PERFORMING COMPANY
AGE 12 – 18
As a member of our performing company, you will have the opportunity to:
- Perform The Nutcracker accompanied by a professional live Orchestra.
- Dance onstage with hired professional dancers from top companies across the country.
- Rehearse with award-winning choreographers in creating original contemporary and classical pieces.
- Attend master classes and performances at regional and national RDA festivals.
- Learn classical and original ballets such as Snow White, Princess & the Pea, Salute to America, Sleeping Beauty, Fancy Nancy, Angelina Ballerina, and so much more!
JUNIOR COMPANY
AGE 8 – 11
The SNHYB Junior Company was established in 2019 for our younger dancers, ages 8-11, who are looking for additional performing opportunities outside of the annual recital. Having the opportunity to dance alongside the “big girls and boys” in children’s story ballets and original works is thrilling for Junior Company dancers!
Junior Company dancers perform in The Nutcracker, Spring Show, and Year End Performance. They work with master teachers and choreographers, rehearse with our faculty for each show, and wear exquisite costumes prepared by our wardrobe staff!
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 1998, Southern NH Youth Ballet (SNHYB) is the official performing company of Southern NH Dance Theater. SNHYB provides dancers with unique additional performance opportunities outside of the annual recital to foster their artistic growth and enrich their daily lives through dance.
Since 2001, the historic Palace Theatre in Manchester, NH has presented SNHYB as the Resident Performing Company of The Nutcracker each winter.
SNHYB has been honored by Darla Hoover and Deborah Wingert, repetiteures of the The George Balanchine Trust, to perform Balanchine’s works. SNHYB performed Balanchine’s Valse-Fantaisie in 2001, 2002 and 2007.
Since 2005, SNHYB has been a Member Company of Regional Dance America, the national association of pre-professional dance companies. Our dancers have had the opportunity to perform all across the Northeast Region, as well as Phoenix, AZ and Montreal, Canada through our membership in RDA. SNHYB is the first company from New Hampshire, and currently the only company from New England, to be accepted into RDA membership.
The SNHYB Junior Company was established in 2019 for our younger dancers, ages 8-11, who are looking for additional performing opportunities outside of the annual recital. Having the opportunity to dance alongside the “big girls and boys” in children’s story ballets and original works is thrilling for Junior Company dancers!
AFFILIATIONS
Our company is a member of Regional Dance America (RDA) Northeast, a national organization of pre-professional dance companies. It’s purpose is to encourage and develop companies with high standards, and to offer the directors, choreographers, teachers and dancers additional opportunities to perform and study with master teachers and choreographers and to make contacts within the professional dance world.
Evaluated in the spring of 2005, our company is the first from New Hampshire, and currently the only company from New England, to be accepted into this prestigious organization.
Each spring at the Annual Festival, company dancers have the opportunity to:
- Attend Master classes with some of the country’s leading professionals
- Audition for numerous tuition and cash awards to some of the country’s top summer programs. In 2018, RDA Northeast awarded over $66,000 in cash and tuition scholarships
- Perform at the Annual Festival
- Be seen by college & university recruiters as well as artistic directors from all over the country
SUCCESS!
SNHYB DANCERS HAVE…
Performed world premier works, classical ballets, and children’s story ballets by renowned choreographers including Ashley Walton, Mary LeGere, Lynn Cote, Benjamin Briones, Bafana Matea, Jeremy Collins, Peter Pawlyshyn, and Kitty Seale, to name a few.
Participated in many prestigious dance programs across the country, including San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Miami City Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, Ballet Academy East,Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ellison Ballet, HARID Conservatory, Boston Ballet, and more.
Worked professionally with dance companies including Joffrey Ballet, Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Boston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet West, Festival Ballet Providence, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Radio City Rockettes, The Metropolitan Opera, Richmond Ballet, Ballet Austin, Sacramento Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Royal Caribbean International, WestSide Story, Phantom of the Opera Touring Company, and more.
Ready to Join the Company?
2025 – 2026 Auditions
August 22 – 23, 2025
Company / Nutcracker Auditions
- Payment for all Company Nutcracker production fees is due at the time of your audition.
- Your assigned audition date and time will be confirmed via the provided email listed on the completed registration.
- Judges will review all audition forms in advance to identify problems & dates of conflict. All conflicts will be addressed in advance of the audition.
Company Guidelines
All information regarding assigned audition time-slots, dates of conflict, casting decisions, and rehearsal scheduling WILL BE EMAILED DIRECTLY TO YOU via the email you have provided on your audition registration form.
Please EMAIL info@snhdt.org with any audition questions in advance of the August audition weekend.
