The Ailey School Intensive: Summer in the Empire State

When I was eight or nine, my uncle would bring me to dance shows every month. I now realize how lucky I was to attend these performances.  Some pieces may have been a bit over the comprehension of my age at the time (a.k.a. deeply experimental contemporary choreographies not standing a chance beside the Nutcracker and Giselle.) In a particularly experimental season in the Montreal dance scene, I was becoming mildly weirded out by dance. That's when I saw the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform in Montreal and I was completely captivated. I still remember how beautifully the dancers moved, and that was over ten years ago!

The name stayed in my head since, so recently I decided to see if they had a professional school. Turns out they have even more than that! They have a summer intensive for aspiring dancers!

What is it all about?
The intensive offers students from the age of 16 to 25 daily modern technique classes alongside other courses that offer complementary skills (such as yoga, body conditioning, jazz, etc...)

Tech Specs
It usually runs from the end of June to the beginning of August and requires 2500$ tuition fee, 50$ registration fee and 45$ Physical Therapy service fee for a total of 2595$ for a little over a month of training at 12-15 classes per week. If you pay in advance, you may be eligible for a discount. Also, it's to be noted that the intensive requires an audition. See more info on their website here.

Note: With a valid, readable passport, Canadian citizens can stay in the U.S. for up to six months without requiring a visa (hence, covering the summer intensive hassle-free). 

C'mon, who ain't inspired?! Just listen to Jay-Z, he knows best.