Summer Intensive

The ABT Summer Intensive Program

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 ABT 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.

Scünci is the official hair accessory of the ABT Summer Intensive.

Welcome Letter from Melissa Allen Bowman,
Artistic Director of ABT Summer Intensives

Curriculum:
The curriculum of the 2008 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 2008 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 approximately two to three nights per week. 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 2008 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 Studio Company

Ethan Brown, Gabrielle Brown, Leslie Browne, Giuseppe Canale, Hilary Cartwright, Warren Conover, George de la Peña, Kristine Elliott, Gage Bush Englund,
Rodney Gustafson, Alaine Haubert, Cynthia Harvey, Lorin Johnson, Susan Jones,
Ted Kivitt, Denise Warner Limoli, Clinton Luckett, Kate Lydon, Charles Maple,
Jolinda Menendez, Orlando Molina, Colleen O’Callaghan, Lawrence Pech,
Kirk Peterson, Nancy Raffa, Brian Reeder, Amy Rose, Lupe Serrano, Rosanna Seravalli, Samantha Shelton, Christine Spizzo, Carla Stallings Lippert, Ron Tice

Please note: Each student will not have classes with every faculty member listed.
 
Scholarships:
American Ballet Theatre has a limited number of full and partial scholarships to the 2008 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 local dance school 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.)
 
2007-2008 National Training Scholars:
We are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s National Training Program Scholarships. They are: David Alvarez, Kristina Aubuchon, Sterling Baca^, Katie Boren, Skylar Brandt, Mallory Clark, Brittany DeGrofft*, Stefan Drach, Hannah Dunn, Chloe Duryea, Austin Finley, Jennifer Florquin, Esteban Hernandez, Jaime Hickey, Meaghan Hinkis^, Makensie Howe, Shu Kinouchi, Gina-Marie Leathem, Betsy McBride, Alexandra McGlade, Elise Miller^, Steven Morse*, Kristopher Nobles, Melissa Ong, Seika Paradeis, Kaitlyn Potts, Brittany Rand, Summer Reed, Shiori Taguchi, Cassie Trenary, Loren White, Laura Wolfe, and Juan Sebastian Zamora.

Congratulations to them all!

^ Bender Foundation Scholar
* Oceanic Heritage Foundation Scholar