SUMMER INTENSIVE

Spend Your Summer with Richmond Ballet

Summer Intensive: June 23, 2025 – July 26, 2025

5-Week Option: June 23, 2025 – July 26, 2025
3-Week Option: June 23, 2025 – July 11, 2025
Performance Opportunity for 5 Week students

Summer Intensive at Richmond Ballet is designed for young people who love dance and are committed to developing their ballet technique. The variety of classes offered in ballet, as well as associated dance forms, encourages participants to advance and expand their training. Faculty for Summer Intensive are from the School of Richmond Ballet and the Richmond Ballet professional company. Guest faculty, including Artistic Director Ma Cong, also contribute in specialized areas of expertise. We’re especially proud of our previous participants who have gone on to professional careers with Richmond Ballet, as well as other ballet companies throughout the country.

AUDITIONS

To register for auditions please complete the pre-registration form before attending. A $40 audition fee is due when registering.

Requirement: 12-21 years of age with strong ballet training.

AUDITION SCHEDULE
Sunday, January 12, 2025: Richmond Ballet, Richmond, VA
Registration: 1:00-1:30pm
Audition Class: 1:30-3:00pm

Sunday, January 19, 2025: Richmond Ballet, Richmond, VA
Registration: 1:00-1:30pm
Audition Class: 1:30-3:00pm

Sunday, January 26, 2025: Richmond Ballet, Richmond, VA
Registration: 1:00-1:30pm
Audition Class: 1:30-3:00pm

Sunday, February 2, 2025: Richmond Ballet, Richmond, VA
Registration: 1:00-1:30pm
Audition Class: 1:30-3:00pm

Sunday, February 16, 2025: Richmond Ballet, Richmond, VA
Registration: 1:00-1:30pm
Audition Class: 1:30-3:00pm

Sunday, February 9, 2025: University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC
*Ages 15-21
Registration: 12-12:30pm
Audition Class: 12:30-3:00pm

Sunday, February 23, 2025: Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta, GA
*Ages 17-21
Registration: 10:00-10:30am
Audition Class: 10:30am-1:00pm

Acceptance into this intensive program is by audition only. Complete the pre-registration formbefore attending. A $40 audition fee is due when registering. Form will be available soon.

School of Richmond Ballet auditions take place annually January – February. We strongly recommend that those interested attend an audition in person. However, if this is not possible School of Richmond Ballet will accept a video audition.

Audition Photos
Full length. Ladies in black leotard with pink or skin-toned tights and shoes. Gentlemen in white or black t-shirt with black tights and shoes.
1. First position of feet, with tendu a la seconde, arms low or in second position facing the camera.
2. First arabesque profile (ladies en pointe if advanced).
3. Recent Headshot (required for Trainee Audition only)

Résumé
Resumes are optional for ages 12-16. They are encouraged for ages 16 and older. Letters of recommendation are appreciated.

VIDEO AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
If unable to attend an audition in person, video auditions will be accepted. A $40 video audition fee is required. Please note that no video applications will be accepted after March 1, 2025. We ask for you to upload your audition video via the Pre-Registration Form If technical issues occur, then feel free to send it to auditions@richmondballet.com.

Summer Intensive Audition Video Requirements: (No more than 10 minutes in length)
No Barre Work, only basic Centre work (please film in a studio or appropriate space, ensuring your entire body can be seen head to toe):
1. Adagio work displaying port de bras, body positions, arabesques, and attitudes showing line and musicality.
2. Multiple pirouettes, en dehors and en dedans, sur place and en diagonal. (Please show double and triple turns if advanced level)
3. Small and medium allegro combinations displaying a range of technical advancement and musicality. (Including jetes, assembles, sissones, beats, and connecting steps, etc.)
4. Grand allegro, as space permits. (Men include tours en l’air)
5. Ladies only – Pointe work – Center floor only.

ADVANCED DIVISION:

5 Week Program: $ 3,000.00
3 Week Program: $2,200.00

Daily Schedule runs 9:30am-4:30pm Monday – Friday and 9:30am-1:30pm on Saturday.

Students in the Advanced Division begin their day with Ballet Technique class followed by Pointe or Men’s Work. Advanced Division students also study Character Dance, Contemporary Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, Repertory, Theatre Dance and Variations. Enrichment classes are offered in Nutrition, Injury Prevention, Conditioning, and special dance forms like Chinese Classical Folk Dance. Performance opportunity offered to those students who attend the 5-week program.

On Monday, June 24^th, the program will begin with a placement class to determine level & group. Schedules and class offerings remain the same for all students in each division. To participate in the workshop performance at the end of Summer Intensive, you must be enrolled in the 5-week program.

INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED DIVISION:

5 Week Program: $1,725.00
3 Week Program: $1,225.00

Daily Schedules run from 11:30pm – 5:00pm Monday – Friday. *

*We have crafted this training program to challenge students over the five weeks of dancing, but with a careful approach to avoid injury and overtraining young dancers at this level.

Students in the Intermediate / Advanced Division begin their day with a Ballet Technique Class followed by Pointe or Men’s Work. Students in the Division also study Character Dance, Jazz, Modern Dance, Repertory, Theatre Dance and Variations. Enrichment classes are offered in Nutrition, Injury Prevention, Conditioning, and special dance forms like Chinese Classical Folk Dance. Performance opportunity offered to those students who attend the 5-week program.

To participate in the workshop performance at the end of Summer Intensive, you must be enrolled in the 5-week program.

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION:

5 Week Program: $1,500.00
3 Week Program: $1,100.00

Daily Schedules run from 1:00pm – 5:30pm Monday – Friday.*

*Students must be 12 years old by the start of the program. Please note that this program includes pointework. Students who have begun work “en pointe” during the 2023-2024 school year are eligible for this program. We have crafted this training program to challenge students over the five weeks of dancing, but with a careful approach to avoid injury and overtraining young dancers at this level.

To participate in the workshop performance at the end of Summer Intensive, you must be enrolled in the 5-week program.

HOUSING:

Housing will be provided this summer with our neighbor, the Delta Hotel for students in the Advanced & Intermediate/ Advanced Divisions.

Double Occupancy Room: $4,000 (per person) for 5 weeks | $3,075 (per person) for 3 weeks
Single Occupancy Room: $5,600 (per person) for 5 weeks | $3,750 (per person) for 3 weeks

This fee includes Breakfast and Lunch Monday – Sunday. Dinner is not included in the fee, but is available a la carte by the hotel restaurant.
For triple occupancy, please contact David Sandborn for details at dsandborn@richmondballet.com

Summer Intensive Offerings

*Not all levels participate in every class.

Ballet: Six intensive course levels for serious ballet students ages 12 and up. Includes daily ballet technique classes, as well as studies on subjects designed to develop a well-rounded dancer at each level of training.

Pointe: Pointe technique for all female students levels A-F.

Men’s Classes: Separate ballet technique classes for intermediate and advanced male students.

Variations: Instruction in selected variations from the classical and contemporary repertory for intermediate and advanced female and male students.

Pas de Deux: Partnering technique for advanced female and intermediate and advanced male students.

Character Dance: Instruction in traditional national dance forms such as mazurka, polonaise, czardas, and waltz, which are used extensively in classical ballet.

Theatre Dance: Traditional dance styles from American musical theatre classics.

Modern: Exploration of movement capabilities of the body through dance elements of space, rhythm, and dynamics found in established modern dance choreography.

Jazz: Contemporary trends from Los Angeles and New York.

Enrichment Programs: A study of various dance-related subjects such as Dance History, Injury Prevention, Nutrition, and the crossover of associated art forms such as Music for Dancers, Acting, and Mime.

School Policies

GENERAL POLICIES

Classroom Protocol
Parents are asked to please remain in the lobby during class times so that the student can focus his/her entire attention on dance.

Personal Property
The School is not responsible for lost or stolen personal property. Please leave all valuables at home. Please label dancewear with student’s name.

Health & Wellness
Dance is a strenuous activity. The School suggests a complete physical to ensure the health and wellness of all students prior to starting classes.

Late Arrival
Students are not permitted to participate in a class after entering late without the permission of the instructor. Please make every effort to arrive on time.

Make Up Classes
Absences should be reported prior to the missed class to Misha Joao, SRB Student and Family Administrator, at 804.344.0906 x222. Students are urged to make up any classes that are missed if there is another class option (of the same level). Make up classes must be completed within the session. Ask your child’s instructor for advice on make up class times.

Proper Attire
For safety, students should wear street clothes and shoes when entering and leaving the Richmond Ballet building.

Tuition & Registration
Tuition is non-refundable except in the case of serious illness or injury with written verification from a physician. The School of Richmond Ballet does not refund registration fees or deposits. Please read all financial information here.

Classes & Cancellations
Classes are contingent upon meeting required enrollment numbers. The School of Richmond Ballet may cancel any classes not meeting enrollment requirements.

Water Bottles
Students may bring non-breakable water bottles to class. Food and/or other beverages are allowed in designated snack areas only. Gum is not allowed in the School of Richmond building.

DRESS CODE

PARKING

We are located in the heart of downtown Richmond at 407 East Canal Street. Free parking is available in the Richmond Ballet lot directly next to the Ballet building at all times. After 4pm, you may park in the blue spots in the Canal Street lot (the lot across from the Ballet building) at no charge. Street parking is also available.