Princeton Ballet School’s Advanced Summer Intensive is a 5-week program designed to nurture a dancer’s technical and artistic progress. This program attracts advanced students from all over the globe interested in studying with our distinguished faculty. Dancers can audition in-person, by video, or virtually.
For more information, call 609.921.7758 or cbellis@arballet.org
The Program
JUNE 26 – JULY 28, 2023
9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. Monday – Friday
10:30 A.M. – 1:15 P.M. Saturday
To be eligible, students must be at least 13 years old, with at least one year of pointe experience when the program begins on June 26, 2023.
Post High School Summer Intensive students may also be considered for the American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet School Trainee Program.
Princeton Ballet School is thrilled to announce that Gillian Murphy, Artistic Associate of American Repertory Ballet and principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and Unity Phelan, principal dancer with New York City Ballet, will be joining us as special guest instructors for select classes during the 2023 Advanced Summer Intensive.
Gillian Murphy is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and has received critical acclaim for her performances in a wide range of classical and contemporary ballets. She has toured internationally and received numerous awards and accolades for her technical mastery and artistic expression.
Unity Phelan, a principal dancer with New York Ballet and a Princeton Ballet School alum, is known for her exceptional technique and captivating stage presence. She has performed with some of the most prestigious dance companies in the world, and has created works for film and television.
Princeton Ballet School is honored to have such talented and accomplished artists join the faculty for the Advanced Summer Intensive, a five-week program that attracts serious dance students from around the world who wish to improve their technique and artistry.
In addition to Gillian Murphy and Unity Phelan, the faculty includes other highly respected dancers, teachers, and choreographers such as Kathleen Moore, Michael Crawford, Ryoko Tanaka, Rebeca Maso, Luis Napoles, and Ana Novoa.
Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take your dance training to the next level.
More Information
Ways to Audition (and audition locations)
Register for an audition HERE.
In-Person Auditions
Date and Times
Location
12/22/22
10:00 -11:30 / 11:30 -1:00
ROME, ITALY
Molinari Art Center/ Via Antonio Lo Surdo 51, 00146, Roma, RM
1/6/2023
10:00 registration | 10:15-11:45 Audition Class
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
3 Danks St, Waterloo, Sydney
1/7/2023
12:00-2:00
KRAKOW, POLAND
Balet Cracovia Danza, Szlak 67, 31-167 Krakow, Poland
1/8/2023
1:30-2:00 check-in / 2:00–3:30 audition
ANAHEIM, CA
Anaheim Ballet 280 E. Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92805
1/14/2023
2:00-4:00
PARIS, FRANCE
Studio Bleu, 7 rue des Petites Ecuries, 75010 Paris, France
1/14/2023
check-in 3:30, audition 4:00-5:30
CAMBRIDGE, MA
Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre
400 Harvard Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
1/15/2023
2:30-3:00 check-in / 3:00–4:30 audition
PHILADELPHIA, PA
The Philadelphia Dance Academy, 219 Cuthbert Street, 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1/15/2023
10:00-10:30 check-in / 10:30–12:00 audition
WINSTON-SALEM, NC
University of North Carolina School of the Arts, 1533 S. Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
1/15/2023
2:30-3:00 check-in / 3:00–4:30 audition
NEW YORK, NY
Ballet Academy East, 1651 3rd Ave. 3rd floor, New York, NY 10128
1/21/2023
1:30-2:00 check-in / 2:00–3:30 audition
PRINCETON, NJ
Princeton Ballet School, 301 N. Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
1/22/2023
9:30-10:00 check-in / 10:00-11:30 audition
BEAR, DELAWARE
Delaware Arts Conservatory, 723 Rue Madora Drive, Bear, Delaware 19701
1/29/2023
10:00 Registration | 10:30 Audition Class
TOKYO, JAPAN
Minato City Ballet
2-13-5 2F Hamamatsu chou, Minatoku, Tokyo 105-0013
1/29/2023
1:00-1:30 check-in / 1:30–3:00 audition
WASHINGTON, DC
Washington Ballet,3515 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
1/29/2023
11:00-11:30 check-in / 11:30–1:00 audition
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
Princeton Ballet School, 60 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
2/12/2023
10:00 Registration
10:30 Audition Class
OSAKA, JAPAN
Garage Art Space
3-6-23 Nishizutsumi Hondorihigashi, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-0045 Japan
Virtual Auditions
Saturdays: January 14th through March 25th
13-15 year-olds 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
16 year-olds and up 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Video Auditions
Step #1: Complete the audition form
Step #2: Create a 5-7 minute video demonstrating the following:
- Barre exercises – Pliés, tendus, dégagés, rond de jambes, grand battements, adagio
- Center exercises – Adagio, Across the floor Pirouette, Petit Allegro, Grand Allegro
- Women should show two pointe exercises (one with pirouette)
Step #3: Upload the video to YouTube and email the link, audition form, headshot and first arabesque (en pointe for women) photo to Carol Bellis at cbellis@arballet.org.
