Summer Intensive 2023

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW

AUDITION ONLINE OR IN PERSON

American Midwest Ballet
SUMMER INTENSIVE
June 12-30, 2023

Three intensive weeks of ballet, pointe, variations, jazz, modern, contemporary dance, and repertory are in store for dancers ages 11-22 at American Midwest Ballet’s 2023 Summer Intensive.

The application window is open now for the limited number of spaces available in this rewarding program, held at the beautiful Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa – part of the vibrant Omaha metro area.

Summer Intensive participants will immerse themselves in dance six days per week. They will be guided by a faculty consisting of stellar guest instructors and company artists of American Midwest Ballet. On the final day, they will showcase what they’ve learned in a performance in the Hoff Center’s fully-equipped theater.

Classes will be in AMB’s state-of-the-art studios at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs.
Dancers will showcase what they’ve learned in a final-day performance.

Essential Info

  • Dates: June 12 – 30
  • Location: Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Omaha metro)
  • Ages: 11-22
  • Classes: Ballet, pointe, variations, jazz, modern, contemporary, and repertory
  • Boarding option available for ages 13 and up
  • Enrollment options: Students may select the full three-week program, or the first week only.
  • Performance opportunity: Final-day performance in the Hoff Center theater

2023 Guest Faculty

Damien Johnson: Former principal dancer of London’s Ballet Black, danced with many companies including Dance Theatre of Harlem and Los Angeles Ballet, current faculty at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Ray Mercer: Member of the Broadway cast of The Lion King; resident choreographer for the Ailey/Fordham BFA program; guest choreographer of acclaimed American Midwest Ballet works Ghost Light and Speed Date.

Nikki Sell: Boston-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher; formerly of Prometheus Dance of Cambridge, Massachusetts; master teacher for Regional Dance America; popular instructor at 2022 Summer Intensive.

Summer Intensive program director Kelanie Murphy and assistant director Nora Carr are among the American Midwest Ballet company artists who will teach at the Summer Intensive.

Boarding Option

A boarding option is available for students age 13 and up. They will live in student housing on the Creighton University campus. Adult resident advisors, including AMB professional dancers, will supervise the boarding students, transport them to and from the Hoff Center for classes, and accompany them on weekend outings and activities.

Costs and Dates

Boarding Students (Tuition + Boarding)

The boarding program is available for students who will be age 13+ by June 1. Proof of vaccination is required for all boarding students. Boarding students must check in and out of the residence hall on the dates indicated. No early check-in or late check-out is allowed.

  • Full program (6/11/23 [check-in] through 6/30/23) – $4,200
  • Week I only (6/11/23 [check-in] through 6/17/23) – $1,700
Day Students (Tuition Only)

The day program is available for students who will be age 11+ by June 1.

  • Full program (6/12/23 through 6/30/23) – $1,600
  • Week I only (6/12/23 through 6/17/23) – $600
Tuition Discount

A 10% tuition discount* ($160 off the full program, $60 off week I only) is available to American Midwest Ballet School students and past Summer Intensive attendees.

Payment Deadlines
  • All students: A $100 deposit (non-refundable) will be charged to your payment method at time of registration. After registration, you may make payments on your account at any time. Any remaining balance will be charged to your payment method on the due date (May 1 for boarding students, June 1 for day students.)
  • Boarding students: Registration deadline and payment in full due by May 1. Payments are non-refundable after May 1.
  • Day students: Registration deadline and payment in full due by June 1. Payments are non-refundable after June 1.

How to Apply

Application for the 2023 Summer Intensive has two steps: audition and enrollment. You should complete the audition step first. After audition, dancers accepted to the program will receive a link to complete their enrollment online. During enrollment, you’ll fill out the enrollment agreement, pay your deposit, and provide important contact and health information.

Audition Options

Auditions help us determine if dancers are ready, in terms of training and technique, to take full advantage of an intensive three-week program. We offer both an online audition and in-person auditions at several locations.

