Dancers Share Their Favorite Summer Intensive Classes

Sabriyya | Level 4

“At Charlotte Ballet’s intensive, I would say my favorite classes are the ballet classes with Director Hope Muir. I enjoy these classes because they prearrange how the rest of the day plays out. Hope is an exquisite teacher; she inspires you to think of dance in a whole new perspective. I feel that her precise corrections have greatly contributed to the progress of my skills.”

Clay | Level 3

“My favorite class is the men’s rehearsal because our piece has such a unique, powerful energy and it’s so much fun to perform. I love walking into this class because I discover a new personality in my technique and I get to live my best life . My favorite instructors are Lazlo Berdo and Hernan Justo. I love Lazlo because he really pushes his dancers to grow. He gives great corrections and takes time to focus of technique. He also really cares about his dancers because he develops a relationship with each of us.  I like Hernan because he is just really fun.  He not only takes time to give helpful corrections but finds a way to dance expressively in the midst of a strict ballet technique. “

Sydney | Level 3

“My favorite class this summer is partnering. Partnering is my favorite because I love the challenge of working with another dancer to showcase the message of a particular piece and I feel like you’re actually performing. It makes me feel like everything that I’m learning in technique and pointe class are being put to use and displayed. It also pushes me to move further out of my comfort zone and become more in tune with my partner while being expressive through attitude and body language.  “

Khi’Shawn | Level 4

“My favorite teacher has been Kati Mayo. She is always pushing me in class and her corrections are some of the best corrections I have ever received, and I’ve seen the growth in myself just from last summer to this summer. She doesn’t just run through the motions of class, she studies us and is very genuine in how she helps us. There’s never a time where she makes us feel less than. Kati is always invested in the dancers, which is something I respect about her. Overall, Kati’s classes are always my favorite because she’s always in a good mood when she’s teaching, and you can tell she loves what she does.”

Giselle | Level 1

“My favorite class is yoga with Ruth Gibbs. It is a relaxing class and lets me take a break from the long schedule. I am able to close my eyes and reflect on the day and be grateful for what I am doing. I also get to stretch my muscles and practice mental/physical strength. Ms. Ruth also plays fun yet relaxing music to help us calm down. Overall, it is a very relaxing, much needed, class.”

Chandler | Level 1

“Jazz with Fletcher is my favorite class this summer. Jazz is my favorite style so I am really familiar with this type of dance. And I like his class because he pushes you to your limits. He also teaches us the difference in technique and movement between jazz and ballet.”

Natalie | Level 2

“My favorite class this summer is jazz with Loren Fletcher. His class is really fun and I get to express myself. The piece we are performing is really exciting!

Alex | Level 2

“I really enjoyed Olivier Pardina’s technique and partnering class. He really focused on individual corrections and had difficult combinations. I also liked Laszlo Berdo because he really worked on precise technique and pushed us to work our hardest.”

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This post was originally published on July 25, 2018 and has been updated.