When the entire world seemingly shut down in early 2020, dance schools were thrown into a precarious limbo. Many summer intensive acceptance letters had already been sent out while programs faced the question: Could they still hold their sessions during a pandemic? If so, how to safely? Program directors landed on many creative solutions. And […]

For many young dancers, attending a summer intensive is their first major training experience outside of their local dance studio. Whether it’s a classical ballet program or a weeks-long workshop with a renowned modern dance company, a summer intensive can kick off the transition from student to professional. But how can you make the most […]

Many high school students figure out where they might like to attend college by visiting campuses. But for dancers, there’s often an even better research opportunity that involves top-notch training, networking opportunities and a chance to perform: the college program summer intensive. University dance departments around the country offer summer intensives for high school students, […]

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 […]

Since she was little, Hannah Kravec, 16, had been watching videos of dancers she revered perform on the Inside/Out stage, a serene venue overlooking the Berkshire mountains on the campus of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Suddenly last summer, she was dancing on it herself as a student in the school’s tap program. “It was […]

I’ve never been much of a crier, but there was one part of my life that pretty consistently involved tears: summer intensive audition season. Rejection is never pleasant. But rejections from summer programs can feel particularly gut-wrenching. In a classic case of catastrophizing, I remember always thinking, If I can’t even get into this summer […]

While some dancers return year after year to the same beloved summer intensive, others travel the globe seeking novel ways of moving. Aspiring dancers can find myriad possibilities for their summer months, and with so many choices, such varied costs and so much competition, summer study can be tough to navigate. Dance Magazine asked five […]

Last year, Kensington MacMillen auditioned for summer programs away from home for the first time. A longtime Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet student, MacMillen had spent previous summers at her home studio, but now she was ready to branch out. After auditioning for three programs, her first response was a rejection from Miami City Ballet. “A […]