below. You may sing with or without accompaniment:
  1. Simple Gifts – Traditional Shaker Hymn
  2. America the Beautiful – Traditional
  3. Dona Nobis Pacem – Traditional Canon

 Interview: Students are interviewed as part of the audition process. Students should prepare to discuss/demonstrate their experience, goals, and knowledge of the disciplines and the piece(s) performed (vocabulary, genre, composer, author, artist, choreographer, etc.).

 
Click here for scoring rubrics