Upcoming Dates

A Dancer’s Guide to Navigating Your First-Ever Intensive

A Dancer’s Guide to Navigating Your First-Ever Intensive

Summer intensives offer endless opportunities—to fortify your training, to connect with teachers and other dancers, and to prepare for a professional career. But how do you know if you’re ready for your first intensive? And how can you prepare your mind and body for the physical rigor of dancing all day, every day, plus the challenges of living on your own? A successful first-ever summer program experience requires careful planning and thoughtful navigation. Making the Right Choice The first step is to determine the right moment to make the summer program leap. That will vary by student, so consult with […]

Alejandro Vargas on Cultivating a Diverse Career

Alejandro Vargas on Cultivating a Diverse Career

As a lively 6-year-old, Alejandro Vargas had an abundant energy his parents hoped to channel into sports. After cycling through all the conventional options, nothing seemed to stick. Then, to connect Vargas and his sister with their Colombian heritage, his parents enrolled them in a salsa class at a local studio in New Jersey. That’s when everything changed and Vargas found his passion. As Vargas got older, he grew more serious about dance and began attending dance conventions with his studio, Dancin’ in the Spotlight. The owner, Liz LeBar, cultivated his versatility, encouraging him to train in every style. “She […]

Black Artists Dance Collective’s Summer Program Gives Back to the Atlanta Community

At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, a group of professional dancers who’d grown up training together in Atlanta joined forces to talk about how to support young Black dancers in their hometown. Those conversations eventually led to the formation of The Black Artists Dance Collective, whose founding members—Shonica Gooden, Jamal Kamau White, Amber Jackson, Terrance Martin, Wendell Gray, Brianne Sellars, Takia Hopson, Danielle Swatzie, and Vinson Fraley—are veterans of concert dance, Broadway, and the commercial industry. Together, they have worked to inspire and empower Atlanta’s next generation of performers. “Once you know how to navigate […]