Swan Lake Auditions at LoMastro Performing Arts Academy
A professional ballet company is coming through Chicago's North Shore this spring. Fifty dancers, hand-painted sets, Tchaikovsky's score, a real theater.
And a handful of the swans on that stage are going to be kids from around the Chicago's North Shore.
LoMastro Performing Arts Academy is the official host studio for the We Dance Program of International Ballet Stars. Dancers from across Chicago's North Shore (ages 5 and up) can audition to rehearse and perform in a full professional production of Swan Lake. Not a recital version. The real thing, on a real stage, next to artists who do this for a living.
Auditions are January 8 at the studio. Enrollment isn't open yet. Add your dancer's name below and you'll hear from us the moment it is.
The performance is on Sunday, March 14 at 7 PM at the Skokie Center for the Performing Arts.
Perform Alongside International Ballet Stars
Swan Lake is a full-length ballet in two acts, set to Tchaikovsky's score. A young prince works to free a swan maiden from an enchantment. It's the most performed ballet in the world, and it's being staged here by a company of 55 professional dancers on tour across North America.
Auditions are run by Mr. Artem Yachmennikov, a graduate of the Vaganova Ballet Academy who has danced as principal and soloist with San Francisco Ballet, the Bolshoi Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, and the Mariinsky Theatre. He and his team will audition and rehearse more than 1,500 student dancers across the tour's cities this season.
Cast members work with professional directors and choreographers, wear costumes provided by the company, and perform on a professional set in a professional venue. This is not a recital number. It's the real production.
Who Can Audition
Open to dancers in Kindergarten through High School. Dancers currently enrolled in ballet at any studio are welcome to audition. You do not need to be a LoMastro student. Dancers travel from Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Libertyville, Glenview, and across the North Shore to audition.
No prepared audition material is needed. Choreography is taught at the audition itself, so the directors can see technique and stage presence in the room.
Younger dancers do need to be able to follow directions and get through the full audition on their own, without a parent in the room.
Audition Schedule
Friday, January 8, 2027
LoMastro Performing Arts Academy
840 S Waukegan Rd, Suite 108, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Time and Grades
5:00 – 5:30 PM. Kindergarten – 2nd grade
5:30 – 6:00 PM. 3rd – 4th grade
6:00 – 6:30 PM. 5th – 7th grade
6:30 – 7:00 PM. 8th – 12th grade
Casting is announced within two days of the audition. Everyone who auditions hears back either way.
Available Roles
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Little Swans
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Slavik Dance
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Waltz
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Party Scene
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Hungarian Dance
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Neapolitan Dance
Roles are cast by the audition directors based on age, technique, and the needs of the production.
What To Wear
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Girls: Leotard, ballet tights, well-fitted ballet slippers or pointe shoes. Hair swept up and back off the face in a bun.
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Boys: White t-shirt, black tights or shorts, well-fitted ballet slippers.
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Arrive at least 15 minutes early to warm up.
Rehearsal Schedule
Rehearsals are Fridays, January 22 through March 12, from 5:00 to 7:30 PM at the studio. No rehearsal January 29 or February 12 (Presidents' Day weekend).
Each role rehearses once a week. Your dancer's specific call time within that window depends on casting and will be posted after auditions.
A mandatory dress rehearsal takes place the day of the performance, on stage at the theater, with the professional company. Time to be announced.
Performance
Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 7:00 PM
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL
One performance. A mandatory dress rehearsal takes place earlier that day, on stage, with the professional company. Call time to be announced.
Investment
$35 audition fee — non-refundable, due with the audition form at registration. It covers the opportunity to audition, not a guaranteed role.
$295 participation fee — charged only if your dancer is cast, to the same payment method used at registration. It covers rehearsals, costume use and cleaning, and production administration.
Costumes are provided by International Ballet Stars. Families provide tights, dance shoes, makeup, and any additional personal items specified by the production.
Each participating family is required to secure the purchase of 6 performance tickets and submit a completed ticket tracking form before dress rehearsal. A promo code gives cast families and friends 10% off.
The Committment
Commitment runs from the first rehearsal through the final performance. One absence is allowed across the whole run. A dancer who misses more may be moved to understudy without a refund.
Dozens of performers and a professional company are depending on each cast member being in the room. If your dancer has a conflicting activity this winter, sort that out before auditioning rather than after casting.
Join the Interest List
Registration is not open yet.
Leave your name and we'll email you the moment audition registration goes live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dancer need to be a LoMastro student to audition?
No. Any dancer currently enrolled in ballet at any studio is welcome to audition.
Does my dancer need pointe experience?
No. Pointe shoes are optional at the audition for dancers who already wear them. Roles are cast across a wide range of levels and ages.
What does my dancer need to prepare?
Nothing. Choreography is taught in the room.
When will we know if she's cast?
Within two days of the audition.
Where is the performance?
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 7:00 PM.
Can I take photos?
Yes at auditions, rehearsals, and backstage, and please tag International Ballet Stars when you share. No photography or video during the live performance, and no outside photographers at the theater. A professional photographer shoots the cast in costume, with photos available through an online gallery at $20 per digital image.
What's the total cost if my dancer is cast?
$35 to audition, plus $295 if cast. Plus tights, shoes, makeup, and six tickets.