The Summer Intensive

Summer Intensive is a program of serious study in a warm and companionable atmosphere. The faculty, led by Artistic Director Graham Lustig, provides caring and careful instruction conducive to technical and artistic progress. In seeking to maintain a feeling of community, ARB’s Princeton Ballet School purposely limits the number of students in class.

Students experience the opportunity to:

• sample a taste of professional life in a full day (9:30-5:00pm) dance experience, including rehearsals for a final performance
• grow technically through five hours of daily ballet technique, including pointe or men’s class
• deepen their understanding of important concepts in injury prevention, such as proper alignment and rotation
• learn first-hand the relationship between the great classical dance traditions of the world, by studying with master teachers from these traditions, including that of the Paris Opéra Ballet, infrequently seen in the U.S.
• expand their dance background through classes in modern dance and theater dance
• exercise their creativity by participating in the choreography workshop
• develop group communication and leadership skills when choreographing with their peers, while establishing friendships with equally committed young dancers
• set effective goals and learn to increase personal discipline and focus
• interact with dedicated professionals, including the teaching staff and American Repertory Ballet's professional company members who participate in the workshop

Faculty

The teachers work with the whole dancer, not just the technical side. Small classes provide plenty of attention and personal help. Faculty includes Mary Barton, Douglas Martin, Maria Youskevitch, Bat Abbit, Peggy Petteway Mahoney and guest artists Muriel Hallé, Kathleen Moore, and Kyra Nichols.

Click Here for the biographies of the 2010 faculty.

Classes

Morning classes for Summer Intensive focus on advanced ballet technique. There are five groups of approximately 20-25 dancers. The faculty (see Faculty section for biographies) are very interested in strong focus and personal effort, to yield technical advancement. Each day begins with a 110 minute ballet class. Following a brief break, the students’ second class of each day is either pointe, men’s class, or partnering. (Partnering is offered to all levels in our Summer Intensive). Once a week, this time slot is reserved for Body Mechanics (see below).

The afternoons are comprised of two 90 minute classes. One is a second ballet class, moving at a faster pace than the thorough morning class. The other time period is for a variety of experiences, ranging from repertory classes with American Repertory Ballet company dancers, to modern dance and theatre dance classes taught by ARB's Princeton Ballet School faculty and alums working professionally in these fields. After the first two weeks of the program, this 90 minute slot becomes the rehearsal for the performances (see Performance below).

Pointe classes: are a combination of pointe technique and strengthening work, and variations. Variations classes feature variations from each teacher’s background. For example, Kyra Nichols teaches variations from her Balanchine repertory, and Muriel Hallé teaches variations from classics of the Paris Opéra Ballet’s repertory. Pointe classes are taught by Mary Barton, Maria Youskevitch, and Kyra Nichols.

Men’s classes: are taught by Douglas Martin. Classes are bi-weekly, with two days of each male dancer’s schedule also given to partnering, and the fifth to Body Mechanics.

Body Mechanics: is taught to each group weekly by Mary Pat Robertson, Director of ARB’s Princeton Ballet School. This class explores various topics which an aspiring professional needs to understand—core strength, ankle and foot issues, spine issues, turnout—and gives exercises and knowledge which will help maximize the dancers’ potential in these areas.

Choreography Workshop: see Performance below

Placement in levels: levels are set upon arrival at the program. The first day of classes will involve placement auditions, and the classes start meeting in their regular groups on the second day.

The Studios

ARB's Princeton Ballet School is located in an air-conditioned facility with four large studios featuring high ceilings and sprung dance floors. Live music accompanies all ballet and modern dance classes.

The facility includes a dance library and is adjacent to numerous shops and restaurants, with generous open space, picnic tables, and gardens. The entire studio complex is wireless accessible.

Performance

A high point of the Summer Intensive experience is the final performance. Because the faculty’s main charge is the progress of the students, which happens through carefully done classwork, rehearsals for the performance are not allowed to take too much time out of each day. The performance is presented as an adjunct to that training, because it is so important to also work in various dance styles, from the classical to the contemporary, and because it is just a wonderful way to cement friendships and create lasting memories.

