How to AUDITION for Montreal's CIRCUS SCHOOL (ENC)

[@bibicannibal1344]

I've done the audition last week and it was a bit different this year (2023). First day was pretty much the same. Second day was only your presentation. Third day they made us learn a choregraphy for dance, and made us do a 2 by 2 exercice in jeu (really funny). Last day was only interview for most and then they wanted to see some people in their main discipline again (mostly duo). If you're thinking about doing it sometimes really try to enjoy it, it's really fun!!

[@EricBates]

Thanks for the update!

[@Circusclara]

This helped so much! Thank you. I’m a small circus artist who would love to go into ENC

[@EricBates]

Nice! Glad to hear it, good luck!

[@EyalBor]

Haha i wish i had this before i did it. Great value for the future auditionees! Great editing and effects Eric! :D

[@EricBates]

Thanks!

[@ArtemisB-C]

Oh Thanks a lot! It helps me to prepare myself for the auditions of l'École de Cirque de Québec! I know it's less dificult to enter in the ÉCQ than the ENC ,but I'll be prepare! I hope sooooo much to suceed! I don't have a lot of experience in circus but I am young and I'm really passionnate. Sorry for my english, I usually speak french!

[@EricBates]

Ca va je parle aussi français ;) . Bon chance, passion c la plus important!

[@caoutchoucinfernal]

Je vais aussi être aux auditions de l'École de cirque de Québec. On se verra là bas! Courage et faisons de notre mieux! De toute manière, on va apprendre. Peu importe si on est pris. Ça va être une belle expérience :)

[@ArtemisB-C]

@@caoutchoucinfernal cool! Mais je les ai déjà fait le 20 et 21 février. Bonne chance!! C’est chill!

[@caoutchoucinfernal]

@@ArtemisB-C Ah nice! Je vais faire de mon mieux! Peut-être qu'on se reverra à la rentrée 😆

[@garthneily4855]

Great video! Wish I had this when I was prepping. Will be super helpful for everyone

[@EricBates]

Thanks! Your video was great too, definitely a good reminder that it's an extremely talented pool of applicants and you never know what they're looking for on a given year.

[@levyn6133]

I hope someday I will be able to apply for a circus school

[@EricBates]

Do it up! There's a lot out there and they all have their pros and cons, but the main pro of all of them is you meet a lot of awesome people in the circus world and make great connections. Check out my other video about ENC where I mention some of the other options if you haven't already, and write me if you have any questions!

[@rafaeladuarte_]

This was amazing, so much information. You're awesome!

[@haileypelland3895]

I tried last year and was cut after the first day (which definitely sucked because I did work hard to prepare but such is life) giving it one more go this year so thanks for the video! (Curious about after day one hahah)

[@EricBates]

Bummer for last year. It’s hard to know all the factors that go into how they make their decision year by year, but I wish you the best for this year!

[@caoutchoucinfernal]

Hello! Im a juggler/magician and I will try my luck at the ÉCQ in less than 2 days. I will try to be myself as much possible and suprise the judges with my personnality and my uniqueness. Wish me luck! Also, Im terrible at acrobatics, as I learned circus by myself. But I excel at muscu, dance and jeu. Do you think they will consider acrobatics that much? Good vid!

[@EricBates]

Hey hope it went well!

[@caoutchoucinfernal]

@@EricBates It was amazing. I will know if im taken in 3 days :)

[@EricBates]

@@caoutchoucinfernal woot wooooot fingers crossed! Either way keep it up, there's a lot of people that take different paths altogether, or train elsewhere or do shows elsewhere and re-audition. Either way keep it fun!

[@caoutchoucinfernal]

@@EricBates Thanks a lot! I will do my best :)

[@aeris3501]

I’ve been to the summer camp three different times at ENC and would love to go to the professional program when I graduate high school. Even if I don’t end up going to ENC, I really want to get into a circus company/school like it that can further my training and hopefully kickstart my career. Does anyone have any suggestions for other circus schools that I could look into?

