Pre-Professional Summer Intensive
SAN DIEGO BALLET SUMMER INTENSIVE DATES: July 28th – August 9th
This rigorous program will provide Advanced Level Pre-Professional ballet students with the opportunity to hone their technique, build on their artistry, and gain strength and versatility in a professional and focused yet positive atmosphere. Students will receive the highest quality professional training in a variety of classes, including Ballet Technique, Pointe, Variations, Modern, and Pilates. Our dedicated artistic staff is comprised of San Diego Ballet’s most acclaimed and seasoned professional dancers, its award-winning artistic director, and several renowned guest teachers. In this unique and comprehensive program, all dancers will receive constructive individual attention and coaching as well as personalized career and training advice in order to implement a path forward in what has proven to be an uncertain time for aspiring professional artists.
Participation in the San Diego Ballet Summer Intesive also doubles as an audition for a company position or traineeship for the San Diego Ballet 2025-2026 season.
Audition video guidelines
Currently accepting video auditions.
Videos should include a brief barre as well as center work highlighting extension, turns, and both petit and grand allegro. Ladies must include at least two combinations en pointe. Videos should be between 5 to 7 minutes in length
Tuition
Tuition for the two-week Summer Intensive Program is $1,300.00.
Scholarships are available based on merit and financial necessity and are considered on a case-by-case basis.
5Chaperoned dorms at the University of San Diego
Dormitory housing is optional, but available, for students age 14 and older (must be 14 by June 1, 2024). Dormitory housing is provided at the University of San Diego. All students residing in the USD dorms will be chaperoned
2 week program
- Breakfast and dinner are included in the cost of dormitory housing
The San Diego Ballet Pre-Professional Summer Intensive concludes on Saturday, August 9, 2025, with a public performance involving all participants in the program.
San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive Testimonial
My name is Stephanie Maiorano and I am a principal dancer with the San Diego Ballet, and the Artistic Director of the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive. I was a student in the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive.
1.Why did you chose San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive:
I’m from San Diego, and had never been to a pre-professional summer intensive before. The San Diego Ballet was close to home, and I had been encouraged to go by my teacher Ahita Ardalan (Formally of Paris Opera Ballet)
2. Describe your experience dancing in the intensive/ favorite memory from your time.
I had never worked so hard in my life! This was my first exposure to what life as a professional ballerina would be like, and I was hooked. My favorite memory was learning the repertoire from San Diego Ballet’s Artistic Director Javier Velasco. The choreography was challenging, musical, and so much fun. I loved ending the rehearsals drenched in sweat.
3. How did dancing in the summer intensive help you transition into a professional dancer.
This intensive for me was the springboard that propelled me into pursuing a career in ballet. It taught me that I had the strength and passion to really go for it, and from that Summer on I never looked back. I feel blessed to have had this experience that led me to become the Principal Dancer in the San Diego Ballet, where I get to perform Javier Velasco’s work full time. And now as the Artistic Director of the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive, I get to pass down this experience for future generations of ballet dancers.
4. Why do you think other dancers should come to the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive.
The San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive is a more intimate program. Each dancer really gets one on one quality training that is hard to receive in larger programs you’ll find in the United States. This allows more growth as a dancer, with a real emphasis on the performing aspect of dancing along with honing technique. Our goal at the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive is to give students the experience of dancing like a professional.
Many actually go on to become full time company members with the San Diego Ballet as a result of their improvement through the course.
Plus, you get to dance in San Diego, what could be better?