Rehearsals for the performance begin at the start of Week 3. One 90 minute class period per day is given to rehearsals. Students are offered the choice of participating in a faculty-led rehearsal period, or participating in the Choreographic Workshop. Once a student has chosen to be in a faculty piece, all casting is at the discretion of the faculty. Recent new works have been created especially for Summer Intensive by Artistic Director Graham Lustig, ARB Ballet Master Bat Abbit, and Summer Intensive faculty member and former ARB leading dancer Mary Barton. Each year one large classical excerpt is also staged. Summer ’09 was Act II Giselle, staged by Maria Youskevitch.

The Choreographic Workshop will be led by Katie Glasner. Ms. Glasner danced with Twyla Tharp in the golden decade of modern dance, and is now the Assistant Chair and Senior Associate of Dance at Barnard College, where she teaches the very popular lecture course “Dance in New York City.” Glasner attended North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to New York, where she quickly joined the Tharp company. After dancing for Tharp from 1977-87, including performances at the White House, on Broadway, and in the movies, she attended Columbia University/School of General Studies, receiving a degree in English and Women’s Studies in 1994. During these years, she also taught ballet at Princeton Ballet School, and composition classes at our Summer Intensive. Glasner joined the faculty at Barnard in 1995, where she currently teaches in the studio and lecture hall, meets scores of prospective students and their families, advises first-year students and dance majors, and is committed to passing on the legacy of dance in every way possible.

During the first week of the Summer Intensive, Glasner will offer two sessions for the entire group, focusing on seeing and appreciating choreographic structure in works by varied choreographers, from Balanchine to Cunningham. After this point, self-selected students will continue with Glasner to explore basic choreographic devices from the inside out, by exercise and experiment. Glasner, with the assistance of Company Director Douglas Martin, will then lead the group in developing a dance for the final performance based on choreography by self-selected students.

The performance is always presented on the evening of the last day of workshop, which will be Friday, July 30, 2010. Families and community members are welcome. Tickets are sold separately at a modest price.

Further Opportunities

The Professional Training Program, Post-High School Division, helps students make the transition from the student phase to the young professional phase of a dancer’s life. There are several important objectives at this point. Among these are the ability to learn to function in the high pressure atmosphere of a professional company, learning dances quickly and gaining strength. But aspiring professionals also need consistent, on-going help with their technique, and sound advice about their future. Most apprentice programs effectively terminate the young dancer’s training, because the nature of a company class is to warm up the dancer for the rehearsals that follow, rather than continue refining their knowledge and technique. By blending two weekdays with American Repertory Ballet, taking company class and rehearsing, with other days of dedicated classes for this group, the young dancers grow into their strength and new capability naturally.

The apprentices help to deliver ARB’s educational programs to the community and are otherwise involved in all aspects of the repertory, performing with the company dancers in various ballets all season long. Apprentices take technique class with the company daily, and have full scholarship to any classes at ARB’s Princeton Ballet School for days off or lay-off periods.

For the 2009-10 season, American Repertory Ballet has five apprentices (three female and two male) and one male trainee. Three of the apprentices came from the Summer Intensive, and the trainee from the academic year program. Their contract reflects that of the company, which was 28 weeks this year. Apprentices receive a weekly stipend, a per diem when away, and a shoe allowance.

Former apprentices are currently dancing with American Repertory Ballet, Boston Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Met, Tulsa Ballet, and Eugene Ballet.

American Repertory Ballet

The American Repertory Ballet is nationally recognized for the quality of its work; its powerful, classically trained dancers; and its vigorous, youthful style. ARB’s repertory includes story ballets, such as Beauty and the Beast: A Gothic Romance and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as contemporary works by Twyla Tharp, Kirk Peterson, Melissa Barak and Graham Lustig.

Links:
2009 -2010 Season
ARB Dancer Biographies
ARB History

Housing

Dormitory accommodations are on the Princeton University campus. The University campus defines downtown Princeton, a small town of great charm. The dormitories are a few minutes walk from the Palmer Square shopping area, with its many ice cream shops, coffee houses, and stores.

