Advice for Summer Intensives

Summer intensives are about networking and building a resume as well as having new experiences and getting comfortable with competing in the the larger world of ballet . If  you are getting ready to go away for a summer program soon, you will want to take as much away from that summer intensive as possible and come back a new and improved dancer in the fall!

So what can you do to maximize your ballet summer intensive experience?

1.) Listen– It may sound simple, but you must listen and absorb everything that the instructors are saying. Most ballet summer intensive programs have guest teachers like Gelsey Kirkland or David Howard who are fountains of knowledge and experience. You don’t want to miss a word that they are saying as one small correction could make a world of a difference in your dancing!

2.) Write it Down– Keep a “dance journal”  to write down all of your corrections. Later you can look back at all of your corrections and see how much progress you have made.

3.) Focus– Remember that you are going to your summer intensive to dance. Have fun, and make friends with the fellow dancers but don’t let it get in the way of your education. Remember, you are there to dance!

4.) Embrace Change– Sometimes a summer program is not the perfect fit and you may find that you don’t like the technique or the teachers. In this case, do your best to stay positive and learn what you can from the experience. Sometimes it is beneficial to learn other styles or techniques to make you stronger in the technique that you do best. (example: classical dancer going to a Balanchine summer intensive)

5.) Make Connections – Remember to always try to look your best.  You not only had to audition to get into your summer intensive, you need to think of your time spent with your intensive teachers as a kind of audition in itself.  Show your openness to learn, your willingness to work hard, your strengths as a technical and musical dancer, and your ability to be a leader or a team player.  Your future boss could be in the room! Absorb everything you can from the new teachers you will be meeting and learning from this summer!

6.) Take Care of  Your Body – No sense working all day in class and not eating right or not hydrating during the day or staying up late at night.  You won’t perform well the next day.  Make sure you are confident about how to execute a step you may not have learned yet at home.  Especially if it is a jump or turn, take your time and slowly break it down before you try it full out.  No sense spraining your ankle on day one — it won’t heal before the workshop is over!

7. ) Keep a Positive Attitude – Remember why you dance! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or have a bad class (or day)! Part of your learning experience is to see if you like dancing six hours a day. Are you still fascinated with learning all that you can learn about ballet! Come back confident that you have worked hard to be the the best dancer that you can be, and then put your new skills to work in the technique classes and performances that are coming up, “back at home!”