SUMMER PROGRAMS

SUMMER 2025

BALLET STORYBOOK SUMMER CAMP *NEW FOR 2025*

(Ages 6-8. $288 per week)

New Haven Ballet invites budding musicians, artists, and dancers aged 6 to 8 to join a ballet storybook summer camp. Campers will enjoy ballet, art, music, and fun each morning. You don’t need any previous experience in dance, art, or music. Campers explore ballet stories through movement and crafts, learn musicality and rhythm, and fully engage with the day’s theme. Camp starts at 9:00 a.m. and concludes at noon. Please arrive in dance attire and ballet shoes, and bring a nut-free snack and water.

JUNE 23 – 27, 2025 (BETHANY)

JULY 7 – 11, 2025 (NEW HAVEN)

AUGUST 18 – 22, 2025 (BRANFORD)

Ballet Storybook Summer Camp Flyer

DAILY CLASSES

New Haven Ballet offers exceptional ballet training to students during the summer through three sessions held at our studios in New Haven, Connecticut. We assist students preparing for summer ballet programs and provide ongoing training for those aiming to enhance their skills for upcoming competitions or their Nutcracker season. Daily classes are available in the late afternoons and evenings for students aged 3 to 19 years.

Session I offers classes from June 2 through June 14, 2025.

Session II offers classes from June 16 through June 28, 2025.

Session III offers classes from July 7 through July 19, 2025.

CHILDREN’S DIVISION (AGES 3-10)

First Steps is a delightful introduction to the joy of movement for children who have completed 3K preschool. For those who have completed 4K Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten, Creative Ballet fosters the development of a child’s natural creativity while focusing on motor skill development and musical awareness. For students who have finished 1st and 2nd grades, Pre-Ballet and Primary provide an introduction to more formal classical ballet training, utilizing age-appropriate ballet vocabulary and movement. No placement class is required to register for Children’s Division classes.

Dress Code:

Girls: Wear a solid light pink ballet–style leotard with a short ballet skirt attached or as a pull-on, footed light pink or flesh-toned tights, and ballet slippers to match their tights.

Boys – Solid black or white tee-shirt, with solid black athletic shorts or tights, and black ballet shoes.

STUDENT DIVISION (AGES 10-19)

Offered in three sessions, summer classes enable students aged 10 to 19 to continue their ballet training and enhance their technique. They support beginner to advanced pointe work and ballet technique. For more experienced students, repertory and conditioning sessions allow dancers to focus on developing their artistry, refining their technical skills, and building strength and flexibility. A placement class is required for new students.

During the summer, students in levels 1, 2, and 3 continue their formalized ballet training, perfecting their primary vocabulary and steps. Beginning and intermediate pointe work continues in Levels 4 and 5, and Intermediate and Advanced students incorporate more advanced technique, emphasizing the development of their artistry, technical detail, and movement.

Dress Code:

Girls—Solid-colored ballet-style leotard, footed pink or flesh-toned tights, and matching pink or flesh-toned ballet slippers. Tights and ballet slippers/pointe shoes must match. Pointe shoes are required for Levels 4-8.

Boys – Solid black or white tee-shirt, black athletic shorts or tights, black ballet shoes.

Sleep Away Intensive Program (Ages 11+)

As the standard for classical ballet training throughout Greater New Haven, New Haven Ballet offers students the opportunity to enhance their technical skills and artistry through a premier summer ballet intensive. During the Summer Residency, dancers train daily in a pre-professional classical ballet curriculum, supplemented by Pilates, conditioning and stretching, pointe, partnering, and repertory classes. Students experience significant improvements in strength, flexibility, artistry, and technical ability, enabling them to return to their home studios confident and prepared for the fall season. The Summer Intensive Residency allows students to receive individualized attention from the best instructors in the region, make friends with others who share their passion for dance, live in beautiful dormitories, and enjoy sound nutritional and delicious meals- all culminating in a performance presented in state-of-the-art facilities.

ELIGIBILITY (AGES 11-19)

The Summer Intensive Residency is intended for dedicated students. Limited spots are available, and an audition approved by the Artistic Director is necessary. This advanced-level ballet program provides an intensive course of study to optimize technical and artistic skills. New Haven Ballet offers students top-tier classical ballet training, including pointe, partnering, and repertory. The New Haven Ballet faculty, along with guest instructors from prominent professional companies like the New York City Ballet, provide diverse workshops to enhance training.

