Marblehead School of Ballet Invites Dancers to Apply to Summer Dance Intensive

The Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB) invites dancers to apply now to the school's renowned Summer Dance Intensive and annual excursion to Jacob's Pillow. MSB is accepting applications for its Summer Intensive Dance 2017 programs for dancers ages 11 and over from July 17 to August 5 and children ages 8 to 12 from August 7 to August 11. International students, ages 15 and above with intermediate level dance training, may also apply. The Summer Intensive Dance 2017 programs will be held at 115 Pleasant Street in Marblehead, a historic, scene coastal town located on the North Shore region of Massachusetts in the United States.

Dancers of all levels of experience cultivate their technical skills and enrich their understanding and appreciation of the art form with personalized training in small classes taught by leading professionals in the field. "We emphasize correct alignment, musicality, and a graded approach to material allowing dancers the opportunity to extend their skills in a balanced way without injury," said Director Paula K. Shiff, recipient of Salem State University's 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts, who trained at the Boston Ballet School, studied at the American Ballet Theatre and the Martha Graham Studio and performed with the Boston Ballet Company.

Students ages 11 and up participate in customized ballet, pointe, jazz, stretch and strength, variations, floor-barre and modern technique classes. The program also presents classes in the related disciplines of music theory, nutrition, anatomy, injury prevention, and dance history, among others. By popular demand, the third week of repertory will focus on technique, choreography, and rehearsals, culminating in a special public performance on Saturday, August 5. The program is sponsored in part by The Ruth N. Shiff Memorial Fund and provides support for the guest teachers and the performance.

Students enrolled in the Summer Intensive will participate in MSB's annual excursion to Jacob's Pillow in Lenox, Massachusetts to see Ballet Hispanico on Sunday, July 30. The trip includes a guided tour and the performance.

The intensive attracts a range of students. Before Tanner Myles Huseman attended the MSB's Summer Dance Intensive, he had only studied jazz dance. He credited MSB with introducing him to ballet. "Thinking back, I have a lot of vivid memories from the intensive. I remember laughing and making friends during lunch, sweating in the studio, and realizing how much I didn't know about dance.

"In class, I was guided through the fundamentals of ballet technique. The more advanced dancers, who moved through the space with such grace, confidence, and understanding, motivated me. This was a truly eye opening experience," said Huseman, a senior at Boston Conservatory pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance Performance, who continued to train with ballet and contemporary dance programs across the country after his experience with MSB.

Prominent guest faculty will teach in the intensive. Broadway performer Julie Pappas Smith, a North Shore native, will return to teach master classes on floor-barre and musical theatre jazz. Among her credits, she performed in A Chorus Line, Beauty & the Beast and Showboat, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winners Harold Prince and Susan Stroman.

Learn more about the Summer Dance Intensive 2017 and the Jacob's Pillow annual excursion on the MSB's website, marbleheadschoolofballet.com/. For further information, call the school at 781-631-6262 or send an e-mail to msb@havetodance.com.

Celebrating its 45th year, the Marblehead School of Ballet, founded in 1971 by Paula K. Shiff, has earned a wide reputation for the excellence of its training and integrity of purpose. Classical ballet forms the core of teaching with particular emphasis on correct alignment and development of strength and agility. The sheer pleasure of dance and of music is always central to the classroom experience.

The basic graded program for children includes classes in ballet technique with advanced work in repertoire and pointe. The school also offers a modern dance department, classes for young children in creative movement and classes in improvisation and technique for the older student. A full range of adult classes is offered.

MSB is home to the North Shore Civic Ballet Company (NSCBC). The NSCB gives concert performances and a variety of educational programs for schools; all are suitable for different age groups and levels of development.

For further information, call 781-631-6262, send an e-mail to msb@havetodance.com or visit www.marbleheadschoolofballet.com.

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