Beginning in the summer of 2020, ballet students have been invited from all over the world to join Oklahoma City Ballet’s summer intensive program. Around 175 talented dancers will receive a unique and immersive experience with renowned Oklahoma City Ballet Artistic staff and Yvonne Chouteau School faculty.
Students ages 12-21 are invited to stay in dorms and receive rigorous professional training, focusing on improving technique and enhancing individual artistry. In the evenings, they visit some of Oklahoma City’s cultural destinations.
Racheal Nye, director of the Oklahoma City Ballet Yvonne Chouteau School and Studio Company, explains, “Some of the students will be here for three weeks and some will be here for six. We really try to personalize and make it fun and valuable for each age level. The students will visit the First Americans Museum, the Zoo, the Lyric Theater, Art Museum, Pelican Bay, Science Museum, Myriad Gardens, and the Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
"I think it’s impactful to their time here. What really sets us apart from every other summer ballet intensive in the country is trying to personalize it to our community culture.”
Racheal has taken ballet lessons from a young age. She directs the program, teaches in the summer intensive and is also very present in recruitment in the program. She likes to be present when the dancers arrive.
“We get a lot of our year-round dancers from the summer-intensive program so we like them to have the same kind of experience they would get when they would arrive to Oklahoma if they were relocating permanently,” she said.
“One of the things that I love about the program is that our local dancers get a chance to work with dancers from all over the country and internationally. In the past we have had students from Mexico, Canada, Japan, Korea and Paraguay.”
Over 1,500 dancers auditioned for the summer program this year, both in-person and over Zoom. Racheal says that Oklahoma City Ballet gravitates toward students who are energetic and open minded toward the learning process.
“I have been told that what is unique and special about Oklahoma City Ballet is not only how respectful the dancers are toward the teachers and those coaching them, but also toward their colleagues. Our dancers provide support and inspiration.
"You can’t see how a dancer will support the person next to them or how they absorb information in one class or one audition. Those qualities don’t emerge until you have a chance to work with them over time. I would say that the qualities of working well in a group and supporting their colleagues are even more important than pretty legs and feet.”
Two of the four principal dancers for Oklahoma City Ballet have come from these summer intensives. Some 80% of the company dancers have come from their summer intensives as well.
Racheal says, “We are very committed to recruitment through our summer-intensive programs. I think another unique and wonderful thing about Oklahoma City Ballet is caring about the whole person rather than what you can see in one audition class.
“Our two principal dancers do seminars for our incoming students in the summer, saying, ‘Hey, I was you! I came from California, or I came from Venezuela. I am now a principal dancer here.’ They provide a lot of inspiration here.”
She adds, “This program has become a destination for quality ballet training in the country, and I would like our community to know and be proud of that.”
Watch out this summer for aspiring young dancers as you visit your favorite cultural hotspots around Oklahoma City. You may be sharing the scene with future principal dancers of the Oklahoma City Ballet.
More information for auditioning for future summer intensives and auditions can be found at:
OKCBallet.org/school/summer-intensive
The Yvonne Chouteau School at Oklahoma City Ballet also offers classes for students ages 3 to 18. The Children’s Division introduces younger children to the art of ballet through creative movement, later focusing on ballet terminology and positions. The study of ballet not only teaches children the joy of dance, but also structure, discipline, teamwork and other social skills. Registration for the fall session is now open at okcballet.org/school.
Interested in supporting the Oklahoma City Ballet, a 401(c)(3) nonprofit organization? Donations, as well as planned and creative giving opportunities, are available. For more information, email Rurie Dobson, development operations manager, at rurie@okcballet.org or call 405.252.4276.
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Oklahoma City Ballet
6800 North Classen
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
405.843.9898
info@okcballet.org
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“One of the things that I love about the program is that our local dancers get a chance to work with dancers from all over the country and internationally."
“This program has become a destination for quality ballet training in the country, and I would like our community to know and be proud of that.”