What Our Students Learned This Summer
- Cindy Case
- Aug 10
- 6 min read
What did summer mean to you as a kid? Maybe backyard barbeques, long pool days, or family road trips. While the summer probably evokes similar images for our dance students, they may have other experiences in mind: moving into a dorm, dancing all day, trying new styles of dance, and sewing yet another pair of pointe shoes.
That's right: for the last couple of months, it's been summer intensive time.
(You might ask, so what exactly is a summer intensive? We've talked about that in detail.)
For American students, the summer can be a time to focus on ballet without the pressures of academics and other school-year commitments. Whether a dancer is pursuing ballet for their own enrichment or with an eye for a professional career, summer intensives are a wonderful opportunity to have new experiences, make memories, and accelerate their development as an artist.
This summer, many BTM Conservatory students devoted anywhere from one to five weeks pursuing dance at a summer intensive. Quite a few of them were happy to share what they had learned!
Close to Home
BTM's yearly summer intensive provides dance training for many of our Conservatory students as well as dancers from other studios. The summer offers more time to dig into corrections that they may have heard from their teachers before, and dancers may benefit from the consistency of working in a familiar environment. Here's what Reese and Jane had to say about their experience at BTM's intensive.
Reese
BTM's Advanced Intensive
My favorite experience studying dance was contemporary with Miss Alyssa. It was different, and we haven’t done contemporary very much; it was very fun!
A challenge I experienced this summer was intimidation because it was my first advanced intensive. I was nervous about dancing with so many people (trainees and company members sometimes) with so much experience and talent. However, it was so much fun. I learned so many new steps and techniques, and I cannot wait for another summer intensive!
Jane
BTM's Intermediate Intensive
Before the intensive, I didn't really feel comfortable doing improv or contemporary, but after stepping out of my comfort zone during contemporary class, I now feel like I have improved a lot and am more confident in my ability to do them. I also really enjoyed learning about ballet history, because I love both history and ballet, so it was like my two favorite things combined.
Near and Far
While BTM is happy to offer students a local opportunity to train intensively, we also encourage students to audition for other programs. There's a big dance world out there to explore, and we want dancers to feel comfortable and confident moving through it. When they return to the Conservatory in the fall, they have new experiences to draw from as they continue to progress.
Lara
Joffrey Ballet NYC's 2-Week Intensive (on merit scholarship) & BTM's Intermediate Intensive
I really enjoyed meeting and making new friends from around the world. It was cool getting to know people who enjoyed doing the same things I do from so many places. Having different teachers was really cool: seeing new perspectives and feeling different energies and styles of teaching. I loved being able to take different classes like flamenco and Latin jazz. I feel like I have a wider range of motion and artistry. They were really fun classes!
The Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive has inspired me to continue working hard with passion so I can achieve my goals and reach my dreams!
Dylan
Boston Ballet's 2-Week Jr. Intensive & the 2-Week ABT Young Dancer Summer Workshop
I have had a wonderful summer full of ballet. I attended Boston Ballet's Junior Summer Intensive for two weeks at the end of June and then ABT’s Young Dancer Summer Workshop in Costa Mesa, CA in July.
This was my first summer en pointe, and I especially enjoyed trying to perfect my pointe skills. Both companies pushed me to concentrate on mastering the fundamentals. ABT especially encouraged me to do this while also practicing more advanced steps.
The highlight of my summer was at the end of Boston Ballet when I was given an early acceptance and invitation to their Summer Dance Program next summer.
Lizzie
The Rock School for Dance (West Chester) 5-Week Intensive
There were many amazing experiences during my summer at the Rock School, but my favorite part was taking classes with new instructors and learning their own personal take on how to execute different steps. Being exposed to new teaching styles helped me to adapt and improve every day. Overall, I feel that my experience at the Rock helped me grow as a dancer and as a person.
Ivy
Boston Ballet's 2-Week Junior Intensive and The Rock School for Dance (West Chester) 3-Week Intensive
This summer, my favorite experience was rooming for the first time during summer intensives at the Boston Ballet Junior Summer Intensive and The Rock School West Chester. I liked rooming with my friend Dylan at Boston Ballet and meeting someone new at The Rock School.
I learned two new styles of dance this summer: Chinese fan dancing and musical theatre. I liked Chinese fan dancing because it was very different from what I do during the school year. I really liked musical theatre because even though it is similar to jazz, you could have lots of emotions and could act out a lot more.
Caroline
Orlando Ballet School's 2-Week Intensive
My favorite thing about studying dance over the summer was experiencing the different teaching styles of each teacher. Each teacher gives unique corrections, and that’s so helpful to becoming a better dancer. I also loved not only the new teachers I met but the friends I made in the classes and in the dorm rooms. I made many new friends and amazing memories during my summer intensive.
Emma
The Rock School for Dance (West Chester) 3-Week Intensive
I have been having a wonderful time at my summer intensive at The Rock School for Dance. I’ve really enjoyed partnering because it has taught me how to work with another person. My favorite experience was having technique class with Peter Stark because he is a great teacher and helped me improve in just one class. I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned at The Rock to my classes at BTM.
Madi
The Rock School for Dance (West Chester) 5-Week Intensive
Although it was quite challenging, one of my favorite experiences this summer was our first pointe class because we weren't exactly sure what we were walking into and the teacher didn't know what to expect from us yet. We did some more advanced steps like hops and lots of turns; they were good to learn and try, so we could understand what we need to strengthen before attempting again.
Throughout the summer, we have worked with a lot of amazing teachers with many different backgrounds! They all had new perspectives to bring to the table to help shape us as dancers. Everyone around you pushes you to set your goals high and reach your full potential as a dancer. Moving forward, I will continue to apply corrections and grow myself as a performer.
A Summer of Growth
Whether dancers trained at BTM, attended another intensive, or explored the world outside of ballet, this summer was a wonderful time for them to grow. Our students' responses speak to a joy for dance and a strong drive to succeed, two important ingredients for success. Wherever the future leads them, students benefit from the discipline, effort, and encouragement of summers like this one.
Upcoming at the Conservatory: Fall Classes and Nutcracker Auditions
Registration for Fall Classes
Fall classes at BTM's Conservatory of Dance begin on Tuesday, September 8th! We offer classes for ages 2.5 through adult, with options ranging from ballet to jazz, tap, and contemporary.
Thanks to our new studio space, we're able to offer many new class options this semester! Visit our Fall Classes page to find the right class for you or the dancer in your life.
Student Nutcracker Auditions
Auditions for children's roles in The Nutcracker are right around the corner! Join us on Sunday, August 30th to audition for BTM's professional production of The Nutcracker. Visit our Student Audition Page for more information.
