Summer Intensive Throwback: 7 Pros Share Their Favorite Memories (and Photos!)

July 23, 2018

It’s hard to believe that summer intensive season is almost over! We hope you’re learning, growing, having fun and making memories at your intensives this year.

Today, we’re sharing seven dancers’ favorite summer intensive memories.

Isabella Boylston, American Ballet Theatre

Photo courtesy Boylston

Summer Intensive:
American Ballet Theatre

Age:
17

Perseverance

“I was 17 (although I looked about 14) and attended the ABT Summer Intensive. I was particularly excited to be there because the year before that I hadn’t been accepted.”

Outside the Studio…

“My mom, my best friend Lauren Post, and I sublet a tiny one bedroom on the Upper West Side and had a blast exploring the city.”

Dreams Come True

“That summer I was invited to join the ABT Studio Company—a dream come true!”

{“adCodes”: [], “adsOrder”: [3]}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Isabella Boylston, American Ballet Theatre”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e American Ballet Theatreu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 17u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePerseveranceu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I was 17 (although I looked about 14) and attended the ABT Summer Intensive. I was particularly excited to be there because the year before that I hadn’t been accepted.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eOutside the Studio…u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”My mom, my best friend Lauren Post, and I sublet a tiny one bedroom on the Upper West Side and had a blast exploring the city.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eDreams Come Trueu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”That summer I was invited to join the ABT Studio Companyu2014a dream come true!”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto courtesy Boylstonu003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Lia Cirio, Boston Ballet”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e Central Pennsylvania Youth Balletu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 15u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eLaser-Focusedu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”When you are training as a young dancer, especially at a school like Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, everything feels very serious and all you want is to improve. While I had a lot of fun, I was focused on dancing.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eBleeding Blistersu2026u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”One time, I got a huge blister on the bottom of my foot. It was so painful and bleeding and my friends were laughing because I couldn’t even wear street shoes. I vividly remember cramming my foot into my pointe shoe because I wanted to take partnering so badly.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy Ciriou003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Rex Tilton, Ballet West”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e Pittsburg Ballet Theatreu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 15u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eBallet Brothers and Buddiesu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I was 15 years old and I attended PBT’s summer intensive along with my brother Raymond. I met tons of people and made friends, one being current PBT corps de ballet artist Joseph Parr.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eTechnique Discoveriesu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”Steven Annegarn was my favorite teacher as he taught me how to use technique while being a tall and strong dancer.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto courtesy Tiltonu003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Ian Hussey, Pennsylvania Ballet”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e Central Pennsylvania Youth Balletu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 17u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eKeeping it Classyu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”CPYB’s summer program is probably one of the hardest and most grueling programs I experienced because every day each male student had two technique classes, men’s class, and partnering.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eA Strong Finishu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”By the end of the summer, I gained so much strength and knowledge.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto courtesy Husseyu003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Nicole Ciapponi, Joffrey Ballet”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e San Francisco Balletu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 15u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eBunhead Happinessu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”My favorite summer program was at San Francisco Ballet School. The focus was mainly on ballet so I couldn’t have been happier!”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eTurning Pointu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I was 15 years old and, through this summer course, I received a spot as a trainee with the company. It was very memorable because it was the next step towards my career in joining San Francisco Ballet the next season.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto by Erik Tomasson, courtesy The Joffrey Balletu003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Misa Kasamatsu, Pennsylvania Ballet”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive: u003c/strongu003eBoston Balletu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge: u003c/strongu003e16u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eBeyond Barre and Center…u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I really enjoyed this summer intensive because I got to do so many things, such as Pilates, partnering, and modern dance.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eGoing Solou003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I also got to perform a solo at the end of the summer show. It was a great way to be seen by the director.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto courtesy Kasamatsuu003c/pu003e”}

{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Bradley Dunlap, Miami City Ballet”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSummer Intensive:u003c/strongu003e Pacific Northwest Balletu003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eAge:u003c/strongu003e 16u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eGaining Confidence as a Male Danceru003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”As a 16-year-old-male dancer in America, I often dealt with criticism towards a career in ballet. My time in Seattle that summer offered me a chance to connect with others my age that shared in my goals and aspirations. During those five weeks I was able to grow in confidence and strength as a young man and ballet dancer.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eOutside of Classu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”It was also so much fun to explore a new city and create new friendships!”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003ePhoto courtesy Dunlapu003c/pu003e”}

This article originally appeared on
pointemagazine.com.