American Midwest Ballet
SUMMER INTENSIVE
June 10-28, 2024
Summer Intensive 2023 has come to a successful conclusion! Thanks to all our dancers, guest faculty, and AMB faculty and staff for a wonderful experience. This page will remain available as background information for anyone interested in attending a future Summer Intensive. If you would like to be notified when information about Summer Intensive 2024 becomes available, please use the contact form.
About the Intensive
Three intensive weeks of ballet, pointe, variations, jazz, modern, contemporary, and repertory are in store for dancers ages 11-25 at American Midwest Ballet’s Summer Intensive, 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.
Essential Info
- Dates: June 10-28
- Location: Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Omaha metro)
- Ages: 11-25
- 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
Kristopher Estes-Brown: Choreographer, composer, director and educator; danced with companies including Milwaukee Ballet and Oakland Ballet; creator of more than 90 original dance works including eight full-length ballets; artistic director of Concept Zero, a contemporary music and dance company.
Chloé-Grant Abel: Danced 11 seasons at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, where she is also Rehearsal Director and Senior Manager. Her professional career also includes performances with Quixotic Performance Fusion, the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, the Owen/Cox Dance Group, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, and Kansas City Ballet.
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.
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 (6/9/24 [check-in] through 6/28/24) – $4,200
- Week I only (6/9/24 [check-in] through 6/15/24) – $1,700
Day Students (Tuition Only)
The day program is available for students who will be age 11+ by June 1.
- Full program (6/10/24 through 6/28/24) – $1,600
- Week I only (6/10/24 through 6/15/24) – $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 2024 Summer Intensive will open in early 2024. The application process 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 information.
Online Audition
Auditions help us determine if dancers are ready, in terms of training and technique, to take full advantage of an intensive three-week program. 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
Frequently Asked Questions
How many classes will students take each day?
Students will take classes Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:30pm. They will then have a rehearsal 3:30-4:45pm in preparation for the final day performance. Saturday classes will run from 9:30-12:45. Here is one example of what a typical day would look like:
- 9:30-11:00 Ballet Class
- 11-12:15 Variations Class
- 12:15-1:00 Lunch
- 1:00-2:15 Jazz
- 2:15-3:30 Conditioning
- 3:30-4:45 Rehearsal
What is the student boarding like?
Boarding students for the AMB Summer Intensive will stay in student housing on the campus of Creighton University in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Each suite includes 4 bedrooms, a furnished living room, a full kitchen (dishwasher, stove, refrigerator), and two full baths. Each student will have their own bedroom that includes a twin bed, desk, chair, and dresser. The building is fully air conditioned and has free wi-fi.
What will boarding students eat?
Students will typically have breakfast in their suite, utilizing the full kitchen and the provided grocery items. Dinner will take place at the Dining Hall on the Creighton campus, a full-service cafeteria. On dance days, lunch will be provided at the Hoff Center (where the dance studios are located.) On off days, meals may take place at the Dining Hall or at off-campus excursions.
Will students be supervised at all times?
Boarding students will have 24/7 supervision by a Resident Advisor (RA) through AMB. The RAs will be staying with the students at the housing facility. RAs will also accompany students on excursions and trips. While at the dance studios, students will be under the care of the AMB faculty, staff and RAs.
What will boarding students do while not dancing?
During the Summer Intensive program, students may also have the opportunity to experience a taste of the Omaha Metro area through excursions to local sites or events. Past excursions have included trips to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Fun-Plex, and local performances. These activities will be supervised by the RAs and include transportation (when applicable.) Activities may also take place at the housing facility. These activities will be supervised by the RA staff and include things such as: crafts, movies, ice cream parties, games, and/or others.
Hope to See You Soon!
We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 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 2024 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, 2024.
All program information is subject to change.
Photos from the 2023 Summer Intensive
Week I with Guest Faculty Member Kristopher Estes-Brown
Week II with Guest Faculty Member Nikki Sell
Week III with Guest Faculty Member Chloé-Grant Abel
Closing Performance
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.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the Summer Intensive program, or would like to receive an email notification when registration opens for next year, please complete this contact form. Thanks!
Programming is subject to change.