National Youth Dance Company » How to Join NYDC

How to Join NYDC

NYDC would love to dance with you!

National Youth Dance Company holds free workshops every year to meet hundreds of young dancers and give a taste of what life is like as part of the company. We also use them to recruit our new company members. The workshops are a great opportunity to try new dance styles, learn about dance training and career pathways, and meet other people who are passionate about dance.

NYDC celebrates diversity. Our workshops welcome disabled and non-disabled dancers from all backgrounds, dance styles and levels of experience and are designed to ensure that each individual can take away something new from their time with us.

Usually our workshops take place across the country, but due to Coronavirus Safety Guidelines our 2020 workshops happened online. Our next workshops will happen in Summer/Autumn 2021, so please be sure to keep your eye on this page and our social media sites for more information, which will be released in a few months’ time.

The NYDC recruitment process:

Step 1: Register Online

Dancers interested in applying for NYDC must register online in advance. The online registration form will be linked to this page along with a list of workshop locations and dates when it is ready.

Step 2: Take Part in a Workshop

This past year, workshops happened in-person, online via Zoom, were offered as a pre-recorded video for dancers to do in their own time. The options for 2021 workshops will be detailed on this page soon. Our aim is to ensure that all dancers can take part in the workshops, regardless of circumstances.

Step 3: Selected dancers are invited from the workshops to attend an audition

Approximately 60 dancers from across the country are invited to join this audition and meet the upcoming NYDC Guest Artistic Director for a day of workshops and discussions.

After this, a select number of dancers from the group are invited to join NYDC. For details about the structure and dates of the full NYDC year, please visit About Us

Please note the criteria for joining a workshop / NYDC:

Dancers must be aged between 16-19 or up to the age of 24 if d/Deaf or disabled*

Dancers must not be currently enrolled on a full time vocational dance course**

* Age guidelines: NYDC gives priority to dancers who are in the correct age range, but if we have space, we would love to meet you. If you are above or below the age range, please contact us directly (do not register online) to place your name on a waiting list. We will be in touch with you closer to the time should there be availability.

**Vocational dance course: Students studying A-level or BTEC Dance at school or college are eligible to book. Students studying at a dance conservatoire or university are not eligible to book. Please contact us if you require further clarification