Summer Intensive

The ABT Summer Intensive Program

Click here for a message from Melissa Allen Bowman,
Artistic Director of Summer Intensives

American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive has earned a reputation for being the most thorough and rewarding dance experience a student can have during the summer. Under the supervision of ABT’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and Artistic Director of Summer Intensives Melissa Allen Bowman, the program offers top quality teachers and master guest teachers that are dedicated to the learning process and growth of each individual student. Class size will be limited. Students participate in a minimum of four classes per day with ABT’s renowned faculty, and enjoy a comprehensive curriculum that includes exposure to ABT artists, history and repertory. The ABT Summer Intensive focuses on developing well-rounded dancers by exposure to a wide variety of disciplines with an emphasis on classical ballet technique and key elements of ABT’s National Training Curriculum.

Curriculum:
The curriculum of the 2009 ABT Summer Intensive will include both high level technique classes and lecture courses on subjects critical to the development of a complete dancer. ABT’s teaching philosophy is to create dancers that are versatile rather than stylized, who are thus prepared to work with any company. Classes for the 2009 Summer Intensive may include:

Though some lecture offerings may vary by site, the daily structure and curriculum of all Summer Intensive programs is identical. Students take four classes a day; generally three dance classes and one lecture class. In addition, dancers have rehearsals or choreography sessions on occasional evenings. Dancers in each Summer Intensive have the opportunity to perform in a final performance showcasing selections from ABT’s repertoire and new choreography created during the program.

Faculty:
ABT’s 2009 Summer Intensive students will be exposed to a level of training
unequaled in any other summer program. The faculty will consist of ABT
artistic staff, ABT alumni, guest teachers and accomplished pianists. Summer
Intensive instructors include:

KEVIN McKENZIE, ABT Artistic Director
MELISSA ALLEN BOWMAN, Artistic Director of Summer Intensives
FRANCO DE VITA, Principal of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT
WES CHAPMAN, Artistic Director of ABT II

Please visit the Faculty page for the faculty bios.

Staff:
Heidi Gunter, Director of Summer Intensives
Miki Shintani, Summer Intensive Coordinator
Kelli Gilson, Summer Intensive Associate
 
Scholarships:
American Ballet Theatre has a limited number of full and partial scholarships to the 2009 Summer Intensive. All students are considered for merit-based scholarships. There is no application process. American Ballet Theatre will notify scholarship recipients in their acceptance letter to the program.

ABT National Training Program:
The goal of the National Training Program is to encourage young dancers to continue their dance training and complete their academic education in their home communities. To accomplish this goal, ABT awards scholarships to a small number of promising young dancers, ages 12-18, after participating in the ABT Summer Intensive. The scholarships cover a portion of their training fees, as well as Summer Intensive tuition. The dancers are required to attend the Summer Intensive program again the following summer. Students who fulfill the requirements may receive renewed scholarships. (Please note that there is no application process for this program. National Training Scholars are chosen each year from the student body of the ABT Summer Intensives, and are notified by mail after the Nominating Committee meets in the Fall.)
 
2008-2009 National Training Scholars:
We are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s National Training Program Scholarships. They are: David Alvarez, James Applewhite, Sterling Baca^, Katie Boren^, Skylar Brandt^, Emilia Cadorin, Skylar Campbell, Patrick Coker, Brittany DeGrofft*, Alexandra D’Elia, Michaela DePrince, Chloe Duryea, Austin Finley, Jennifer Florquin, Janica Grenier, Esteban Hernandez*, Makensie Howe, Shu Kinouchi, Gina-Marie Leathem, Alexandra McGlade, Elise Miller, Melissa Ong, Seika Paradeis, Summer Reed, Kendra Spalding, Cassie Trenary, Lily Wisdom, Joan Sebastian Zamora, Damian Zamorano. Congratulations to them all!

^ Bender Foundation Scholar
* Oceanic Heritage Foundation Scholar

Alumni:
ABT Summer Intensive Alumni have gone on to have successful careers with American Ballet Theatre and ABT II:

David Hallberg (Principal), Kristi Boone (Soloist), Misty Copeland (Soloist), Jared Matthews (Soloist), Craig Salstein (Soloist), Isabella Boylston (Corps De Ballet), Julio Bragado-Young (Corps De Ballet), Nicola Curry (Corps De Ballet), Roddy Doble (Corps De Ballet), Tobin Eason (Corps De Ballet), Nicole Graniero (Corps De Ballet), Melanie Hamrick (Corps De Ballet), Blaine Hoven (Corps De Ballet), Carrie Jensen (Corps De Ballet), Simone Messmer (Corps De Ballet), Patrick Ogle (Corps De Ballet), Lauren Post (Corps De Ballet), Jacquelyn Reyes (Corps De Ballet), Arron Scott (Corps De Ballet), Eric Tamm (Corps De Ballet), Devon Teuscher (Corps De Ballet), Melissa Thomas (Corps De Ballet), Mary Mills Thomas (Corps De Ballet), Katherine Williams (Corps De Ballet), Roman Zhurbin (Corps De Ballet), Kaia Annika (ABT II), April Giangeruso (ABT II), Joseph Gorak (ABT II), Ty Gurfein (ABT II), Jaime Hickey (ABT II), Meaghan Hinkis (ABT II), Isadora Loyola (ABT II), Calvin Royal III (ABT II), Mara Thompson (ABT II), Brian Waldrep (ABT II).

Official Hair Accessory of the 2009 Summer Intensive