Even after the whirlwind of Nutcracker season and finals dies down, summer break can feel very far away. Still, because appli­cations for intensives, internships, and jobs open in winter, now is the time to start planning for the warmer months. Find Your Focus In her Intro to Dance Studies course at Chapman University, Jennifer Backhaus […]

Whether you’re thinking of attending your first summer program or are a summer study veteran looking for a new challenge, there’s a wealth of options. How can you ensure an exciting and enriching experience?

Here’s how attending two summer dance intensives for adults has propelled my career forward.

There’s something uniquely crushing about summer intensive rejection. Perhaps it’s because it’s the first time many students have ever experienced this kind of rebuff. Or perhaps it’s simply hard to not think, If I can’t even get into the summer program, how am I ever going to be good enough to make it in dance?

Summer intensive auditions can turn dancers into a bundle of nerves. With so many decisions to make each step of the way, you might end up second-guessing every choice. Will breaking out four pirouettes, when the audition proctor only asked for a double, be well received, or will it be seen as disrespectful? 

I was at the end of a trainee stint with no second company or apprenticeship offer for the next season. I knew I needed to go…somewhere. Then, at an open cattle call audition for a different company, I wasn’t offered the contract I was hoping for, but, along with a small group of other dancers, […]

Are online-only intensives are a relic of the past? Not necessarily. Here are some things to consider as you make your summer plans this year. 

No question, the novel coronavirus has turned ballet training upside down. But if you think you can’t have a great summer intensive this year, think again. Over the past few months, ballet schools have learned how to deliver classes and workshops online, and some have created online and hybrid summer programs that offer unique learning […]