Online Audition

You can audition online by completing a simple form. You’ll be asked to supply some basic information about your dance background, and to upload the following items:

  • A brief letter of recommendation from your dance teacher including years of training; number and style of dance classes you take per week; and your classroom work ethic and demeanor.
  • A photo in first arabesque
  • A photo in tendu a la seconde
AUDITION FORM
Regional Summer Intensive Auditions at COCA completed

You can audition for the 2023 Summer Intensive at the Regional Summer Intensive Auditions [RSIA] at COCA – Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis, Missouri. RSIA will be January 13-15. More information is available from COCA.

COCA INFO
Audition Tour

For your convenience, you will be able to audition in person for the 2023 Summer Intensive during our audition tour for AMB’s spring 2023 production of Erin Alarcón’s The Wizard of Oz. Sign up to be considered for Summer Intensive only, Wizard of Oz only, or both opportunities! Audition tour locations and dates will be:

  • Sioux City, Iowa – January 13, 2023 completed
  • Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa – January 21, 2023 completed
  • Dubuque, Iowa – February 17, 2023

Pre-registration is required for the audition. The same registration form is used for both the Summer Intensive and the Wizard of Oz audition; be sure to specify for which program(s) you want to audition. Click the button for the location you prefer:

SIOUX CITY
OMAHA/CB
DUBUQUE

If you are also interested in auditioning for The Wizard of Oz, please visit this page for more information.

Hope to See You Soon!

We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 Summer Intensive! If you have questions, please contact us using this form:

*10% tuition discount offer: Current American Midwest Ballet School students and past Summer Intensive enrollees will receive 10% off program tuition for the 2023 Summer Intensive. Discount does not apply to deposits or boarding charges. May not be combined with any other offer. No cash value. Expires June 1, 2023.

Health and safety: The AMB Summer Intensive follows the American Midwest Ballet School’s health and safety policy. You can read the policy here.

All program information is subject to change.

Photos from the 2022 Summer Intensive

Students pose for a group photo with their Week I guest instructor, New York City Ballet principal dancer Jovani Furlan (seated at center.)
Week II guest instructor Nikki Sell (front row, near center) poses with some of her students.
Week III guest instructor Mark Gieringer (front row center) poses with students.
Jovani Furlan’s classes combined technical insights and practical experience and advice.
Boston-based teacher and choreographer Nikki Sell taught jazz and contemporary dance as the Week II guest instructor.
Mark Gieringer’s classes emphasized finding joy and freedom within classical ballet technique.
American Midwest Ballet company artists teach and interact with students. Above: Kelanie Murphy demonstrates an arm position used in ‘Swan Lake’ as students watch. Below, Nora Carr helps a student with her placement.
New technical insights and a sense of pride and accomplishment are some of the things students take home from the summer intensive.
Dance styles demonstrated in the session-ending concert included ballet, contemporary, jazz, and structured improv, a technique that helps dancers develop their personal movement styles.
Just before curtain time, 2022 program director Erin Alarcón (top center) called the dancers into a huddle onstage for some last-minute motivation. “This may be the last time you dance on a stage with some of your new friends,” Erin told them, “so take a moment to thank the universe!”

About the Hoff Center

First opened to the public in February 2020, the Hoff Family Arts & Culture is a hub for creative activity that includes education offerings, classrooms, artist studios, galleries, culinary arts and teaching kitchens, and a state-of-the-art 280-seat theater. Combining a fully-renovated 1894 building with a newly-constructed wing housing the theater and the studios of American Midwest Ballet, the 95,000-square-foot facility is one of the largest architectural projects of its kind in the country. The Hoff Center is the home of Pottawattamie Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (the nonprofit that manages the facility), American Midwest Ballet, Chanticleer Community Theater, Kanesville Symphony Orchestra, and Kitchen Council, a startup incubator for food entrepreneurs.

Take a virtual tour of the Hoff Center with AMB professional dancer Katerina Schweitzer

Programming is subject to change.

© American Midwest Ballet. All rights reserved.

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