<p>Hi, This is my first post here. My daughter is 16 and a high school sophomore. She would like to do a summer intensive but is not strong enough in ballet to do a ballet intensive. She has done remarkably well in the short time she has studied dance. She was on a Varsity school dance team last year and decided not to do the team this year so she can focus on technique. She has about 2 years of ballet and about 1 year of pointe, she is competing with a jazz solo this year and competed last year with a duet and did well. She went to SOCAPA in LA last year but she wants something more intense that will help her move to the next level. This is a long introduction to my question: what summer intensives would you recommend for her. </p>
<p>Hi. If you are willing to travel, Rock West has a 3 week jazz intensive that would be good for her. You have ballet, jazz, contemporary, hiphop and MT. You can send in a video audition. Most people make it but it is just the level that they put you in. There is a mini show at the end. You can find a teaser on you tube for it. The housing is safe and in the Philly Suburbs. Rock West is in West Chester PA in the western suburbs of Philly. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Are you in California? There is a Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary intensive in California (LA I think). You do have to audition. There is a good amount of ballet within the curriculum which your DD needs to develop good technique.</p>
<p>Mia Michaels will be on staff during this intensive as well if that interests your DD.</p>
<p>I have friends who have DD’s who have done the Moving People Intensive in New Mexico and have nothing but great things to say. I believe that it is moving to Cali this summer though (but I could be wrong). </p>
<p>There is also the Rockettes intensive in NYC but last I knew there is no housing provided so you would have to find your own. Joffrey also does a Jazz and Contemporary intensive in NYC and there are housing options for that one.</p>
<p>Indiana University holds a Contemporary intensive in the summer as well. Selection is by resume submission and the cost is pretty low compared to other intensives. It is more modern based than jazz.</p>
<p>What about Broadway Dance Centre in NYC or The Edge in LA - it is not an intensive per se but you could take as many classses as you would like while there. We have gone to BDC many times and the teachers are all amazing and they have various levels so if she has not had a lot of experience in one particular genre she could take a more beginning type of class. It is drop-in classes so you can come and go as you like and as I said, take any number of classes.</p>
<p>Thank you everyon for taking the time respond.</p>
<p>dancerinpa- traveling is not a problem. I think at this age she would rather be in a city then the burbs but I will look into the Rock. Also, someone mentioned another PA program Central PA Youth Ballet in Carlise (don’t know anything about Carlise except that the Redskins had their training camp there when I was a kid), if you know anything about the area or the program would you share it with me. Also what you think of Rock verses CPYB if she were to come to PA. </p>
<p>Momof3Stars- no we are no in CA, we live in NM. DD has gone to camp in CA though. She is signed up to audition for both the NYC and LA Joffrey program; the audition is in a couple of weeks. This is her first choice but I don’t know how she will measure up to the other girls. It is hard for me to know. She took a class from Mia Michaels when she did the Pulse and really liked the class. We will look at the Rockettes but no housing would be a real problem as I am not ready for her to live on her own. I will also look up IUs program. </p>
<p>Lam66 DD took a couple of classes at the Edge last summer and loves it there. They just don’t have any housing and I don’t know how to make that work -any suggestions? Same problem BDC. Though she would love either programs I don’t know how to make the housing work. </p>
<p>THanks everyone for the great suggestions. Please keep them coming.</p>
<p>CPYB is known as “ballet boot camp”. While it would be awesome for your DD’s technique it is ballet heavy and a traditional ballet SI and from the title of your post I assume your DD is not interested in that type of intensive?</p>
<p>Ballet classes are the best thing for your DD’s overall technique though and any intensive worth looking at will have at least an hour a day of ballet tech so definitely make sure you ask.</p>
<p>Momof3stars thanks. DD takes 5 hours a week of ballet now and she really likes it. She is just not at the same level as girls her age that have been taking ballet for years. She is also not built like a ballerina, she is 5’2" and is not going to get any taller. She is average build (no idea what she weights but she is a size S not XS) so I thought she would have a real hard time getting into a ballet intensive. I do totally agree with you about the need for ballet tech. We are trying to find any type of program that would help her improve (not just be fun like SOCOPA last year) and that she can get into. I hope that makes sense. Thanks for the help</p>
<p>sewingmom, that clears it up. Based on what you have said your DD could definitely apply to CPYB if you want since there is no audition. It is by photo submission only. However, be prepared for your DD to maybe be in with younger dancers or even be taken off of pointe as they will sometimes do that. The regular Rock School ballet intensive (not Rock West) has also been known to do that. In the end, they do know what is best for your dancer though and from what I have heard of dancers that my DD knows that have gone there it is well worth it. </p>
<p>There are also the ABT intensives if your DD would like to audition. It sounds intimidating to audition for ABT I know but there are many different locations and they have a large rate of acceptance. Your DD would be placed in the location that best suits her level.</p>
<p>Momof3stars, thanks so much. We have been debating about the ABT audition, your input helps. DD is at a real turning point. She is been very involved in theatre but has found that dance is what she really loves. Unfortunately she has many theatre obligations between now and the Joffrey audition, not to mention going to a demanding prep school. Any suggestions on what she should do to prepare for the upcoming auditions?</p>
