The Ailey School FAQs
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The Ailey School is here to assist you with your application and enrollment process. Here you’ll find a selection of frequently asked questions for each program, as well as some general questions about The Ailey School. For questions and inquiries not addressed here, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
Auditions
For the Professional Division, there is a $30 audition fee for all Scholarship, Certificate, Independent Study, and Summer Intensive applicants. You can sign up for the audition and pay the fee once you’ve applied to your chosen program. There is a $45 audition fee for prospective Ailey/Fordham BFA applicants who are invited to attend an audition.
For the Junior Division, a $30 audition fee is required for students auditioning for the Summer Intensive. For students auditioning for the Junior Division school year, an audition fee is not required.
No, we do not schedule private or in-class auditions. Students who do not live near an audition site may submit a video audition.
Students may audition once per calendar year. If you are not accepted at your first audition, you must wait until the following year to audition again.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by email within three weeks of an audition.
No. The Ailey School does not provide performance critiques or discuss the artistic panel’s decision after an audition.
Junior Division
Students participating in the First Steps and Bounding Boys programs are not required to audition. All other Junior Division programs (over age 6) require an audition to be accepted into the program.
Level placement is determined based on several factors, including (but not limited to) proficiency in ballet and modern, instructor recommendations, and observations made by the audition panel. Previous evaluations and attendance records are also reviewed to determine level placement.
Yes. Because the Junior Division Program is curriculum-based, students must participate in every class assigned to their level in order to meet the requirements and advance to the next level.
Students are not allowed to sample a class. Anyone participating in Junior Division classes must be enrolled in the Junior Division program. Occasionally, The Ailey School hosts open houses. For more information email [email protected].
Junior Division students may NOT participate in professional level classes, regardless of their years of training or proficiency.
If a student will be absent from class, it is best that their parents fill out the Absence Notification Form. Students are permitted a 10-minute grace period for lateness. After the grace period, students will not be allowed to attend class. Please refer to the Junior Division Resources page for the allotted number of absences for each level.
In lieu of traditional academic report cards, faculty submit written feedback twice a year to provide a general overview of your child’s progress in class.
Yes, a dress code is required for all programs. To purchase the required attire, you can order online or visit The Ailey Boutique located inside The Joan Weill Center for Dance. For store hours, please call 212-405-9100.
Professional Division
Each student at The Ailey School is placed in levels according to their individual proficiency in ballet, Horton, and Graham-based modern techniques. Levels are determined by the School’s Directors at the audition or by the department chairpersons during the first week of the fall term. Students are advised that levels at the School may not correspond to the levels at their prior schools. The Ailey School has seven levels of ballet, four levels of Horton, and four levels of Graham-based modern. Pointe, partnering, and jumps & turns are offered to students in Ballet IV or higher. Students are placed in jazz levels according to their ballet levels.
Students in all programs take 12 to 15 dance technique classes per week. Certificate Program students also take dance academic and creative studies classes. Students in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program take additional academic classes through Fordham University.
Yes, students are required to adhere to the dress code and etiquette guidelines listed in the Student Handbook. Students may be asked to observe class if they are not in the required dress code.
Only advanced students who are in their last year of study and are preparing to enter the dance field may request permission from The Ailey School Directors to perform outside of the School.
Yes. Professional Division students enrolled in any full-time programs may attend Ailey Extension classes at a discounted student rate. Students may only attend Extension classes on the weekend, not on Monday through Friday.
No. Students are not allowed to take any Professional Division classes other than the classes that have been assigned to them by their Faculty Advisor.
Auditions for Ailey II are by invitation only. Students from the school's full-time training programs are invited to audition for Ailey II by The Ailey School Directors and Ailey II's Artistic Director.
Ailey/Fordham BFA
Fordham University and The Ailey School are two separate institutions and therefore have different application requirements. The decision for acceptance into the BFA program requires that a student be mutually accepted to both institutions. The separate applications allow each school to evaluate the student respectively.
No. Because the program syllabus is based on a full year, transfer admission is only granted for the fall term.
No. The Ailey School will hold placement classes for all new students, after which those with little-to-no experience with either Horton or Graham technique will be placed in level one for both.
The same artistic panel adjudicates each audition and the same material is given in each city, which allows for a fair audition process for all students. If you are interested in viewing the facilities of The Ailey School and Fordham University, this can be done once you are accepted by scheduling a visit. Additionally, Fordham University holds an open house for accepted students in April where you will have the opportunity to meet current BFA students and faculty. Please make arrangements to visit in advance.
The maximum length is three minutes, but it should not be less than two minutes. Your solo should be professionally choreographed by a teacher or choreographer.
You will be informed by Fordham University, not The Ailey School, in mid-March.
The number of students accepted in a given year is determined by the total program enrollment. The typical class size does not exceed 35 students.
No. After the November 1 deadline, the director of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program reviews the application and invites students to the audition. Notification of whether or not a student is granted an audition will be sent via email by December 1.
No, letters of recommendation are not required for the dance application. However, Fordham University does require letters of recommendation for the common application.
No. The audition dates listed on The Ailey School website are strictly for the Summer Intensive, Certificate, Independent Study, and Scholarship Programs. BFA auditions are separate and are not publicized on the website as they are by invitation-only.
The Ailey School offers an Ailey/Fordham BFA Program tour specific to the day-to-day experiences as a BFA student. The tour explores The Ailey School facilities only and lasts about 45 minutes. As tours are led by current BFA students, tours are only offered during the Fordham academic year and not during the summer (mid-May through August). Tour dates are determined at the beginning of the fall and spring semester, as the schedule is dependent on the guides’ availability.
To schedule an Ailey/Fordham BFA Program tour, please email [email protected] at least two weeks prior to your visit. For a general information session and tour of Fordham University, visit Fordham University's website for more details.
At this time, we do not offer a minor program.
Yes. Depending on the area of study, many students pursue an additional major or minor. Some of the most popular choices are: African American Studies, Economics, English, and Visual Arts.
Students enrolled in the Independent Study Program or Scholarship Program may apply for a fall entry the following year. Certificate program students may not apply to transfer into the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program.
International Students
All students who submit a video audition will be considered for the Scholarship Program, Certificate Program, and Independent Study Program. However, if possible, we recommend that students interested in earning a scholarship attend an audition in person.
Subject to the availability of The Ailey School co-directors, the School may sometimes hold auditions in Canada and Europe. Please email [email protected] to inquire about the audition schedule.
No, it is not possible to attend The Ailey School part-time. It is mandatory for all international students on an F-1 visa to attend school on a full-time basis.
Unfortunately, The Ailey School does not offer need-based financial assistance to international students who wish to defray the cost of attendance. Additionally, US Federal Financial Aid is only available to US Citizens and Permanent Resident Aliens (Green Card holders). International Students may audition for the Scholarship Program if they wish to obtain merit-based financial assistance.
No, we do not schedule private or in-class auditions. Students who do not live near an audition site may submit a video audition.
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