Ballet summer intensive..?

Question

i want to attend a ballet camp next summer. I want a friendly environment.. but were i will still learn things! i dont want it were they are soo strict that i feel like c**p at the end of it cause they made me feel like im not good...or whatever, but i still want to come back and feel like i have improved a lot.

i was thinking about a 2 week camp...

i have some places in mind.. (what do you think of these..)

Interlochen in Michigan

The Rock School

Joffrey Ballet (?)

American Ballet Theatre (hah..i hear it is impossible to be accepted)

Ballet Chicago

Boston Ballet (?)

are these places really hard to get into..(and possibly get a scholarship..)

i consider myself a pretty good dancer..i've been told by many prominant people of how strong my technique is...

please help! :]

thanx!

Answer 1

Hi Dancerchica,

If you're saying "I hear it is impossible to be accepted," then I take it that you didn't follow my advice to audition for ABT's SI when they were in Minneapolis on February 17th. I advised you to do that audition just for practice and to see whether you COULD  be accepted, even if you weren't planning on going this summer.

As I said in my answers from months ago, the standards for 16 year olds in the greater ballet world are much more rigorous and this summer was a very important window of opportunity for you. You needed THIS summer, while you're still 15, to get ready for the bigger challenges ahead.

I've been looking back through your past questions and I'm picking up on a bunch of conflict within you. About a year ago, you complained that your teacher was pushing you harder than you cared to be pushed; that you were more interested in being a dance journalist. And now again, you want a summer intensive that is... well, not TOO intense. It's not clear how you are with taking corrections. For dancers who love getting as many corrections as they can, they don't view "strictness" as being unfriendly and being treated "like c**p." It's all a matter of perception. Had you started going to SI's back when you were 12 and the teachers go easier on the young ones, you would have gotten adjusted to the stricter environments. But now why are you listing some of the toughest SI's when it's not clear that you really want to play in the major leagues?

Personally, if you're looking for a 2 week program - which none of the ones on your list do for 16 year olds - I really think you should look into the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Summer Dance Institute:

http://www.dance.wisc.edu/suppages/defau...

I always advise dancers who are considering going to college for dance to first check out the college dance programs in their local area. I know you've taken master classes there and performed in their dance festival, so now you're more than ready to do one of their Intensive Dance Workshops. Since you kinda missed the boat for being company-ready by the time you graduate high school, it doesn't make as much sense for you to focus on attending one of the big name ballet SIs. You should probably focus on getting into a good college dance program, and that means attending SIs that are sponsored by college dance programs.

You may want to re-read what Joachin and I wrote in response to your question from 5 months ago that was also about your chances of getting an SI scholarship:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

To answer specifically about the programs on your list, Interlochen is probably the most laid back with the "friendliest" environment because it really is an arts CAMP with other camp activities. Their year-round Arts Academy provides excellent training that sends many of their graduates to places like Juilliard. But unless you're thinking of transferring there for your remaining high school years, the camp's training is not at the same level as the others on your list.

Ballet Chicago is an excellent ballet school, but since they are not affiliated with a professional company, they also do not offer trainee opportunities after high school. But being Balanchine-based, I expect they're pretty strict. The other programs are just going to be pretty hard to get into if you've never auditioned for a highly selective summer intensive. I actually thought you had a decent chance to get into ABT's Michigan program if you had done one of their auditions this year, but without the audition practice, I can't say now.

Answer 2

my friend has gone to Interlochen the past two summers, and she really likes it! they do have scholarships.  ABT is SUPER hard to get into, unless you are AMAZING.

Answer 3

I don't even know of a two week summer intensive with a serious ballet company...I got accepted into Joffrey's Jazz/Contemporary intestive and THAT was two weeks, but lo and behold their ballet intensive was 8.  Our schedule was 12 hours straight, half an hour for lunch and dinner.  And that is for the "easier" 2 week intensive.  The other schools...you probably have a low chance of getting in, and i doubt they are 2 weeks.  I know a few people in the Rock School and it is great.  If you look into it they DO have a 2 week intensive...I have no clue about the audition process or if it's even too late to get in.  Good luck, and I hope this helped!

Answer 4

Most ballet summer intensives are 5-6 weeks long, and they are intense (hence the name). Boston and ABT both have AMAZING programs, but they're both incredibly hard to get into, and are pretty much only for people who plan on becoming professional, and take ballet for hours a day. Also, you need to be en pointe usually for a summer intensive (i'm not sure if you are or not, since you didn't specify). I've never heard of any of the other ballet company's programs, specifically though.

If you take other types of dance, American Dance Training Camp (they have four locations), is amazing.

Answer 5

Jofferey Ballet

ABT

Chicago and Boston Ballet

are all very strict and you must audition for a spot. The tuition is high too. You are there to learn and must be able to take constructive criticism.

Check out summer dance intensives at colleges. They can be a little more relaxed