Why Summer Intensives Matter

Written by Gavin Haas – Dance Instructor

As the season winds to a close and summer days approach, many people are seeing advertisements for summer dance intensives popping up. These multi-day to multi-week times of training are designed to keep dancers moving over the summer months, and to offer them time that will in a sense “fast-track” their technical growth. To those newer to dance, the word “intensive” may sound a bit daunting, or for lack of a better word, intense. To those who have previously attended a summer training course, many may wonder if there is really merit and importance in continued training over the summer months. After all, if dancers put in nine months of focused and diligent training during the school season, why should they put in more work over the summer? Why not just take a step back? Having grown up dancing myself, I had to think through the importance and efficacy of summer training myself. Was it really something I wanted to pour my time into? Would it yield benefits that would outweigh the time off? Would I make notable improvements, or would nothing of note come from my time in the studio?

My first experience with summer training was not strictly dance-focused. I grew up doing the theatre summer camps at Cavod, greatly enjoying the time I spent performing with new and old friends. It wasn’t until I was around 13 years old that I stepped into my first dance intensive, which was at Cavod. I remember the nerves I felt coming on that first day. I was still very new to most forms of dance, and would be sharing the space with many skilled students. Not to mention guest teachers, with impressive resumes to back their teaching (this was the summer that Ms. Julie joined Cavod staff). Thankfully, I was welcomed into the space by all of the faculty, and their attentiveness to each student helped us all to feel comfortable, while also pushing us to improve and grow. I walked away from that week of training with a much deeper knowledge of modern dance, furthered ballet training, some experience trying choreography, and a sense of accomplishment knowing that I had worked hard and pushed myself. I still vividly remember some of the corrections and pointers I received that week, such as how to correctly articulate my feet and draw them up the leg, “like a cat clawing a cat tower” when performing retiré passé, courtesy of Ms. Leyna’s ballet class! Learning from different teachers helped to diversify my technique, and bolster my knowledge of dance. Training over the summer also helped me hit the ground running when the fall came around, since I was already in shape and ready to go!

Later in my life, I had the privilege of attending some longer summer intensives out of state. Many of these intensives were long and arduous, but greatly enhanced my technical ability. The consistent hours put in day after day helped me to improve at a very fast pace, and when I returned home many of my teachers were pleased to find that I was a very different dancer. Dancers often have to spend years trying to learn difficult skills, like “turns in second”. This most definitely would have been the case for me, but five weeks of rigorous summer training gave me the strength and coordination needed to achieve them! I also remember my first experiences in classical partnering were at summer dance intensives, completely opening my eyes to a new side of ballet as an art form. These experiences also helped me to learn great life skills and independence, which was of huge importance to me in the coming years.

Lastly, summer intensives were one of the main ways that God opened doors in my life to continue pursuing dance at a high level. My first summer intensive at Cavod gave me the groundwork needed to push myself in my classes that following year and continue to expand my technique. This in turn gave me the confidence to do other intensives in the coming years. At these pre-professional intensives, God made clear the path for me to do dance professionally. My acceptance to ballet conservatory was through a summer dance intensive. My trainee contract at a professional, state-ballet company was offered to me after seeing my performance at their intensive. And lastly, my first contracts with a dance company were offered to me after attending their summer dance series. None of these doors would have opened had I not spent the summer months honing my passion for dance. On top of all of this, I also made many friends and connections, some of which I still have to this day!

To summarize, summer intensives are one of the most valuable times for those who are passionate about dance. The wide array of different styles, consistent studio hours, direct corrections, and roster of teachers helps to direct and hone the God-given talents that students carry. Some of my most valuable achievements as a dancer were made during these summer training hours. It also kept me moving, which helped with smooth transitions as the school season began, preventing exhaustion and injury. I would recommend summer training to any dancer who wishes to push themselves and achieve all the steps they dream of performing. It is one of the most valuable and fun experiences a young dancer can be gifted to have!