DANCE

Houston Ballet Academy will welcome around 320 dancers ages 9-20 from 31 states and 8 countries to its 2011 Summer Intensive Program in Houston from June 20 through July 30. The culmination of the 2011 Summer Intensive Showcase – a fully-staged performance by the young artists (levels 6-8) with scenery, costumes and lights in a state-of-the-art-venue – will be held on Friday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m., in the Margaret Alkek Williams Dance Lab in Houston Ballet’s Center for Dance at 601 Preston Street. The performance, held in the Center for Dance for the first time, is open to the public.

For six weeks, the aspiring dancers in the summer intensive program will engage in ballet technique including classical variations, pas de deux and repertory, as well as classes in character dance, modern dance, musical theater and jazz. Study in Pilates, body conditioning and classes in dancer health are also included. The students have a rigorous schedule, attending classes six days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The summer intensive program provides the highest quality training with lessons by Houston Ballet artistic staff members, academy instructors, and Houston Ballet dancers. Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch directs classes on technique, as well as choreographs and prepares students for the end–of–session performances that showcase what they have learned.

Image: Current HBII student Beth Miller. Photo by: Amitava Sarkar.