Experience the opportunity to:
- Sample a taste of professional life in a full day dance experience, including rehearsals for a final performance
- Grow technically through daily ballet technique, including pointe or men’s class
- Deepen your understanding of important concepts in injury prevention, such as proper alignment and rotation
- Expand your dance background through classes in contemporary, modern, and character dance
- Develop group communication and leadership skills while establishing friendships with equally committed young dancers
- Set effective goals and learn to increase personal discipline and focus
- Interact with dedicated professionals, including the Princeton Ballet School faculty American Repertory Ballet’s professional company members
- Students participating in the last three weeks of the program are eligible to participate in the final performance on Friday, July 28.
Audition Fee: $35
Classes
Summer Intensive focuses on ballet, including pointe and men’s classes. Other coursework includes variations, contemporary, character, Afro-Cuban, Hip Hop, Flamenco, and choreography. Sessions in BioMechanics/Conditioning gives dancers the opportunity to identify and resolve problems, increasing the sophistication with which dancers approach technique class. Additional classes in Nutrition and injury prevention.
Placement In Levels
Levels are determined on the first day of the program, the classes start meeting in their regular groups on the second day.
“What made a great impression on me right from the beginning of the first lesson of the Summer Intensive, was a method of studying classical ballet definitely new in some of its aspects, and in other ways, richly motivating me to reflect on and deepen my prior knowledge: I found every movement, from the very beginning of the barre work, more danced, more lived, more breathed.”
–Federica Valla, Torino, Italia
The Studios
Princeton Ballet School is located in the heart of Princeton with four large studios featuring high ceilings and sprung dance floors. Live music accompanies all ballet and modern dance classes.
The facility includes a dance library and is adjacent to numerous shops and restaurants, with generous open space, picnic tables, and gardens. The entire studio complex is wireless accessible.
Performance Opportunity
Students participating in the last three weeks of class can participate in a performance on July 28th.
Fees
To allow for even greater flexibility for families, the Summer Intensive programs will be offered in different sessions: 5 weeks (6/26-7/28), 3 weeks (7/10-7/28) or 2 weeks (6/26-7/8).
5 Weeks
3 Weeks
2 Weeks
$2850
$1710
$1140
Housing + Housing Fees
Housing will be at Rider University on their Lawrenceville campus. Housing fees cover chaperones in the dorms with the dancers, breakfast and dinner everyday plus transportation to and from the studios and weekend activities. You must register for housing and tuition separately. Contact Carol Bellis, Coordinator of Summer Intensives, at 609.921.7758 ext. 30 or email cbellis@arballet.org for more information.
Click Here for Travel Guidelines
5 weeks
- $2850 Tuition
- $3200 housing +$100 activity fee
3 weeks
- $1710 Tuition
- $2100 housing +$60 activity fee
2 weeks
- $1140 Tuition
- $1550 housing +$40 activity fee
Scholarships
A limited number of merit-based tuition scholarships are available. All students attending each audition site are automatically considered for scholarship. There is no separate application process.
Age Qualifications
Summer Intensive is for students ages 13 and over.
Further Opportunities: The American Repertory Ballet, ARB Trainee Program
The Trainee Program, a two-year-program, begins with the Summer Intensive and is the bridge between the student phase of training and that of a professional career. ARB Trainees start each day with intensive classes designed to polish technique and build strength. The program includes pointe class, variations, contemporary, bio-mechanics/conditioning, choreography, career development and American Repertory Ballet and classical repertoire to further technique and performance skills in a professional environment. Trainees also participate in the Princeton Ballet Workshop – the rehearsal and performance training program for the top levels of Princeton Ballet School. Trainees may also have the opportunity to participate in American Repertory Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.
International Students Princeton Ballet School is authorized and accredited by the federal government to enroll non-immigrant students.
Summer Courses for Children 2023
Summer Schedule
Uniforms
Advanced Summer Intensive uniforms consist of:
black leotards
convertible tights
black character shoes
knee length character skirt