Audition Overview
Ja’LUUM, The Pre-Professional Performance Company, is holding an audition on August 22, 2026 to be apart of our 2026-2027 Season! The audition will include a contemporary center warm-up and phrase work led by Artistic Director Natalya Janay Shoaf, as well as Ja’LUUM repertory with Company Member Sicily Reizeck. We currently have Three Company openings to fill prior to the start of Season III on September 5th, 2026.
Date & Time: Saturday, August 22,2026 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: BANDALOOP Studios | 1601 18th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Eligibility: Intermediate/Advanced dancers ages 13–18
Attire: Please wear all black, form fitting attire.
Footwear: Barefoot, sock okay. No tennis shoes.
What else to bring: Water, a snack, and a notebook.
Audition Fee: Free / No cost
REGISTER HERE in advance to reserve your spot for the in-person audition. If you can not attend in person, we accept video submissions! Please submit a video audition to info@jaluum.org along with your current headshot and resume by August 22, 2026. (Video Submission Details Below)
After the audition, we will contact you with our decision.
Review Ja’LUUM’s Code of Conduct
Video Submission Details 3-5 minutes of choreography (your own or another person’s) and improvisation. This can be pre-existing footage. Compile the footage into one long video, like a reel, or submit it individually.
Please share the video as a YouTube or Google Drive link with no password.
If you are having trouble submitting a link into the registration form please email your video link to info@jaluum.org
Email Subject Line: last name, first name, Ja’LUUM Video Audition Submission
Submission Deadline: August 22nd, 2026
Who We Are Looking For: Ja’LUUM is an elite performance company for talented high school dancers seeking rigorous training rooted in holistic practices. We look for artists with strong technique across multiple movement styles, performance experience, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for creative exploration. Our primary movement style is contemporary and African Diasporic movement, often performing barefoot. Through our intimate ensemble model, Ja’LUUM nurtures each dancer’s unique voice and artistic development. Accepted dancers are expected to participate fully in both the Fall and Spring seasons.
Academic Requirement: Company members are expected to maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA while in Ja’LUUM.
Season III Program Specs & Schedule Ja’LUUM Season III Fall Schedule:
Fall Season Rehearsal Dates: September 5 – November 21, 2026
Rehearsal Day, Time, & Location: Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at BANDALOOP Studios
Fall Season Work-In-Progress Showing: Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 PM
Strategic Planning Date: December 19, 2026 | 10:00AM - 2:00PM (Location TBD)
No Rehearsal: September 19, 2026
Ja’LUUM Season III Spring Schedule:
Spring Season Rehearsal Dates: January 9- April 24, 2027
Rehearsal Day, Time, & Location: Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at BANDALOOP Studios
Season III Performance: April 23-24, 2026
Ja’LUUM Season III Spring Company Member Outing: May 8, 2027
No Rehearsals: January 23, March 27, and April 3, 2027
Tuition (What is included)
TUITION:
Tuition is required for every accepted dancer.
$150 per month |
Tuition will be billed within seven monthly cycles (September - March). Billing will not pause in December and will end in March.
Payment plans are available upon request. Detailed information will be provided upon acceptance into Ja’LUUM.
INCLUDED IN TUITION:
Tailored Mentorship: Individually crafted guidance and artistic growth tracking.
Career Development: Opportunities for performance preparation, portfolio creation, and resume building. For instance, select company members have co-choreographed alongside the Artistic Director on commissioned works for institutions such as the Museum of the African Diaspora, The Concept Series SF, and the Grrrl Brigade Summer Intensive.
Professional Photoshoot: High-quality photos for college applications, auditions, and personal branding.
Technically Rich & Challenging Environment: Striving towards excellence requires an environment that encourages discipline and rigor.
Holistic Teaching & Training: Ja’LUUM centers holistic teaching practices that nurture the whole human. We strive to create a safe, nurturing, student-centered environment to inspires growth.
Performance Opportunities & Costuming: Stage experience with custom costuming included.
Field Trips& Professional Development Experiences: In the past, Ja'LUUM Company members have been invited to attend ODC Company Rehearsal and Performances, assist Artistic Director Natalya with summer intensives, and perform alongside Natalya in various events