Showcasing Young Talent: A Summer Intensive Update
- Cindy Case
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
After five weeks of diligent study, our summer intensive has come to an end!
Our last blog post focused on the advanced level's progress in learning the Snow scene for BTM's upcoming production of The Nutcracker. This week, we turn our attention to the intermediate level, where school-aged dancers committed to three weeks of dancing from 9 am to 4 pm.
At the end of the program, they performed excerpts from Giselle staged by Conservatory principal Emily Carey and a brand-new work by BTM dancer and teacher Karissa Kralik. Read on to learn how both teachers prepared them for the performance.
Becoming wilis with Emily Carey
For their classical repertory, the intermediate dancers performed an abridged version of the Entrance of the Wilis from Giselle Act II. This allowed them to tackle not only the challenging corps de ballet work, but also small featured moments usually performed by the Queen of the Wilis and her two demi-soloist henchwomen.
Emily Carey shared, "I wanted to be able to feature everyone outside of a corps, but I also wanted to spend a lot of time on formations and formation changes. When all the wilis dance together and their skirts all move in unison, it should be chilling. It makes the choreography even more impressive. So we spent a lot of time learning the formations and moving as one like a corps de ballet."
"I think that [dancing in a corps] is something that frequently gets taught too late in a dancer's training. It's such an important tool, even for principal or soloist dancers. Even if you have a solo, you still have to move with other people outside of it."
The intermediate level took this lesson to heart. Emily reported that they began taking ownership of their dancing throughout the rehearsal process. "Some of it might be their comfort level, but as the summer went on, they started asking more intricate questions about the choreography. Which arm or which head line are they using, and why is it that way? The more we practiced, the more they adapted to the movement and began to settle in."
Emily's adaptation of the scene stuck closely to the traditional choreography, which marks an important stepping stone in their training. These dancers are already experienced in performing roles designed with students in mind. Taking on classical repertory that professional dancers would perform is a big deal. Emily says, "I think it's cool for them to try choreography that they're not going to do for a long time. It sparks their interest for the future."
Taking flight with Karissa Kralik
Alongside their careful study of the wilis scene, the intermediate level also tackled a new work by BTM dancer and teacher Karissa Kralik. Her piece "Flight" was set to the music of John Powell from the recently released live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon.
Karissa says, "I chose it because it has a more fully orchestrated sound than the soundtrack to the original animated film, and also as a more kid-friendly idea to allow them to enjoy themselves."
Making sure the dancers had a positive experience was important for Karissa going into the rehearsal process. "Some of my favorite memories of attending summer intensives are doing the new work rehearsals. There were fewer boundaries and more room for fun. I think it's exciting for the students to delve into new movements and be able to question and explore without judgment."
While the dancers learned the value of precise corps work in Emily's rehearsals, they discovered another important lesson in Karissa's: how to develop creativity and self-expression as an artist. She says, "I hope that they'll take away that it's okay for not everything to just be ballet. I want them to feel free to mix the styles they like, leave what they don't, and make it their own. As they explore, I've also enjoyed giving them a few technical challenges that they don't necessarily realize are challenges."
Taking a peek into BTM's 2025/2026 season
Combining the intermediate and advanced levels, last weekend's showcase provided a sneak preview of BTM's entire 2025/2026 season. The intermediate level opened the show as wilis, dressed in the stereotypical wedding veils, and then tackled three different variations associated with the character Giselle and the female peasant pas de deux role. You can catch the professional company's rendition of Giselle on October 17-19.
As we discussed in our last blog post, the Advanced level workshopped Artistic Director Nicole Kelsch's "Waltz of the Snowflakes" for our world-premiering production of The Nutcracker. You can join us for this Annapolis-themed production on November 23 in Hampstead and December 13-21 in Annapolis!
The two new works in the performance, choreographed by Karissa Kralik and fellow principal dancer Isaac Martinez, provided student and pre-professional dancers a special glimpse into being part of a contemporary new work. This is the heart and soul of our production Momentum: A Mixed Bill, which you can catch on Valentine's Day Weekend, February 13-14.
Lastly, the advanced dancers performed variations drawn from La Esmeralda, the ballet adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. BTM will stage the company premiere of this exciting ballet on April 24 and 25, 2026.
If you'd like to catch any of these productions as part of the season, visit our 2025-2026 season page or become a subscriber today!
Promotional photos by Joanne Salyer
