Dance Company auditions are held in early September in dance studio D101, which is located in the building directly behind the Scales Fine Arts Center. Auditions are held on four days with each day’s audition focusing on a different style. Dancers are welcome to attend all auditions.
Final company casting will be emailed by Friday, September 5 and Sunday, September 13.
Modern/Contemporary
Audition Day: Tuesday, September 1 at 6:00-8:00 pm
Choreographers: Dance Faculty Chelsea Hilding and Christina Soriano
Rehearsal times for Chelsea Hilding: Sundays at 12 noon (D101)
Rehearsal times for Christina Soriano: Tuesdays at 5:00-7:00 pm (204)
Jazz
Audition Day: Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00-8:00 pm
Choreographers: Dance Faculty Nina Lucas Rice and Tina Yarborough Liggins
Rehearsal times for Nina Lucas Rice: Wednesdays at 5-7 and some Sundays (D101)
Rehearsal times for Yarborough Liggins: Wednesdays at 7-9pm (D101)
Classical & Contemporary Ballet
Audition Day: Thursday, September 3 at 7:00-9:00 pm
Choreographers: Dance Faculty Chris Martin and Sam Shapiro
Rehearsal times for Chris Martin: Wednesdays at 5:00-7:00 (204)
Rehearsal times for Sam Shapiro: Thursdays at 7:15-9:15 pm (D101)
Contemporary Ballet (Guest Artist)
Audition Day: Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 pm
Choreographer: Kara Wilkes
Rehearsal times: Wednesdays at 5:00-7:00pm (D101)
About our Guest Artist
A Milwaukee native, Kara Wilkes is a freelance choreographer, educator, visual artist and filmmaker. Her choreographic style explores the marriage of contemporary ballet movement with theatrical elements such as vocals, sets and props. Kara’s works are research-based, examining human experiences in relation to relevant topics including the Intelligence Age, Climate Change, and embodied generational trauma.
Kara was a 2022-23 Toulmin Choreography Fellow through NYU’s Center for Ballet and the Arts and National Sawdust. She has been the resident choreographer for Chautauqua Dance since 2023 and recently created works for Ballet Idaho Training Program, The Tallahassee Ballet, University of Oklahoma, Traverse City Dance Project, SUNY Purchase, Texas Christian University, Florida State University, the USC Kaufman School of Dance, and COCA (Center of Creative Arts) in St. Louis. This spring, Kara will be a 2026 Artist-in-Residence at Surel’s Place in Boise, ID.
Her expertise in classical and contemporary ballet is supported by her twenty-year career performing with Milwaukee Ballet Company, Ballet Victor Ullate, Charlotte Ballet, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Kara has danced principal roles in works by Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, Alonzo King, Nacho Duato, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Dwight Rhoden, George Balanchine, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and others. She has been named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine and one of “12 Standout Performances of 2015” by Pointe magazine; in 2016, she performed in the TEDWomen Conference in San Francisco. She has been the rehearsal director for LINES and continues to teach workshops and répertoire for the organization. In 2019, Kara earned her MFA in Dance from Hollins University and has since been on dance faculties at Florida State University, Wake Forest University, Mills College, and Santa Clara University.
Important Dance Company Information
Mandatory: All company members must be enrolled in one technique class during each semester they are performing.
Important and Mandatory Dates:
- Company meeting: Monday Sept 14th at 3:30-4:30pm in D101
- Mid-Semester Showing: Friday, October 23rd 3:30-5pm in D101
- Designer Run: Monday, November 9 on stage. Time: TBA
- Tech, lighting, and dress rehearsals: November 10-18. Times: TBD (detailed tech schedule will be provided at audition)
- Fall Concert Dates: November 19-21 at 7:30pm & Sunday, November 22 at 2:00 pm
To enroll in DCE 128A Performance for 1-hr credit: Students must submit a request in Workday. The last day to add fall term courses is September 1.
Departmental Policy: Students must maintain a 2.0 overall GPA to participate.
Questions? Email Nina Lucas Rice at