Demonstration Materials

Once accepted to the High School Conservatory, students must submit demonstration materials specific to their focus. These submissions will be used for partial, merit-based scholarship consideration, as well as give the faculty the opportunity to evaluate each student’s unique talents in order to better prepare for individualized instruction.

All Demonstration Materials must be submitted within two weeks of receiving your acceptance email.

• Demonstration requirements

  Please locate your chosen program and submit only what is required for that specific program.

  • Acting for Stage & Screen Programs
    Please prepare two contrasting monologues that are each 60-90 seconds in length. Monologues should demonstrate a connection to the character's emotional life, vocal clarity, clear physical choices, and a solid understanding of the text.
    • More information on How to Select a Monologue
  • Musical Theatre & Pop Vocals Programs
    Please prepare two contrasting 60-90 seconds each (or 32 bars each) songs from Musical Theatre or Pop/Contemporary repertoire. The song selections should demonstrate engaged storytelling performed with proficient pitch, tone, diction and vocal clarity.
    • More information on How to Select a Song
  • Dance Theatre Programs
    Audition Instructions: Please prepare 2 contrasting dance solos (each solo approx. 60 seconds in length). Your first piece must be rooted in technique, demonstrating jumps, leaps, turns, extension, and flexibility. Your second piece is a free choice. Styles may include: Ballet, Contemporary Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap, Ballroom, Hip-hop, Theatre Dance, World Dance, or Contemporary.
  • Performing Arts & Content Creation
    Please submit two excerpts of your work not exceeding two minutes. Original content is encouraged but all excerpts of performance will be accepted!
  • Screenwriting
    
    • Part I
      Write a brief artistic statement: Why do you want to write? What excites you about writing? What is your favorite film or TV show?
    • Part II (This part is optional, but if submitted will qualify you for merit based scholarship consideration)
      Choose one of these prompts for writing:
      • Write a story about a dragon. Anything goes.
      • Look outside and let today’s weather inspire a story.
      • Rewrite a favorite story or a scene from a favorite novel. How and why did you change the story?
      • Write the plot for a new movie. Make it something you would want to see.

How To Record And Submit Demonstration Materials

Please use the highest quality recording equipment available to you. For best results, place your recording device on a stationary object, such as a tripod or table, and record in landscape (horizontal) mode. Prior to recording, test that you are in focus and well lit, and that your video is free from distracting background noise. Please note: If you are submitting for Dance Theatre programs, do not tape a close-up; please have your entire body (from head to toe) in the frame.

• ONCE YOU ARE READY TO RECORD YOUR PERFORMANCE, START YOUR RECORDING DEVICE AND STATE:
  • The date you are recording your audition
  • Your full name
  • The city and country where you live
  • The program, campus, session and discipline for which you are applying
  • The titles of the pieces you will perform
  • When you are finished with your audition performance, please announce that you have reached the end of the submission, restate your name, and stop your recording device.

When your video submission is complete, upload your video to YouTube and update the privacy to UNLISTED (click here for instructions). Do NOT set the video as Private.

• • Please email your link directly to highschoolvideo@amda.edu with "AMDA Demonstration Video: Your name, campus, program, session, and discipline" in the subject line. For example: "Demonstration Video: Sally Smith, Los Angeles, High School Summer Conservatory (On Campus), Session 1, Dance".
  • Please test the link before you send it. You can log out of YouTube and send the link to a second email address you may have or to a family member
  • If you have problems uploading your Unlisted video to YouTube, please go to here for help, or contact AMDA's High School Conservatory Office Directly at highschool@amda.edu

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR SCREENWRITING MATERIALS

Please upload all screenwriting demonstration materials using the button below: