Audition Tip from Mikko Nissinen

Audition season is one of the most grueling parts of a dancer’s year. But don’t let cattle call burnout keep you from getting into the company of your dreams. To offer a dose of inspiration, Pointe peeked inside an open call for Boston Ballet and picked artistic director Mikko Nissinen’s brain for his best audition advice. In the feature, he gives the best defense of falling I’ve ever heard: It just means he’s sure to notice you. He also offered this tip:

“Naturally, I’m looking for strong technical ability and musicality. But more than that, the dancer has to be interesting. And as an artist, if you’re really open and vulnerable, you will be interesting. Be yourself. I don’t want you to pretend to be Natalia Makarova, because you’re not going to succeed in that!”

Check out our auditions page to see which companies are currently looking for dancers.