Join Muntu Dance Theatre
The Movement. The Story. The Legacy.
Muntu Dance Theatre is seeking passionate dancers and musicians to join our community and bring the power of African and African Diasporic movement, music, and rhythm to the stage. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or an emerging artist ready to learn and train, we invite you to audition and become part of the Muntu family.
Dance Auditions (16+)
Saturday, October 24th
Sign-In: 5:30pm | Audition: 6:00pm
We're seeking both male and female dancers who are versatile, committed, and ready to grow within Muntu's repertoire. Dancers should demonstrate strong rhythm, musicality movement retention, performance quality, and willingness to learn, train, and grow as an artist.
We welcome dancers from a variety of movement backgrounds, including African and African Diasporic, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, House, Bomba, Samba, Afro-Caribbean, and other traditional, cultural, and contemporary dance forms. Experience in African and African Diasporic dance is a plus, but not required.
Musician Auditions (16+)
Saturday, October 24th
Sign-In: 5:30pm | Audition: 6:00pm
We're seeking both male and female drummers and percussionists who are committed, versatile, and ready to grow within Muntu's musical repertoire. Musicians should demonstrate a strong sense of rhythm, musicality, ensemble skills, and a willingness to learn, train, and grow as an artist.
We welcome musicians from a variety of musical backgrounds, including African and African Diasporic, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, Latin, Jazz, marching/percussion ensemble, and other traditional and contemporary styles.
Experience with instruments such as djembe, dundun, congas, bells, shekere, and other percussion is a plus, but and openness to learning and training in African and African Diasporic musical traditions is essential.
African traditional instrumentalists and specialty musicians are also encouraged to audition, including balafon, talking drum, flute, kora, ngoni, and other traditional African instruments..
Interested in becoming a Muntu Artist?
1. COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION FORM
All applicants must complete the Dancer or Musician Audition Registration Form. You’ll be asked to share information about your artistic background, training, experience, skills, availability, and interests.
2. SUBMIT YOUR ARTIST MATERIALS
Provide a brief artist bio, headshot, and requested supporting materials. Applicants may also submit a link to a performance video showcasing their movement or musical abilities.
3. PREPARE FOR YOUR AUDITION
Dancers: Come dressed and prepared to move, learn choreography, and demonstrate your musicality, movement retention, performance quality, and versatility.
Musicians: Come prepared to demonstrate your primary instrument(s), rhythm, technique, musicality, and ability to work within an ensemble. Specialty and traditional African instrumentalists are welcome.
4. ATTEND YOUR AUDITION
Come ready to learn, take direction, collaborate, and show us who you are as an artist. We’re not only looking at what you already know—we’re also looking for potential, professionalism, commitment, and an openness to training and growth.
5. AFTER THE AUDITION
Selected artists will be contacted with next steps regarding company membership, training, rehearsals, expectations, and onboarding.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
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Ages 16+
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Completed audition registration form
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Brief artist bio
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Performance video/link
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Availability for regular company rehearsals and training
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Commitment to learning and continued artistic development
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Professionalism and ability to work collaboratively within an ensemble
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Respect for the cultures and traditions represented in Muntu’s work
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Openness to corrections, direction, and artistic feedback
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Prior African or African Diasporic dance/music experience is welcomed, but artists from a variety of training backgrounds are encouraged to audition
Most importantly, come ready to learn, train, grow, and contribute to the Muntu community.
The Muntu Artist Experience
Muntu is committed to developing well-rounded artists through ongoing training, cultural study, performance, and professional development. Artists are encouraged to expand their craft, explore new disciplines, and grow both on and off the stage.
TRAINING & ARTIST DEVELOPMENT
Receive ongoing training in African and African Diasporic dance, music, rhythms, techniques, and cultural traditions while building versatility, performance quality, and a deeper understanding of Muntu’s repertoire.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DEVELOPMENT
Grow beyond your primary discipline through opportunities to explore dance, percussion, music, vocals, choreography, storytelling, teaching, and other areas of artistic practice.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Gain professional stage experience through paid performances at theaters, festivals, schools, cultural events, community programs, and special engagements throughout Chicago and beyond.
PROFESSIONAL & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Build skills beyond the stage through mentorship, teaching opportunities, choreography, leadership, communication, collaboration, and other experiences that support your growth as a working artist.
CULTURAL STUDY & EXCHANGE
Deepen your understanding of the histories, people, traditions, and cultural contexts behind the movement and music you perform, with opportunities for workshops, cultural exchange, and study travel.
COMMUNITY & CONNECTION
Become part of an intergenerational community of dancers, musicians, educators, and cultural practitioners committed to preserving, evolving, and sharing African and African Diasporic arts.
COMPANY COMMITMENT & COMPENSATION
Muntu artists are expected to consistently participate in company rehearsals, training, and repertoire development. Regular rehearsals and training are currently unpaid; however, artists are compensated for contracted performances and select engagements.
Performance casting is based on the needs of each engagement, including repertoire, artist readiness, rehearsal participation, and availability. Company membership does not guarantee selection for every performance.