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Should I Go To A
Summer Intensive?

by Ballet Alert! Online's Balletmistress,
Victoria Leigh

I have had a number of emails about attending summer programs, and thought perhaps I should post some things to be considered and discussed by young dancers, their parents, and their teachers.

Should everyone go to a Summer Intensive?

Since most of the "major" programs (meaning schools connected to companies like ABT, Houston, SF, PNB, etc.) are geared for the upper Intermediate and Advanced Level students, it is best to be at this level in order to obtain the benefits of the program. Younger and/or less advanced students might be better off at home in their own school, with classes which are best suited to their abilities, and teachers who know what they need at the time. Different methods and styles are fine for the more advanced student, but others need to have consistency in their training until the placement, strength and knowledge are sufficient to deal with the differences they will encounter in other programs.

Students of 14 and above (maybe some at 13, depending on level of maturity and technique), if they are well-trained and at an upper level of technique, can benefit greatly from Summer Intensive programs. Going away from home for a few weeks is fun and educational, a good part of growing up! Working
with different teachers and in several forms of dance which might not be a part of the regular school-year programs are major benefits. Also meeting lots of other dancers from around the country is great fun! Many of the programs also have a performance at the end of the course, which makes them even more fun!

It is also important for dancers who are nearing graduation to attend programs where they might have an opportunity for work with the company in the future. For instance, if a particular school shows a lot of interest in you, perhaps gives you partial or full scholarship for a couple of summers, that would be encouraging in terms of your potential for that company. Some of these schools/companies like to see the students for 2 or 3 summers, and then place them in their top level class for a year or two before moving them into the company. So, aligning yourself with a summer program connected to a company becomes more important when you are around 16 and 17.

What about Summer Camps?

Most of the camp-type programs are best for the younger student. The training is less intensive, but there are lots of other things to do. There are some camps who have well-known, highly qualified teachers, and some which are basically just camps who happen to also offer dance. If you are a serious dance student, with a career in mind, I would suggest that you discuss the places you are interested in with your teacher. Summer is such an important time for learning and growth in dance, and you don't want to lose training by going somewhere that offers less dance or less quality training than you receive at home. I find that our students improve so much in the summer training programs, both at home and away, because the whole day is devoted to dance. If you really want to be a dancer, then all the other activities, while fun, may take away from the progress you could make during a summer of several classes a day, with no school and no homework to deal with!

How do I find the right summer program?

Most of the programs hold auditions in cities throughout the country. By going to the auditions, reading the information on their program, taking the
class and finding out whether you like the teaching and the people holding the auditions, and of course by seeing the company the school is connected to and knowing what kinds of dancers and repertoire they have. There is also information on summer programs in Dance Magazine (especially the January issue each year; your library may have a copy if you don't). And there is lots of info available right here on this site and other ballet boards online.

If you can't get to an audition, call the school and see if they will accept a video audition. Be sure to inquire what they would like to see on the video, as some want barre work, and others prefer a bit of center, some pointe, and maybe a variation.

What if I don't want to go away from home, or can't afford to go away?

If you don't feel comfortable in going away from home, then perhaps you are not quite ready to go, and that is okay. People mature at different rates, and probably by the next year you will feel completely differently about it. For now, look at programs close to home.

If you can't afford it, don't give up without a try for financial aid and/or a scholarship! If the school is really interesting in having you in their program, they will try to help you as much as they can. Some have more money available for this than others, but it is always worth a try. If you can't go, then stay in your home school's program and spend the summer working intensively, as you can accomplish as much in one good summer course as you can in several months during a school-year!

I love the summer program where I teach, as we have lots of students from out of town along with many of our regular students. Having the new faces is always a lot of fun for me! But mostly I like it because we are able to
accomplish so much in such a short time!