Inside Ballet West Academy's Young Dancer Summer Intensive
For young dancers between the ages of 9 and 12, a week away from home to further train can feel like a giant leap. But for two dancers who traveled hundreds of miles to attend Ballet West Academy’s Young Dancer Summer Intensive this year, that leap turned into one of the best decisions they’ve made.
For many young dancers, the idea of a summer intensive starts with a nudge from someone they trust. For Gabriella Noble, a 9-year dancer from Silverdale, Washington, her home studio instructor is continually encouraging students to branch out and try an intensive. With programs available all over the country, Gabby’s family had plenty of options, but Ballet West Academy stood out.
“There was just a good feeling, and even the youngest dancers could tell that their staff cared,” Gabby’s mom, Katrina, said of the audition day.
For Charlotte Miller of Kansas City, Missouri, after years of dancing with a local ballet school, she also decided it was time to try something new over the summer, landing at Ballet West Academy’s Young Dancer Summer Intensive program.
She really blossomed. She came out of her shell within that time, and she’s a lot more confident than she’s been in the past. - Charlotte's mom, Amanda Miller
Growing En Pointe
Both students said the experience helped them cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. The program’s mix of technique classes, seminars, and supplemental genres gave dancers exposure to styles they don’t always get at their home studios.
“I got to experience character and contemporary dance, which I don’t get at my home studio,” said Charlotte, who finished the week as a noticeably more confident dancer.
“She really blossomed,” said her mom, Amanda Miller. “She came out of her shell within that time, and she’s a lot more confident than she’s been in the past.”
For Gabriella, the biggest transformation happened en pointe, having only danced in pointe shoes for six months. “It really helped me feel more confident instead of timid, since I just decided to go for it more and not worry about it so much,” she said. “It was also helpful to do it in the summer because there are a lot of things going on and it was really nice to focus on just the dance and improve.”
Watching her daughter experience that growth was a highlight for her mom, Katrina Noble. “The fact that they were working on it every day and successfully pulled together a performance at the end that looked beautiful and accomplished, I could see her sense of fulfillment. It was so worth it.”
It’s All About the Dancers
Both families mentioned what stood about the program: the attention given by the faculty. “You could tell they really cared about the students,” Katrina said. “They invested in each student’s technique and mindset helping them gain confidence and be brave.”
Amanda agreed, saying that her daughter received corrections tailored to her specific technique, something that isn’t always possible in a larger studio setting. “It was so nice to have that attention, and that attention to detail,” Amanda said. “She always felt like every day there was something different she learned that she hadn’t done before.”
Beyond the studio, the surrounding area in Park City made the trip worth it. “Mountains, trails, and the temperatures were so different from what we expected,” said Amanda. “It was such a beautiful area, and nice to get a break from the heat back home.”
Ballet West Academy’s Young Dancer Summer Intensive is designed for dancers ages 9–12 and is held at the Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre in Salt Lake City, Utah and at the Peggy Bergmann Park City Campus in Park City, Utah. Dancers are accepted by audition or special invitation and train with Ballet West Academy faculty, Ballet West company dancers, and guest artists throughout the week.