Thoughts from interim Artistic Director, Alicia Laumann
Over the last several weeks, Abby Behm, our CCB School Director, and I having been busy organizing a thoughtful, rigorous, and fun Summer Intensive, June 19-24, for our CCB family as well as all dancers in the region who might want to participate. In planning the intensive, I started to reminisce about my own summer intensive pathway. After my 6th and 7th grade years, I attended a larger local studio’s summer intensive for 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. I went on to attend some fairly prestigious summer intensives: a summer at San Francisco Ballet, one at Cleveland Ballet, one at Ballet Austin, and one, my favorite, in Budapest, Hungary.
But aside from Budapest, my best memories are still from those early local intensives. I still remember getting home at the end of the day so sore and so tired I would sit in the lazy boy the rest of the evening watching TV! I also remember the west African classes we took. The newness of the style, the live drumming and being combined with “the big girls” all made for an invigorating experience that stuck with me. Finally, though I was a bit nervous in my various classes, mostly I remember how much fun I had. Over 30 years later, I still remember just how the kitchen looked and all of us sitting around on the floor with our lunches spread out each day.
Pulling from those memories, here is what participating dancers should expect from the experience at the summer intensive:
- A physically, intellectually, and stylistically challenging week. They should expect to be sore and tired at the end of the day. This is a good thing! It means they are growing and getting stronger.
- A diverse curriculum that will expose them to new genre’s of dance. Immersing themselves in styles outside their comfort zone can be eye-opening and influential for future career pathways. The benefits of diversified training can last beyond a single summer!
- Fun and friendship. Spending all day with other dancers is a socially connecting and rewarding experience.
Remember, the intensive is open to all dancers CCB level 4 and up, and to all non-CCB dancers with appropriate experience. Visit http://ccballet.org/school/summer-intensive/ for all information.
