Marblehead School of Ballet to Host 2016 Summer Dance Intensive

The Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB) launches its renowned Summer Dance Intensive and annual excursion to Jacob's Pillow from July 11 to August 12. MSB is accepting applications for its Summer Intensive Dance 2016 programs for dancers ages 11 and over from July 18 to August 6 and children ages 8 to 12 from August 8 to August 12. International students, ages 15 and above with intermediate level dance training, are invited to apply. The Summer Intensive Dance 2016 programs will be held at 115 Pleasant Street in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

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. "Our primary emphasis is 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 and performed with the Boston Ballet Company.

Broadway Performer to Teach

Broadway performer Julie Pappas Smith, a North Shore native, returns to MSB this summer to teach master classes on floor-barre and musical theatre jazz from July 25 through August 6. 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. Pappas Smith, a mentor for Zena Rommett Floor-Barre, studied floor-barre with world renowned Zena Rommett. She received a BFA from The Boston Conservatory of Music majoring in Musical Theatre.

Pappas Smith began her professional training at MSB. "This is where I got my best training. I send dancers to MSB because many other summer programs are so large that the students become a number; personal attention is missing. People might be impressed with a big name, but that does not always translate into quality training. A smaller atmosphere provides personal attention and offers a much better place to learn. As a teacher, you work with new students and get energized to teach. Going back to where I studied, helps me learn and look for new ideas to keep things fresh for my students!" said Pappas Smith.

During full days of training, 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. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Back by popular demand, the third week of repertory will focus on technique, choreography, and rehearsals, culminating in a special public performance on Saturday, August 8. The Young Dancers' Intensive for ages 8 to 12 runs from Monday through Friday, 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. With a specialized curriculum offering personalized training for youngsters of all levels of experience, participants receive individual attention customized to their personal development.

The program is sponsored in part by The Ruth N. Shiff Memorial Fund and provides support for the guest teachers and the performance.

Jacob's Pillow Excursion
Students enrolled in the Summer Intensive and the general public are also invited to participate in MSB's annual excursion to Jacob's Pillow in Lenox, Massachusetts on Sunday, July 17. Enjoy a performance by the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and its bold new, contemporary work at the Ted Shawn Theatre at 2:00 p.m. The trip includes a guided tour and the performance.

Tickets are $75 and advanced registration is required. Seats are limited and tickets have sold-out on previous excursions.

Learn more about the Summer Dance Intensive 2016 and the Jacob's Pillow annual excursion on the MSB's website at http://www.havetodance.com/marblehead/schedule.html. For further information, call the school at 781-631-6262 or send an e-mail to msb@havetodance.com.

Dancers Attracted From Around the World

MSB's programs attract dancers globally. Graduates have pursued careers in a range of fields from dance to medicine with ballet and modern dance companies, musical theatre, corporations, hospitals, schools, universities, and others as dancers, teachers, choreographers, directors, arts administrators and doctors, and more.

Students have attended prestigious schools such as the Walnut Hill School for the Arts and post-secondary institutions, including the Boston Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard, Barnard, Smith College, Mount Holyoke, University of Utah, New York University, Northwestern University, University of Massachusetts, Drexel University, and the University of North Carolina School for the Arts, among others. MSB alumni have pursued careers with premiere dance companies, such as Eliot Feld, Alvin Ailey, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet de Lorraine and others in the United States, Canada, France, and Israel.

About Marblehead School of Ballet

Celebrating its 44th 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 (NSCB). The NSCB gives concert performances and a variety of educational programs for schools; all are suitable for different age groups and levels of development.

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