Boston Early Music Festival And Broadway Performers Join Faculty Of Marblehead School Of Ballet's Summer Session

Summer opens at the Marblehead School of Ballet with a full line-up of enriching virtual, live classes for children, teenagers and adults. The new summer session runs now through August 8, 2020. This year, the school's celebrated Summer Intensive will be offered live online.

Special guest faculty in the school's summer session classes and the Summer Intensives include Carlos Fittante, a principal dancer and co-choreographer with the Boston Early Music Festival and artistic director of BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM), and Broadway performer Julie Pappas Smith. Fittante, who has taught master classes at the school, will teach Sevillanas Spanish dance and Fundamentals of Yoga. Pappas Smith, a graduate of The Boston Conservatory of Music, brings her extensive teaching and performing experience on Broadway to teach jazz, tap and Floor-Barre.

This past fall, Fittante debuted with BALAM at Marblehead School of Ballet the new magical program, Fiesta: A Celebration of Dance and Music. The program featured eclectic dances of Ballet, Balinese, Baroque, and Peruvian Colonial with live Italian theorbo music and Spanish song. Fittante and BALAM have been featured at numerous festivals and venues, including First Night New York, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and Downtown Dance Festival and appeared throughout the United States and internationally.

Pappas Smith began her professional training at MSB and returns annually to the school to teach another generation of dancers and performers. Her lengthy credits include performing in A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, and Showboat, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winners Harold Prince and Susan Stroman. Traveling worldwide, she performed with Broadway national touring companies and at Disney World, Tokyo Disney, Royal Albert Hall, and other prominent venues.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the priority is the health and well being of all students at the school. "Out of concern for the well being of the students, we are offering all classes virtually this summer. These classes are suitable for any space -- from small rooms to the great outdoors. We invite dancers of all levels of experience to take our classes or participate in the Summer Intensives. Our highly trained faculty will cultivate their technical skills and enrich their understanding and appreciation of the art form," said Director Paula K. Shiff.

Open classes are available weekly in Ballet, jazz, Floor-Barre, tap, Hip Hop, Ballroom and Latin solo work, and Spanish Sevillanas. The school's Wellness Program provides stretch and strength, Tai Chi/Qi Gong, and yoga fundamentals. Pre-Ballet, child Ballet and creative movement classes are offered to meet children's needs. Students may register for a complete session or participate on a rolling basis at bit.ly/MSBSummer2020.

Dancers of all levels may apply to the school's renowned Summer Dance Intensive program presented virtually this year. The seasoned and avocational dancer will find the same personalized training in small classes in the Summer Intensives. "The staff works with each student to assess individual dance and exercise goals. The internal mechanics of the body are emphasized and not the superficial aspects of style, bringing the dance to a higher level. The school provides a very strong foundation emphasizing proper technique, including correct alignment, body mechanics and musicality," explained Shiff.

Individualized instruction is provided in ballet, modern technique, Pilates, and Floor-Barre. Classes are offered in the related disciplines of jazz, rhythms, or variations. The program for students ages 11 and over runs from July 13 through August 1. International students, ages 15 and above with intermediate level dance training, may also apply to the Intensive.

Students participate in customized ballet, pointe, jazz, variations, Pilates, 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. New this year, pre-Pointe and Pointe classes are taught in the third week.

The Young Dancer's Summer Intensive for children ages eight to twelve and over is scheduled from August 3 to August 7. This intensive offers classes covering ballet technique, improvisation, stretch and strength, rhythm, story telling through movement and more.

The Summer Intensives are sponsored in part by The Ruth N. Shiff Memorial Fund and provides support for the guest teachers and the performance. Learn more about the Summer Dance Intensive 2020 online, http://marbleheadschoolofballet.com/programs/summer-intensive/. For further information or to register, call 781-631-6262 or send an e-mail to msb@havetodance.com.

Celebrating its 48th 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 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.

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