School of Performing and Visual Arts
Auditions and Portfolio Reviews
The School of Performing and Visual Arts welcomes all applicants interested in our programs to showcase their talents via an audition and/or a portfolio review.
| Step 1: | Apply to Southern Miss |
| Step 2: | Submit Audition and/or Portfolio Requirements. See dates and requirement/guidelines below for Art and Design, Dance, and Theatre. |
| Step 3: | You can partake in campus tours, demonstrations and so much more. Explore options per program below. |
| Program | Requirements | Events for Prospective Students |
|---|---|---|
| Art and Design |
Application and portfolio reviews |
|
| Dance |
Application and auditions |
|
| Theatre |
|
Art and Design
Dates for Prospective Students
Southern Miss Art and Design’s largest recruitment event of the year, Open House, is an opportunity for high school juniors, seniors, and community college students to experience the visual arts at Southern Miss, and submit portfolios for the scholarship competition. Come meet our students and faculty, and join us for an exciting day of hands-on, visual arts events. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
- Deadline to register: October 28, 2019
- Check-in begins at 8 a.m., and events begin at 9 a.m.
Portfolios
-
Portfolios should include 10-15 images of your work and be saved as a single Adobe PDF document (1-2 images per page) no larger than 25MB and titled: first_lastname_portfolio.pdf
Digital portfolios are preferred, but physical portfolios of 10-15 original works or printed images of works will also be accepted the day of Open House. Unofficial copies of printed transcripts should accompany physical portfolios.
Southern Miss hosts two Black and Gold Days per semester where families and prospective students get to experience the best of Southern Miss after Black and Gold day, while meeting with faculty and staff and touring campus.
An event open to the public where families and prospective students can go behind the scenes and tour studio, shops and partake in demonstrations by both current students and faculty.
Dance
Audition Dates for Prospective Students
All dance audition dates for incoming Fall 2020
- Saturday, October 19, 2019
- Friday, November 15, 2019 (auditions will begin at 3:30 p.m., immediately following High School Dance Day)
- Friday, February 7, 2020 (auditions will begin at 3:30 p.m., immediately following High School Dance Day)
- Saturday, March 14, 2020
To apply for acceptance into the undergraduate BFA program in dance at Southern Miss, you must apply to the University AND audition as part of the application process.
For the audition you need to complete an audition form and two letters of recommendation—one on academics and one on dance technique. If you are interested in auditioning for a scholarship you must also submit an essay along with the requirements discussing why you want to study dance at USM
AUDITION FORM ACADEMICS TECHNIQUE
You may audition live at one of our scheduled audition dates or via a video link. Live auditions are preferred and include a ballet barre, several contemporary dance phrases, a showing of a one-minute performance piece, and an interview.
Online video auditions are an option for students who are unable to attend on-campus auditions for various reasons – departmental approval for this option is required. If approved, online applications for acceptance in dance include the following:
Requirements:
Email video link to Sandra Whittington at Sandra.WhittingtonFREEMississippi.
- All videos must be received no later stated University deadlines for undergraduate admissions.
- Applicant must wear a well-fitted dance attire where the body is fully visible.
Your video must be taped in a theatre or dance studio with good lighting and the recording must be in focus. Incomplete or poor quality videotapes may result in the student’s submission not being considered.
Video Content:
- Introduction: Look at the camera and state the following information at the top of your audition video: 1) Name, 2) Where you are from, 3) Your goals in dance, 4) Why you would like to attend the University of Southern Mississippi dance program
- Dancing: No more than ten minutes in total length, this section can include combinations from dance classes, a performed dance piece, improvised movement, etc. Movement can be in any dance style, a variety of dance styles, and be self or instructor choreographed (or a combination of both). We encourage applicants to make choices for this section that highlight their strengths as a dancer and allow us to see their passion and potential as a dancer.
Are you a sophomore, junior or senior interested in majoring in dance after high school?
High School Dance Day held on Friday, February 7, 2020 is your opportunity to see
what dance at Southern Miss can offer you, for FREE! Deadline to register: Monday,
February 3, 2020.
Theatre
Dates for Prospective Students
The day begins after Black and Gold Day at the Curtain Up Welcome Day for incoming fall 2020 Scholarship.
The day begins after Black and Gold Day and will include the following schedule of events:
- Introduction to the program
- Guided tours to prospective students and their families
- Individual meetings with department faculty to learn more about programs of study
- In groups, students will audition and/or interview.
For this aspect of the day:
- Actors should prepare a 1-minute monologue entirely of their choosing, from any genre, style or period.
- Actors may follow their monologue with 16 bars of a song of their choosing (a cappella only please), but singing is not required for audition.
- Designers, directors, dramaturgs and stage managers should provide their portfolios for a portfolio review and interview with departmental faculty.
**All participants are encouraged to provide resumes and other supporting documents that best represent their work.