LINES Ballet Summer Programs Will Return With 234 Dancers and Public Performances
Alonzo King's program, now in its 26th year, will present two public performances at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet has announced the return of its highly anticipated Summer Programs, this year welcoming 234 dancers from across the United States, Canada, and Sweden for a 3-tiered program offering an intensive season of artistic exploration, technical training, and creative discovery in San Francisco from June 8 through August 1, 2026.
Guided by the vision of LINES Ballet Artistic Director and Co-Founder Alonzo King, one of the most influential and critically acclaimed pioneers of contemporary ballet, the LINES Ballet's Summer Program—now in its 26th year—has become an international destination for emerging dancers seeking a deeper connection to movement, artistry, and personal expression.
The 2026 LINES Ballet Summer Programs begin June 8–27 with 72 participants in the Pre-Professional Program for dancers ages 18–25. The Junior Program for 70 dancers, ages 11–14, follows June 29–July 10, and concludes with the Advanced Program for 92 dancers, ages 14–17, from July 13–August 1. All classes are held at the LINES Ballet Dance Center in San Francisco.
In-person auditions for the highly competitive program were held January through March, attracting 715 applicants in 12 cities across the United States, in addition to video auditions.
Newly appointed Summer Program Director, Ilaria Guerra brings a deeply personal connection to the program and the organization's artistic philosophy. The Italian-born dancer was a member of LINES Ballet from 2018–2025 and is an alumna of both the Summer Program and the LINES BFA Program at Dominican University of California.
“My summer at LINES was the first time I felt that I was being encouraged to move big and use all of my length and to not be scared of my height,” said Guerra. “The teachers were constantly asking us to consider what our dancing was saying. What kind of artist did we want to be? What did we want to say with our movement? That summer changed the course of my career and my life.”
King added, “One of my favorite things is to work in the summer program with the young minds who come from all over the world. We change together and it's so much fun!”
A roster of artists and educators has been assembled for the 2026 Summer Program, including Alonzo King; LINES Ballet Associate Artistic Director and Company Dancer Adji Cissoko; and former LINES Ballet dancers Meredith Webster, David Harvey, Brett Conway, Maurya Kerr, Gregory Dawson, Carmen Rozestraten, Babatunji, and Kara Wilkes. Additionally, current LINES Ballet dancers Lorris Eichinger and Marusya Madabuko will be teaching, while LINES Education alums Liv Schaffer, Jordan Drew and Nick Korkos will return for teaching and choreographing.
Two public performances highlighting the work of Summer Program participants will be presented at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco's Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Dancers from the Pre-Professional Program will perform Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 8 p.m., while participants in the Advanced Program will perform Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Co-Founded in 1982 by Alonzo King and Robert Rosenwasser, Alonzo King LINES Ballet has earned international acclaim for its unique artistic vision that blends classical ballet training with deeply humanistic inquiry, drawing on diverse cultural traditions, music, and movement practices to create works that resonate across boundaries and generations. Approaching its 45th season, the company regularly presents a fall and spring repertory program, in addition to an active touring schedule across the U.S. and abroad.
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