Houston Ballet Academy has been offering top-notch ballet training since its founding in 1955, with our world-class instructors, including the Houston Ballet Academy artistic staff and Houston Ballet Company dancers. Through the Summer Intensive Program, students immerse themselves in a unique dance experience that will enhance and supplement their previous dance education, with classes six to eight hours per day, six days per week, for five weeks.
We met with Audrey Portner (Level 5), Lila Bauer (Level 5), and Georgia Marko (Level 6), all summer intensive program students, to gain an exclusive insight into their weekly routine as they navigate through classes, make new friends, and adjust to a new environment, comprehensively understanding their daily schedule, including both training and non-training hours.
MONDAY – A typical day
All three students reside at the University of St. Thomas Dorm (UST). They start each school day by waking up around 6:30 am, getting dressed for classes, and heading to the dorm cafeteria for catered breakfast before boarding a bus to the Margaret Alkek Williams Center of Dance (CFD). Each day of classes usually consists of the following:
- Technique
- Pointe
- Variations
- Repertoire
- Jazz/Contemporary/Musical Theater
- Body Conditioning/Mat Pilates/Yoga/Gyrotonic
Georgia: “The Repertoire we’re working on is A Time to Dance. Ms. Myernick showed us a video of the original choreography and people working on it last this past year, so we got to research folk dancers and the style of what she is looking for.”
Audrey: “For jazz class, we did a combo at the end to “BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyonce. I love this class because it allows me to explore other dance styles, and there is more room for artistry.”
TUESDAY – A glimpse into life outside the studio
Lila: “It’s really nice; the area that the dorm is in is super safe. We can walk to a lot of places. On the 4th of July, all my friends went out for lunch to a Vietnamese restaurant, and I was so grateful I could do that. When you have this big community, and you’re trusted, it’s fun and makes you feel like you’re a grown-up!”
Audrey: “I had lots of fun dressing up for the 4th, and it was great to sleep in. I walked to Walmart with a couple of my friends for makeup and snacks, and then we played Capture the Flag in the courtyard at UST. We went to the roof at around 8:45 that night to see fireworks! It was interesting because you could see fireworks being set off from different places.”
WEDNESDAY – Audition Day
Lila: “I had an audition for the year-round program, which was exciting and a great experience. Later in the day, we had a rehearsal for our repertoire piece from Don Quixote.”
Georgia: “For my audition, I got to take a class with Mr. Orlando, which I’ve never had before. It was a long class, an hour and 45 minutes long, but I liked it. We got a lot of pointers. Wednesdays, I also get to have a semi-private with Aki Kawasaki! It’s a teacher with two students and 45 minutes of body conditioning and helpful exercises for dancers.”
THURSDAY – Dorm Life
After a standard day of class, the students leave the Center of Dance at 5:30 pm to return to the dorms. Once they arrive, they get rested and changed for dinner provided at the UST cafeteria, followed by free time or other organized activities.
Georgia: “We have hall nights where we do different activities, and this week my hall went out with our chaperone to get acai bowls.”
Audrey: “Today was a hall night for me, my hall had a movie night, and we watched Legally Blonde and got some pizza. It was a great way to spend the evening after dancing.”
FRIDAY – Music to My Ears
Lila: “We had a musical theater class that I’m grateful for because I have little experience in the theater genre. We sang and learned choreography to a song from the musical Guys and Dolls, which is now one of my favorites.”
Audrey: “I learned a new piece from Guys and Dolls. I had fun doing something completely out of my comfort zone. We had to sing and act all while dancing.”
SATURDAY – Half-day of classes
Georgia: “My favorite class this week was ballet technique with Tyler Donatelli! She is one of my favorite dancers to watch and one of the best teachers I have ever had! I loved having her as my teacher because she gave many useful corrections and difficult but fun combinations to try!”
Audrey: “It was a short day! I attended a health and wellness class and got some helpful tips. When we returned to the dorm, I ordered Chipotle for lunch and had some gelato with my friends. In the evening, we watched a movie for mystery night. I ended the night with a call to my parents.”
SUNDAY – Funday!
Lila: “We went on an excursion to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge museum connoisseur, but anything is a blast when you have the best ballet friends. I loved the butterfly exhibit.”
Audrey: “I didn’t go this Sunday, but last we had the opportunity to attend the Typhoon Texas waterpark. These outings are fun because they give me and my friends time to rest, regroup, and do other exciting things outside ballet. Additionally, this time away from dancing helps me become more ready, eager, and prepared to return to dancing the next day.”
Summer Intensives Programs can present some challenges sometimes, but the rewards are plentiful. The experience of being part of a distinct and diverse community with students from all over is truly enriching. Besides learning new techniques, meeting idols, and enhancing ballet skills, students form lifelong relationships in an atmosphere conducive to seeing each other as colleagues and potential friends. Houston Ballet’s program provides the perfect balance of hard work and fun while supporting its students as they progress and thrive as dancers.
For more detailed information about the Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive program, visit https://www.houstonballet.org/about/academy1/summer-intensive-program/.
By Charis Latunde
En Pointe with Houston Ballet 