<p>Private lessons are the best way to go to prepare for an audition. My DD and her friends always do this prior to auditions. DD has taken weekly privates though for a couple of years but before that she would get a few privates in before auditions so that she could get advice and fine tune. In your situation they would be even more ideal since you need something that you can fit into your schedule. Try to have your DD’s teacher help you with the necessary pictures too. Sometimes what you think looks good can be not technically correct. If, for some reason, you cannot get a private with your DD’s regular teacher try to find another teacher/coach. Usually teachers do not mind subcontracting out a less or two. Even if you can only get one in for pics and advice it is well worth it.</p>
<p>If your DD is having to miss ballet or other technique classes due to her theater commitments she should be stretching, doing core work, and working with a theraband to keep strength up. Even of she has to pull a chair up and do some barre work during theater rehearsal downtime it is very helpful.</p>
<p>My DD attended the Joffrey NYC Ballet intensive a few years ago and while I cannot speak for the J&C they do have a good rate of acceptance. I am betting your DD has no need to worry. This year alone they are accepting 100 students into their Bolshoi exchange program alone which is about as many as they took into the whole Performance Intensive when my DD was there. And like I said, ABT has many locations and if your DD gets into, say, ABT Orange County there will likely be students there that are her age and ability level.</p>
<p>Have you tried contacting the Edge or BDC to see if there are any others who may be in the same situation who could maybe room together? I know that NYCDA has a dance intensive in NYC during the summer and I believe they arrange for housing. This is all styles of dance.</p>
<p>Boonsboro- thank you. We looked at the ADF but the dates don’t work. We will keep it in mind for next year as we have been told by several people that it is great.</p>
<p>lammb66 - I spoke with BDC and they will give me names of hotels but unless we go with her (which is a possibility) I don’t think it will work. I am going to call the Edge today. I will check out NYCDA. Do you have any information on the quality of NYCDA’s program?</p>
<p>Momof3Stars- thanks for the advice. I have contacted one of her ballet teachers and arranged a photo shoot with her and a dance photographer she recommended. The audition is in 10 days. School started today. The Theatre Festival in 7 days. I am not sure when we could squeeze a private in but I am going to try. At least I have the photo shoot set up for this Saturday with the teacher. I am going to try and find an audition for ABT that we can get to. Luckily Joffrey is coming to our city. Lines is also coming, what are your thoughts on them for my dd? </p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the help. It is making a big difference.</p>
<p>Another question: I signed DD up for the Joffrey J&C audition but not the ballet audition. My thinking was that the ballet audition was first and if it did not go well she would not be her best for the J&C audition. Do you think this is a good choice. Also, on the form I marked that she was auditioning for the J&C in LA, NYC, and Miami. Now I am having second thoughts about Miami as it is only 2 weeks. NYC is 3 weeks and goes into the beginning of school but we could work with that. LA is the one she really wants. Should I keep all three on her form or remove Miami. PS she would like NYC too and we would either just do 2 weeks or miss the first week of school. Thanks</p>
<p>Two dancers from our home studio have attended NYCDA summer intensive and have loved it. They felt the quality of the classes was wonderful. It was very intense but there was time to network and spend time with the other dancers. I believe they all attended a Broadway show too. They had nothing but good things to say about it. You can get scholarships too if you win one at one of their conventions. You should see if there are any in your area and that would give you a taste of what their national intensive would be like.</p>
<p>You might also want to check out the Broadway Theatre Project in Florida, started by Ann Reinking. [Broadway</a> Theatre Project](<a href=“http://broadwaytheatreproject.com/home]Broadway”>Home | Broadway Theatre Project) Amazing faculty and master classes. It has an audition, but it is certainly not ballet-heavy.</p>
<p>You should be ok with just the J&C audition. Don’t worry about removing Miami from the application. They will tell you which sites you got into (any or all) and you choose which you want to attend. At the audition when you register you can feel free to tell them what your first choice is so you know that your DD was considered primarily for that one.</p>
<p>I just looked at the American Dance Festival and I didn’t realize that for their 6 week intensive are several of the professors that are currently teaching my DD at Slippery Rock. I know that some of the dancers perform there but wasn’t aware of the 6 week intensive.</p>
<p>Chedva thanks for the suggestion
Lamb66- my DD would consider 6 weeks. She is signed up to go on a school trip to Bhutan in early June and so she would not be back in time to do the 6 weeks at American Dance Festival. If for any reason the trip is cancelled which we will know in the next 5 weeks then she may apply.
Momof3Stars thanks for the reassurance. This whole process is so new to us. </p>
<p>Yesterday her ballet teacher suggested to the whole class that they audition for State Street Ballet intensive, her son is in the company. Does anyone know anything about their program? </p>
<p>How about the Alvin Ailey intensive held every summer in New York City? The students do take ballet, but it’s Ailey, so it’s mostly modern and contemporary. Most dancers who do that intensive come back stronger dancers. Plus, what’s not to love about being in New York City for part of the summer?</p>