Thirteen-year-old students are not housed in the dormitories, but they may attend as day students. Students fourteen through seventeen are under the care of Resident Assistants. They are given a curfew and other safety restrictions.

Transportation to and from the studios is provided. The University meal plan serves breakfast and dinner six days a week, with brunch and dinner on Sunday. There are a variety of small restaurants and a grocery store next to the studio for purchasing lunch.

Resident Assistants are on duty 24 hours a day to provide supervision and guidance, and to ensure student safety.

Enrichment

The Summer Intensive provides a varied palette of cultural events for students. These events are part of the package for all dorm students and are available to day students on a space-available basis. All students may participate in the optional bus trip to New York City's Lincoln Center.

Summer entertainment includes a mixture of high and popular art, ranging from professional opera (“Lucia di Lammermoor” summer ’09) to on-campus plays and movies. The New York bus trip, which is optional, takes the students to the Metropolitan Opera House to view a full-length ballet, usually by either American Ballet Theater or one of the touring European companies. On the weekends, the students have access to an Olympic sized outdoor pool.

Physical Therapy Screenings

As part of our on-going commitment to educating dancers about how to dance in a healthy way, we offer screening by our consulting physical therapist, Corinne Sicola. One of the keys to a successful and happy experience in dance is an understanding of how your body is constructed and how it is responding to dance training. This is not simply comprehending the basic mechanics of turnout, but additionally, an individualized knowledge of how your specific body works. One of the ways you can gain this knowledge is with the help of a dance physical therapist. Dr. Sicola holds a BS degree in Clinical Science and an MS degree in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College, and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Boston University. During high school, she was a competitive rhythmic gymnast and a ballet student here at Princeton Ballet School. Her physical therapy practice centers on helping dancers and gymnasts understand and work with their bodies and injuries.

The screenings examine different aspects of the body such as the amount of available turnout the dancer has, range of motion, available strength, etc. The screenings will be a forum for the dancer to inquire about areas of discomfort and to receive strengthening and flexibility exercises tailored to the dancer’s needs, as well as recommendations for further medical follow-up if needed.

There is a separate charge for these screenings, and they are offered with no obligation for any student to participate unless they desire to.

To Audition

Please bring two photos of yourself – one in first arabesque, one headshot - for the auditioner’s files. The audition fee is $25.00 (€20 in Paris and Rome). All dancers will be kept throughout the entire audition.

Links:
Audition Schedule
Download the Information & Audition Form

Video Auditions

To audition by video, please send us:
1. A videotape or DVD
2. An audition application
3. $35.00 audition by mail fee
4. A letter of recommendation from your current teacher

The DVD should be in Region 1 format and no longer than 10 minutes. The videotape should be a VHS format and no longer than 10 minutes. Applicants should be dressed in simple leotard and tights. The video should show some barre work (your choice) and center work as follows:

Ladies should present at least one of these combinations on pointe, plus additional pointe work.

Variations may be added if you wish.

If you cannot make a videotape, or are applying from overseas, please contact Ms. Bellis to make other arrangements.

Fees

Tuition $2500, Room and board $2400, Activities fee $100

Scholarships

A limited number of merit-based tuition scholarships are available. All students attending each audition site are automatically considered for scholarship. There is no separate application process. RA positions available for dancers 21 and over—contact Carol Bellis for more information.

Age Qualifications

Summer Intensive is for advanced students ages 13 and over. Only students 14 and over will be accepted into the dorms.

For More Information

Carol Bellis, Summer Intensive Coordinator
ARB's Princeton Ballet School
301 North Harrison Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
Telephone: 609-921-7758, ext. 14
Fax: 609-921-3249
E-Mail: cbellis@arballet.org
Web site: www.arballet.org

American Repertory Ballet’s programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

ARB's Princeton Ballet School does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or creed in the administration of its admission or scholarship programs. ARB's Princeton Ballet School is an equal opportunity employer.