[@zekethecircusfreak]

well there's of course ECQ and in the states there's schools like NECCA or Circadium

[@EricBates]

Hey I'm so late to this, sorry. I mention some other schools around the world in my other video here at the 1:30 mark kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGKkZGeMbZiniM0

[@AngelicaZuenko]

Wow, thank you so much for this ❤

[@Raelynn_Gracee]

I am currently in 7th grade. i want to go to the national circus school for high school and i am already preparing myself to audition, learning what i need to learn and practicing the things they are looking for. i want to audition for aerial silks. i am really nervous and i am trying to go to every class and learn everything i can!!

[@sorelregan9601]

So helpful! How much french did you know before you auditioned?

[@EricBates]

I had taken French in high school. I wouldn't say it's strictly necessary, there are plenty of anglophones that go in with no french and come out speaking somewhat comfortably, but since a lot of the school is officially taught in French, it might make your life easier if you already have a foundation. There are also French classes a few times a week for anglophones.

[@wudezeleke3658]

Thanks for good advice.

[@Mayaparaguaya]

It would be interesting to know what is considered "the best" when it comes to a training school. The only reason I am applying to any kind of school is to get training to become the best. If I was already an expert and a professional I would not go to a school to train.

[@EricBates]

Hi Maya, sorry I didn't see this until just now. In my other video showing inside the national circus school of montreal (i'll link it here) I talk about some of the big schools around the world, I think many of those are of similar caliber when it comes to producing great circus artists. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGKkZGeMbZiniM0

[@ethanlaw]

This is great!

[@EricBates]

Thanks!

[@la_karecnia]

Hi, thank you very much for the video, is vey informative and so useful. The next year I hope to do my audition, and I want to be well prepared, and I saw in the video that you have a file with the basic things that they ask for, you think that you could send me the file or tell me where I can find it?...It would be very helpful, thanks 🙏🏼

[@lela9161]

On their website for video auditions

[@la_karecnia]

@@lela9161 Thank you very much 🙏🏼🥰

[@EricBates]

ecolenationaledecirque.ca/en/2023-auditions/

[@taracanales9684]

Hi, I'm trying to apply this year but I was really unsure about how much French I need to know. It says the classes are offered in French so should I be prepared to fully jump into French courses or is it a specific French language class? Also I really want to do flying pole but I don't know if that is a discipline they teach there. Should I have a backup discipline?

[@loutresucree1579]

For the flying pole they do teach it but u should also think of a second discipline cuz from year 2 u have to take a second discipline (for the French a lot of students there don’t speak French at all when they get there, so I think it’s alr if u don’t speak to much French (almost all the coaches speak English))

[@EricBates]

Hey sorry for the late reply, not sure why I didn't get notified about your comment. A lot of people come in with no french and learn while there. They offer French classes in the school. They teach all sorts of classes there, if you have an interesting discipline that they can rig they'll probably teach it.

[@juniperssubliminalmagic8540]

Has anyone found any circus and highschool program video auditions where they got in? I'm trying to figure out what their exact standards are.

[@EricBates]

ecolenationaledecirque.ca/en/2023-auditions/

[@lela9161]

Question / for the audition where you show your solo, are all the other auditoners watching too??

[@EricBates]

Hey, back when I auditioned no, it was just the 'judges' (teachers at the school). I don't think it has changed since then, but someone who has auditioned recently please correct me if I"m wrong!

[@aliciasketcher8134]

Hello Thank you so much for making these videos they are helping me so much. I am a contortionist but my acrobatics is very poor how much do you think this will this affect me honestly?

[@EricBates]

Some contortionists didn't even do acrobatics classes because they were too floppy. It's case by case. Give it a try and at worst you don't get in, but you'll see what it's like, meet some fun people, and if it seems like a good spot for you you can always try again or at another circus school!

[@aliciasketcher8134]

@@EricBates Thank you so much.

[@athieru5588]

hey eric! i’m 15, almost 16 and have been taking dance on and off for abt 11/12 years, and i’m pretty decent, and competed for quite a few years, also have quite a long music and theatre experience, but am only just starting wanting to go the circus direction. if i completely commit is there hope for a circus future for me? love the video!!