SLEEP AWAY SUMMER INTENSIVE

New Haven Ballet students have been accepted into prestigious programs, including the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, Chautauqua Institute, The Rock School, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and many others. Our students have received professional trainee contracts with Boston Ballet II and Pennsylvania Ballet, and many enjoy successful careers in dance.

New Haven Ballet is a tax-exempt non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

SUMMER SLEEP AWAY PROGRAM

New Haven Ballet invites students to audition for an all-inclusive, immersive, intensive program designed to help dancers reach their full potential by enhancing their ballet technique and artistry in preparation for their home studio programs, competitions, and auditions. This two-week advanced program is specifically designed for serious ballet students aged 11 and older considering a dance career. Daily classes include ballet technique, pointe, variations, repertory, partnering, Pilates and conditioning, and rehearsals with individualized coaching. The program concludes with a performance and lecture demonstration.

There is a $35 non-refundable application fee. Students admitted to the program must submit a 25% non-refundable deposit to hold their spots. The remaining balance is due on or before June 1. Both tuition and the deposit are non-refundable.

HOW TO APPLY

Students submit a written application and attend an audition class to gain admission to the residential summer program. Admittance is competitive, and space is limited to ensure each student receives maximum individualized attention. We accept a select number of talented students; however, admission does not guarantee an available spot. Places are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, which means students must secure their spots with a non-refundable deposit to attend. We encourage students in New Haven Ballet’s Levels 5-8, who are serious about ballet and interested in a sleep-away intensive program, to apply. Students not currently enrolled at New Haven Ballet, who wish to join our summer intensive program, should call to schedule an audition class at our studio in New Haven. We also accept video auditions from those unable to attend an in-person class.

Audition Classes are available for students aged 11 to 19 applying for admission to the two-week residential summer intensive. Female students must have a minimum of one year of pointe experience. Auditions will include pointe work and may be scheduled until May 15 or when qualified candidates fill all available slots.

Students will be accepted and assigned to programs based on their audition and solely at the discretion of the artistic staff.

AUDITION INFORMATION

Audition classes are available for students aged 11 to 20 applying for admission to the 2-week residential summer intensive.

Audition Placement Class Attire – Option 1:

Black or solid-colored ballet leotard, flesh-tone or pink tights, and matching flesh-tone or pink pointe shoes (the colors of tights and pointe shoes must match).

Hair pulled back in a bun or ballet hairstyle.

Audition Attire – Option 2:

White fitted T-shirt, black tights with black ballet slippers.

Hair slicked or pulled back in ballet hairstyle.

Video Auditions

Video auditions for the Summer Intensive will be reviewed upon receipt. Auditions are accepted on a rolling basis as space allows. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their video auditions at their earliest convenience. Result emails will be sent to the provided email address within 14 days after audition submission.

Audition videos must be no longer than 15 minutes in length and should include:

Barre exercises: pliés in second and fifth positions with port de bras, tendu, fondu, or adagio, and grand battement (one side only, alternating sides with each exercise). Film in profile.

Center: Adagio, Pirouette, Petite Allégro, and Grande Allégro. Film facing camera.

The prospective student should be clearly visible in the video, and videos should be as up-to-date as possible.

Students will be accepted and placed into programs based on their video auditions and solely at the discretion of the artistic staff. Acceptance and level may change after the student’s first in-person class.

SUMMER INTENSIVE:

A carefully structured program consisting of full days of dance training aimed at maximizing progress over an intense study period.

Each dancer receives personalized attention and support to identify and strengthen weaknesses while developing a beautiful dance technique, including coaching in classical repertoire.

Dancers concentrate on their artistry while learning about the tools professional dancers use to enhance and maintain a healthy body and mind.

Dancers set goals and learn exercises and techniques that they can use after the program concludes, enabling their progress to continue.

The program ends with a performance and lecture demonstration.

Dates & Times: July 27-August 9, 2025.

Check-in/drop off Sunday afternoon with dinner as the first meal.

Placement ballet class on Sunday afternoon before dinner.

Week Days: Full Camp Days.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Daily.

24-hour supervision.

Saturday afternoon check-out after the performance.

Final performance on Saturday.

Cost:

Registration Fee: $35.

2025 Tuition, Room & Board: $3,455.

2025 Day Only: $2,455.

*Additional fees may apply for special weekend activities.

Includes tuition, room and board, and a performance fee (which covers costume rental). Weekend activity fees off-campus are not included.

Day Only Option: includes tuition, lunch, dinner, and a performance fee (which covers the costume rental fee) for attendance from Monday to Friday each week. Weekend meals and activities are not included.

Banner Photo: ©Thomas Giroir Photography 2021