by Gavin Larsen | Feb 18, 2022 | Summer Study
After years of being waitlisted, Kayla Schmitt finally got into Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s summer program at 16. “PNB was my dream company, especially as a taller dancer, so finally getting in was very exciting for me,” says Schmitt, now a member of Ballet...
by Sponsored by Miami City Ballet School | Jan 28, 2022 | Summer Study, Training
Ask current Miami City Ballet corps member Juliet Hay to describe her first summer at Miami City Ballet School, and one word comes to mind first: “intense.” While that may sound obvious—aren’t all summer intensives by their very nature “intense”?—the word takes on...
by Sponsored by The Sarasota Ballet | Jan 13, 2022 | Summer Study, Training
A five-week summer intensive accounts for less than 10 percent of a calendar year, a blink of an eye in a young dancer’s training. Yet these brief programs promise technical gains, artistic discovery, networking opportunities and eye-opening life in a new city. Many...
by Sponsored by The Washington School of Ballet | Dec 22, 2021 | Summer Study, Training
When you think of a top-tier ballet company’s summer intensive, you couldn’t be blamed for envisioning a largely anonymous experience: packed classes, a revolving door of star faculty, and other experiences that are undoubtedly exciting but may not actually lead to...
by Sponsored by Colorado Ballet Academy | Dec 16, 2021 | Summer Study, Training
The first company Ariel McCarty ever auditioned for was Colorado Ballet. At the time, she was working on rebuilding her strength after an illness, but artistic director Gil Boggs took the time to talk to McCarty personally after the audition. Wanting to help her reach...
by Sponsored by Next Generation Ballet | Dec 9, 2021 | Summer Study, Training
Attending summer intensives is a rite of passage for aspiring professional ballet dancers. Between the rigorous training, eye-opening social experiences and career-launching exposure, these opportunities can be incredibly inspiring—and intimidating—for...
by Sponsored by Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet | Dec 2, 2021 | Summer Study, Training
As in-person auditions for summer intensives once again start to crowd your calendar, the multitude of choices can feel overwhelming. Should you return to a program you loved in the “before times,” or try someplace new? Is it better to go for a small, nurturing...
by Sponsored by Houston Ballet Academy | Dec 1, 2021 | Summer Study, Training
“Visibility is currency,” says Harper Watters, soloist with the Houston Ballet. It’s a lesson he learned early in his career: Find a place where you feel seen—as both an athlete and an artist—and where teachers get to know you and you get to know them. As a teenager,...