Requirements
| JUNIOR | TRAINEE | APPRENTICE | COMPANY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participate in The Nutcracker, Spring Show, and Year End Performance | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Ballet Classes per week (Sept – June) | 1 | 3 | 4 – 5 | 4 – 5 |
| Choice of: Modern, Jazz, Tap, or HipHop | √ | √ | √ | √* |
| Pointe Classes (as assigned by director) | – | √ | √ | √ |
| Make up missed classes within a week of absence | – | √ | √ | √ |
| Summer Intensive at SNHDT – 2 weeks** | – | √ | √ | √ |
| Attend Regional Dance America Northeast Festival | – | Optional | √ | √ |
*Modern class is required for company members
**Dancers who attend an approved summer program for longer than
5 weeks are only required to attend one week of SNDHT’s summer intensive.
Fees
COMPANY & APPRENTICES
$750 Annual Production Fee paid via SNHYB Go Motion Account as follows:
• $50 Non Refundable Audition Fee will be charged to your account one week prior to the audition.
• $350 – paid upon acceptance to the Youth Ballet – once casting has been announced.
• $70 paid in 5 installments via your SNHYB Go Motion Account – 1st of Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan & Feb
TRAINEES
$700 Annual Production Fee paid via SNHYB Go Motion Account as follows:
• $50 Non Refundable Audition Fee will be charged to your account one week prior to the audition.
• $300 – paid upon acceptance to the Youth Ballet – once casting has been announced.
• $70 paid in 5 installments via your SNHYB Go Motion Account – 1st of Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan & Feb
JR. COMPANY
$550 Annual Production Fee paid via SNHYB Go Motion Account as follows:
• $50 Non Refundable Audition Fee will be charged to your account one week prior to the audition.
• $250 – paid upon acceptance to the Youth Ballet – once casting has been announced.
• $70 paid in 5 installments via your SNHYB Go Motion Account – 1st of Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan & Feb
All company fees include one Company leotard per Company member.
RDA Northeast Festival fee to be determined annually.
If accepted into SNHYB, the production fees and RDA Festival deposits are non-refundable.
Upfront fees are withdrawn automatically from your SNHYB GoMotion account.
RDA FESTIVAL FEES
COMPANY & APPRENTICES 2025 RDA NATIONAL FESTIVAL PARITICIPATION FEES
• Total cost to participate in 2025 National Festival will be provided to families in October
• FAMILIES MAY CHOOSE TO PAY 4 INSTALLMENTS OF: $150, $200, or $250 with the final payment due February 15, 2026. These Automatic Payments are made on the 15th of Sep, Oct, Nov & Dec.
Casting Procedures
Casting is at the sole discretion of the artistic director and/or choreographers and any judges present at auditions.
Dancers and their families are not permitted to make suggestions or question the director regarding casting decisions.
All dancers are required to learn and dance the parts they are cast in, including all understudy roles. Some consideration is given to graduating seniors for the school’s Year-End Performance. However, casting for The Nutcracker and Spring Production are made based on artistic ability and technical skill.
Rehearsals
All rehearsals for company members are held outside of regular class time. These rehearsals are held Friday afternoons or evenings, Saturday afternoons and occasionally on Sundays. Company members must attend all rehearsals and performances outlined in the Youth Ballet calendar. Rehearsals for various roles are held on the same day at the same time from week to week. However, all company members must be flexible to schedule changes, whether it is a change in day or time.
It is the responsibility of the dancers to check the studio bulletin board regularly for any schedule changes. Schedule revisions are always clearly marked, posted and emailed to families on Mondays or Tuesdays prior to the rehearsal weekend.
Absences from a rehearsal or costume fitting, leaving early or arriving late are all grounds for dismissal from the Youth Ballet. The school and Youth Ballet staff reserves the right to dismiss and replace any company member at any time.
Fundraising Activities
As a non-profit organization, the Youth Ballet relies heavily on fundraising events to support its endeavors. Parents and or guardians of all company, apprentice and trainee members are asked to participate as volunteers.
Areas where help is needed will be made available at the fall auditions.
Absentee Policy
Dancers and/or parents who are aware of a potential date of conflict are given the opportunity to submit a date of conflict to the director and panel of judges at the time of company auditions. Both the dancer and their parent will be informed prior to the audition class if this date of conflict is declined or accepted as an excused absence. If declined, the dancer must then decide at the time of the audition if they will be able to participate (if chosen) in the Youth Ballet’s season.
Please note that family vacations that conflict with the Youth Ballet calendar are viewed as a date of conflict. Dancers will be replaced if an absence from rehearsal due to illness or other emergency is viewed as hindering them from participating in a given production.
2025 – 2026 Important Dates
| Auditions – Company / Nutcracker | August 22 – 23, 2025 |
| Fall Classes Begin | September 2, 2025 |
| Nutcracker Rehearsals Begin | September 5, 2025 |
| Nutcracker Production Week | November 17 – 23, 2025 |
| RDA Rehearsals Begin | December 5, 2025 (Tentative) |
| RDA Adjudication | TBA (February/March) |
| Spring Performance | April 4, 2026 |
| RDA Northeast Festival | May 7, 8, 9, 2026 |
| Year-End Performance | June 6 & 10, 2026 |