Whether you’re a seasoned dancer looking to refine your craft or eager to explore new styles, technique-focused intensives offer immersive experiences to boost your artistry and physical skill.

From the precision of ballet to the expressive fluidity of contemporary dance, honing strong technique is the foundation for a successful dance career. Dance intensives provide concentrated periods of training specifically designed to push dancers out of their comfort zones and accelerate their growth.

What is a Dance Intensive?

Think of an intensive as a bootcamp for dancers:

• Immersive Experience: Intensives typically last from a few days to several weeks, with daily multi-hour classes focusing on specific techniques.
• Beyond Studio Classes: Many intensives include supplementary classes in improvisation, injury prevention, or other dance-related subjects for all-around development.
• Exposure to Renowned Teachers: Intensives often attract renowned guest faculty, giving you access to industry professionals and diverse teaching styles.

Intensives: Who Are They For?

Dancers of various levels can benefit from intensives:

• Pre-Professional Dancers: Intensives provide rigorous training to help dancers prepare for the demands of a professional company or conservatory program. They offer a taste of the dedication and focus required at the highest levels of the dance world.
• Seasoned Professionals: Even established dancers use intensives to maintain their technique, work with new choreographers, or revitalize their creative practice. It prevents complacency and provides a space to experiment outside the constraints of a dancer’s regular company work.
• Cross-Training Enthusiasts: Dancers wishing to expand their stylistic range can try intensives focusing on unfamiliar dance forms. A ballet dancer might take a contemporary intensive to gain fluidity, or a hip-hop dancer could benefit from the grounding and precision of a ballet intensive.

Choosing the Right Intensive: Key Considerations

With so many options, selecting an intensive requires thoughtful research:

• Dance Style: Are you drawn to ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, or another specific style? Choose an intensive with a strong emphasis on your area of interest.
• Faculty: Will you be learning from esteemed teachers within your chosen style? Their experience and reputation are significant factors. Research their backgrounds and if their approach resonates with your learning style.
• Level: Be honest about your current skill set. Select an intensive that matches your level to avoid feeling either overwhelmed or under-challenged. Many intensives clearly state their target level (beginning, intermediate, advanced).
• Location:** Intensives are offered across the US and internationally. Factor in travel costs and if you want a local or destination experience. Destination intensives add the excitement of exploring a new place while focusing on your growth.

Benefits Beyond the Barre

Technique intensives offer advantages dancers may not find in regular classes:

• Accelerated Progress: The focused, repetitive nature of intensives allows you to see substantial improvement in a shorter timeframe than weekly classes. The daily reinforcement cements proper technique into your muscle memory.
• Breaking Bad Habits: Intensives help identify and correct ingrained technical flaws that might otherwise go unnoticed. Experienced instructors offer fresh eyes and can pinpoint areas where you may have developed inefficient movement patterns.
• Networking: Meet dancers from diverse backgrounds, potentially forging friendships and professional connections that last beyond the intensive. The dance world is built on relationships, and intensives provide concentrated networking opportunities.
• Mental Fortitude: The intensity challenges you mentally as much as physically, building the resilience required for a dance career. You learn to push through fatigue and stay focused amidst the demanding schedule.

Preparing for an Intensive: What to Expect

Dance intensives are rewarding but demanding experiences. Here’s how to prepare:

• Physical Conditioning: Arrive in good shape. Intensives aren’t the place to get back into peak condition, as they push you from where you already are. Regular exercise leading up to the intensive is essential.
• Open Mind: Be ready to step outside your comfort zone, absorb new approaches, and potentially receive critical feedback designed to help you grow.
• Invest in Recovery: Intensives take a toll on the body. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and self-care tools like foam rolling and massage to avoid burnout and reduce injury risk.

Intensives as Stepping Stones

The experience gained in dance intensives can open doors:

• Summer Programs: Strong performance in an intensive can lead to invitations to competitive summer programs with prestigious dance companies.
• Awareness of Your Potential: Intensives often serve as a reality check, helping you see whether you have the dedication and potential for a professional path.
• Renewed Passion: Even if an intensive confirms a professional career isn’t your goal, it can reignite your love for dance itself.