Summer Intensive
Summer Dance Intensive
July 10 – 21 Alameda
July 17 – 28 Hayward
Discover Your Artistic Voice
No audition required
Flexible scheduling available
Accelerate your training with one of the Bay Area’s leading professional dance companies in a fun, challenging, and nurturing environment. Oakland Ballet’s Summer Intensive will give dancers the tools to expand their technique with high caliber training and artistically enriching classes.
This versatile program allows dancers to develop and use ballet technique more effectively, build performance skills, and grow artistically through:
- Daily technique classes in ballet and pointe
- Learning classical and neo-classical variations
- Developing choreography skills
Faculty will be composed of Oakland Ballet Company Artistic Staff and Dancers. Students will have concentrated exposure to ballet artists that will enhance their training.
Proof of vaccination is no longer required to enroll. All Alameda County Public Health Department COVID protocols will be observed.
Dear Mr. Graham,
Thank you so much for a wonderful three weeks! I really enjoyed getting to learn about the stories of Raymonda, Cinderella, and Coppelia. I am so greatful that you helped me tap into my creative mind by having us choreograph dances. You taught me how to let myself be one with the dance. Thank you so much for being supportive of my ideas and helping me understand how to put dances to music.
– OBC Summer Intensive student
Schedule
The first day of each week will serve as a placement class to evaluate which level will be most beneficial for the dancer’s experience. Dancers will be divided into two different levels in order to deliver a more personalized training.
We are once again holding our Friday “Informance.” At the end of each week, we welcome parents and family memebers into the studio to see what the students have been learning.
Hayward – Recommended for ages 9 with at least 2 years of ballet training and currently taking at least 2 classes per week or teacher recommendation
Alameda – Recommended for ages 10 and up with at least 3 years of ballet training and currently taking at least 3 classes per week or teacher recommendation
Summer Intensive Daily Schedule˚
˚ Schedule subject to change
Alameda
1:00 – 2:30 Ballet Technique
2:45 – 3:45 Pointe or Pre-Pointe
4:00 – 5:00 Repertoire
5:00 – 6:00 Choreography
Alameda – Fridays
1:00 – 2:30 Ballet Technique
2:45 – 3:45 Pointe/Pre-Pointe
4:00 – 5:15 Rehearsal
5:30 – 6:00 Informance
Alameda location:
Alameda Ballet Academy
1402 Park St.
Alameda, CA 94501
Hayward
9:30 – 11:00 Ballet Technique
11:15 – 12:15 Pointe or Pre-Pointe
12:15 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 Repertoire
2:15 – 3:15 Choreography
Hayward – Fridays
9:30 – 11:00 Ballet Technique
11:15 – 12:15 Pointe or Pre-Pointe
12:15 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:45 Rehearsal
3:00 – 3:30 Informance
Hayward location:
Ballet Petit
2501 Industrial Pkwy W
Hayward, CA 94545
Each week will feature repertoire and choreography from different ballets:
July 10 – 14 (Alameda) Sleeping Beauty
July 17 – 21 (Alameda & Hayward) Coppelia
July 24 – 28 (Hayward) Sleeping Beauty
Choreography sessions provide the opportunity to explore their own creativity as they create their own dances with guidance from the faculty.
2022 Faculty – 2023 Faculty Coming Soon!
Lawrence Chen
Lawrence grew up in Southern California, studying ballet under the care of Victor and Tatiana Kasatsky since the age of thirteen. He went on to compete in the YAGP, placing in the Top 12 Pas De Deux in the New York Finals of 2014 as well as in the Top 3 soloist at regional venues for several years. During his time at Pomona College, Lawrence studied chemistry, mathematics, took on collegiate ballroom, and performed as a principal dancer for the Inland Pacific Ballet under the watchful eye of Victoria Koenig. Lawrence has also taught ballet and ballroom at various schools and currently tutors high school STEM subjects. His past repertoire includes: Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Seven Beauties, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Jangala.
Karina Eimon
Karina is a classical and contemporary dancer and teacher from the Bay Area. She began her training at Ayako School of Ballet in Belmont, California and continued her studies at Milwaukee Ballet II and Colorado Ballet’s pre-professional program. She spent two summers in Madrid studying Forsythe improvisation techniques. Karina’s professional experience includes Ballet Memphis, Colorado Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Des Amerique, and the Oakland Ballet.
Jazmine Quezada
Jazmine is from Ventura County, California where she began her ballet training at age 11 with Ventura County Ballet. She attended the American Ballet Theater New York summer intensive and the Joffrey Chicago International summer dance intensive, before joining the San Francisco Ballet School on full scholarship. During her time at the SF Ballet School she performed The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and danced the lead role of Grace in Helgi Tomasson’s Meisten Mozart. With the Oakland Ballet, she has performed the role of Luna in Luna Mexicana, and the Monkey Queen in Jangala. Jazmine joined the Oakland Ballet Company in 2018.
Calvin Thomas
Calvin received his training at the Academy of Cincinnati Ballet and supplemented his studies at Boston Ballet School, The School of American Ballet, Ballet Austin Academy, & The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre. His career began with the Cincinnati Ballet and Ballet Austin. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2011 he has performed with Company C Contemporary Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet, Oakland Ballet Company, Dance Theatre of San Francisco, Kiandanda Dance Theater, Mark Foehringer Dance Project, and Garrett Moulton Productions. His repertoire includes works by Thang Dao, Gregory Dawson, Yuri Zhukov, and Maurice Causey among others. When not dancing he enjoys time in the studio sharing knowledge, teaching and coaching the next generation of dancers. Calvin has been a member of ODC/Dance since 2019.
Registration Information
Tuition
$660 – 1 week
$1,259 – 2 weeks
A deposit of 50% must be paid to secure position in the program
Balance is due by July 1
A late fee of $30 will be added to the balance after July 1
Dress Code
- Girls: Black leotard, pink tights and pink ballet slippers or flesh toned tights and flesh toned ballet slippers. Long hair must be swept back away from the face and neck and held securely in a ballet bun. Braids are acceptable. If hair is too short to be placed in a bun, it must be secured and held back by an elastic headband that will not fall off. All jewelry should be removed.
- Boys: White t-shirt, black tights and black shoes, or white socks and white shoes.
Questions and Contact Information
Have questions about Oakland Ballet Company’s summer dance intensive? We’re here to help! We want this special summer experience to be a chance for young and aspiring dancers to explore the full breadth of ballet and to help them build on their dance goals.
If you have any questions about our summer intensive workshop, please email OBC Education Coordinator, Bat Abbit at babbit@oaklandballet.org or give us a call at 510.893.3132.
Financial Assistance
Scholarships are available for OBC’s summer dance intensive. To apply, please complete a scholarship request form.
Refund Policy
Refunds are considered if a dancer experiences an injury or another medical condition that prevents him or her from completing the program. Upon notice, OBC will issue a refund for the remaining tuition balance – prorated for any time actually attending the program. Note: a $50 charge will be applied to tuition refunds. This charge helps to offset administrative expenses and any applicable credit card processing fees incurred.