[@EricBates]

Hey there, sounds like you've got a solid foundation. I'd say try some circus if possible and see if you like it. Whether that's a camp like circus smirkus in VT, or a local program, or whatever, I'd say find a way to experience the different circus disciplines and see if something speaks to you. After that, sure, there's a ton you can do in circus, but like anything it'll seem great if you love it and like too much work if you don't. (Also, sometimes it's both- which is a reality for pretty much everything you decide to do full time).

[@kxidaxre]

Hey! I’m a little late but hopefully you’ll see this!! I’m a aerialist who has big hopes and dreams to be in Cirque du Soleil and this school seems increadible!! The only thing I’m worried about is the fact that I’m in the states that it will be a very tough move. I’m also kinda of concerned about learning French but I plan on taking it as an extracurricular activity!! Any advice on moving?

[@EricBates]

Hey thanks for watching. I don't think moving will be as hard as you think... I moved from the US and you figure it out. They've had lots of Americans come through the school so they're pretty used to advising on that. My only advice would be to live somewhat near the school since you spend 90% of your time there.

[@EricBates]

Ps- lot of travelling in a circus career. I’ve had 6 different apartments in montreal alone, not including a couple of years I didn’t have an apartment at all and would find somewhere to stay when I wasn’t on tour. It’s not so intimidating actually, you get the hang of it.

[@kxidaxre]

@@EricBates Thank youuuu!!! Hearing that makes me feel a lot better!

[@mysketchylife5144]

Are there options for very beginners who are just interested in trying circus preforming out?

[@EricBates]

Hey where are you located? I think ENC has a summer program but if you’re just getting into circus for the first time you might be better off somewhere more targeted to that introduction level

[@early.autumn.summer]

I’m a junior in high school, I have some theater experience and very little dance experience, but I’ve been taking circus classes (static trapeze, fabrics, Lyra, and pole dancing) for less then a year. I hope to continue these classes until I graduate, does anyone know if I’ll have enough skills straight after graduating to apply to a circus school? I’m guessing not and I know it’s a long shot but I thought it was worth asking :)

[@EricBates]

You can definitely apply, at worst you don't get in! Hard to say without knowing what level you're at already.

[@ericamatulis]

Thanks so much! Question: what's the age range that they're looking for? (i.e. what's the oldest you can be to get in)

[@EricBates]

Hey Erica, from what I’ve see it tends to be 17-30... often on the younger side of the scale so you have time for a physical career after 3 years of training, but there are exceptions (often for clowns that might have a longer career range to begin with since it’s less physical). No strict rules other than finished high school I think though.

[@PetsWithFurryPaws]

Amazing video! Question - is it safe to teach yourself acrobatics? (i.e. At home?)

[@EricBates]

I think the best would be to talk to someone that knows what they're doing. You can definitely start working on basic stuff at home (what sort of level are we talking about?), but the progress is likely to be faster and safer with a coach, and also help you avoid bad habits (ex. crooked back handspring) that you'll have to unlearn later if you're hoping to go further down the acrobatic road.

[@PetsWithFurryPaws]

Eric Bates thank you! That seems sensible. Mostly aerials and handsprings etc

[@bartsmiaek7931]

Maaan! When i can take your box lesson online!? ;P

[@EricBates]

haha hit me up! My schedule's pretty open with COVID these days.

[@marshallm.9787]

I know the question may sound funny but I'm going to ask it anyway ... Does the enc have requirements in relation to the height of the person? A bit like model agencies. (btw thank you! The video is very informative and really well explained )

[@EricBates]

Hey not a funny question, I’ve heard of height requirements for specific dance contracts for example. ENC on the other hand does not have those sorts of requirements. On the site they mention something “general athletic ability”, aka being it better shape will probably help your chances, but that’s about it.

[@marshallm.9787]

@@EricBates Thank you so much for your response ! Have a good day !