Ballet 5:8’s Summer Intensive is dedicated to cultivating excellent technique, teaching healthy mindsets and inspiring dancers to become artists. The 2025 Summer Program dates have been released!

June 22nd - July 26th - 5 Week Summer Intensive Program | Two, three or five week session options geared for pre-professional dancers ages 11-22. By Audition Only.

June 22nd - July 5th - Fast Track Intensive | One or two week options geared for young dancers ages 8-12. No audition needed.

July 6th - July 11th - Choreography Intensive | Highly competitive program for four early career choreographers who create work on the Summer Intensive students.

July 17th - 20th - Adult Intensive | For adults who love to dance and want to hone their craft.

July 17th - 20th - NEW! Teacher’s Workshop | For teachers who want to take classes and also participate in workshops about best practices in ballet training with Julianna Rubio Slager and guest faculty.

July 27th - August 1st - Pas de Deux Intensive | One week immersive program, geared for elite dancers ages 16+. By Audition Only.

“Ballet 5:8 provides students with such strong faith-based and classically-based training to sustain young artists and elite athletes physically, mentally, and spiritually. The atmosphere encourages healthy, disciplined dancers and creative humans. I love that lunches are catered providing fresh, balanced meals! The high standard of ballet training along with the attention to individuality is rare. I would recommend this summer program to any student.”

Sarah Lane | Former Principal with American Ballet Theatre

Summer Guest Faculty 2024

  • Austin Crumley

    Master Teacher and Former Dancer with Sacramento Ballet

  • Sarah Lane

    International Guest Artist and Former Principal with American Ballet Theater

  • Jon Upleger

    Former Nashville Ballet dancer and founder of Grand Rapids School of Dance

  • Catherine Batcheller

    San Francisco Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Current faculty at Ballet West.

  • Kevin Jenkins

    Award Winning Choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballet Counterpointe

“Please please PLEASE put this intensive at the top of your list if it isn't there already. If you are ready to work, you will grow more in a week than you expected to grow in a year. If you are looking to mess around, this intensive is not for you. The friendships are fantastic and encouraged, but we are here to DANCE, and the people here are serious! The atmosphere is inspiring, healthy, encouraging, and non-competitive, and each and every teacher has overwhelming love and encouragement for every individual student.”

— Katie Gorectke, Summer Intensive Student

Why Spend the Summer at Ballet 5:8?

What People Are Saying

“I received good personal attention and corrections from all the teachers and was encouraged by all the faculty. I learned that ballet looks different on everyone and how to find your personal artistry and lines for yourself. I’ve always seen dance as a copy/paste kind of thing and had never considered the fact that I dance slightly differently than the people around me. I think that was my biggest takeaway this summer.”

— Summer Intensive Student, 2023

 

“My daughter has grown exponentially. She is loved, trained and encouraged to be the best she can be, by instructors that truly believe in her and that genuinely “see” her as the dancer she knows herself to be.”

— Summer Intensive Parent, 2022

“It's been an absolute treat, honor, and delight to be here and work with these beautiful humans and dancers…in awe of the work happening here... it's truly beautiful to witness and support!”

— Madison Morris, Nutritionist and Former Houston Ballet Dancer

 

"While in the Summer Intensive program, I felt that I was given so many opportunities to grow as a dancer and in my faith. The space you have created at Ballet 5:8 is truly a uniquely beautiful environment that I felt blessed to be a part of. There have been very few spaces that I have danced in where I didn’t feel that my body was the determinative factor for how I was viewed and treated, but while at Ballet 5:8 I never felt that my size played a role in how I was treated. Overall, it was just such a transformative experience for me in many ways, and I just wanted to express my gratitude for being able to participate in the program."

— Summer Intensive Student, 2023

Looking for a job this summer but also want to keep dancing? Join us as a Resident Assistant!

 

Applications are rolling based on availability.

If you are 18 years or older you are invited to apply to be a Resident Assistant for Ballet 5:8’s Summer Intensive housing! Applicants can opt to fully participate in Ballet 5:8’s Summer Intensive or take a class load that suits their summer goals.

Benefits Include:
Free room and board
100% of tuition covered for Summer Intensive
$350 weekly stipend
Amazing opportunities to mentor the next generation of artists

Gain work experience and leadership skills