From your experience, what are some of the top summer intensives for modern dance?

I’m familiar with Julliard, Jacob’s Pillow, Bates Dance Festival, American Dance Festival… I was hoping to hear what your thoughts are on these. Is Bates challenging enough for a serious modern dancer? I know Jacob’s Pillow and Julliard are very competitive. Any others you can suggest, preferably on east coast? D has lots of experience with Martha Graham and some Horton

Joffrey (NY) has diversified into modern/contemporary somewhat. My daughter did their program in San Francisco directed by Josie Walsh and worked closely with Brad Shelver, who teaches at Joffrey, Steps, and Ailey. She had a very positive experience but her background at the time was mostly ballet-based. It was expensive but they do offer scholarships based on audition results.

http://summer.joffreyballetschool.com/joffrey-sanfrancisco/

If you are open to heading west, my daughter has a friend who had a great experience doing Alonzo King Lines in San Francisco. I think she got a scholarship to offset costs, too. Might also be too ballet-based for your D but it sounds tremendous.

http://summer.linesballet.org/about/

Unfortunately, I don’t know the east coast programs as well. Hope this helps!

@mamaedefamilia Thanks for your response. I heard good things about Alonzo King, but I don’t think I’m ready to send her on a plane by herself to CA yet. I know dancers do that all the time for intensives, but I’m a scaredy cat. We have Joffrey here in my city. I will give their program another look. I know they have the contemporary/jazz intensive. Unlike your D, mine doesn’ t love ballet, but she is loving her modern classes these days. I hope all is going well with college applications. Remember to let me know how it goes:)

Joffrey is pricey and not particularly selective. However, if your D auditions and gets a scholarship, that will put her into a different category with respect to her placement and the intensity of her curriculum. The audition is not expensive and is pretty low key.

My daughter did a summer intensive at Koresh in Philadelphia. A friend of hers did one at UArts, also in Philly. They both included good modern, but it was not just modern. Have you checked Suny Purchase or Marymount in NYC. I know Temple has a modern department, so perhaps they offer something in summer. Maybe Hubbard in Chicago? My daughter has over 10 years of strictly classical ballet and her exposure to modern/jazz/contemporary this summer was an eye opener. At the end of summer she auditioned for the contemporary youth ensemble and switched dance schools! Let us know if you find any options:)

Skidmore in Albany has a really interesting program. Also Mark Morris in Brooklyn but you need your own housing if young.

San Francisco Conservatory with Summer Ratigan