It’s time for a bonus entry to our Summer Intensive Boot Camp! This article is all about European summer intensives. What are they? How do they work? How do you get admitted and are they worth it?
Sometimes it feels like everyone is talking about going to a summer intensive in Europe. It definitely felt that way when our kids were younger! So, before we move on in this post, let’s get one thing out of the way up front. Not everyone is going to Europe! In fact, most Americans don’t train in Europe. And, training in Europe for three weeks when you were 15 doesn’t give your dancer any sort of leg up on the competition.
Is it fun? Absolutely! Is it eye opening and sometimes even mind blowing. Yep, it definitely can be. But, a European summer is a bonus not a requirement — unless your dancer wants to ultimately attend a training program in Europe or dance for a European company. Then, it’s a different ballgame and we’ll discuss that in a bit.
What Is A European Summer Intensive All About?
European summer intensives are a relatively new entry onto the SI scene. As with U.S. programs, most European programs are affiliated with ballet companies. Examples include programs at Dutch National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and Royal Ballet. However, not all European companies offer summer intensives. In addition, there are several excellent programs that are unaffiliated as well. Examples are Academie Princesse Grace, European School of Ballet and the Prague Master Classes.
With the exception of the Royal Ballet School’s Upper School program, which takes place at its Covent Garden location, most programs in Europe are shorter than those in the U.S.
The Royal Ballet School (RBS) SI offers two-week, three-week and five-week options for the upper school (ages 16-19) and one or two week programs at the lower school location known as White Lodge. The age range for the lower school is 10-15.
Other than RBS, most other programs run between one and three weeks. One other interesting aspect of European summer programs is that class sizes tend to be smaller. Most ballet companies and vocational programs are government funded. So, there is little need to drive additional revenue by stuffing classes full with as many students as possible.
In terms of housing, most offer some sort of accommodations, but it can sometimes be different than what someone in the U.S. might be accustomed to. Often, housing comes by way of a host family or shared apartment. And, housing can sometimes be quite far away from the ballet studios, resulting in students needing to master the local public transit system.
Meal plans can also be different. In many U.S. programs, housing is arranged through university dorms and the cafeteria associated with the dorm handles the meals. Often, there is a lot of variety in those cafeterias. In Europe, there may be different types of food served and if you have a dancer who is a picky eater, this could pose a challenge. While not always the case, families should be aware that this could pose a challenge for some students.
Admission
There are no U.S. audition tours for overseas programs. Admission is gained either through submission of a video audition or through a ballet competition. The two competitions that offer the greatest number of slots are Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) and the Prix de Lausanne.
Most schools require a full audition video and requirements can be found on a school’s website. In some cases, only photos are required. The Royal Ballet School is the one that is most well-known for only requiring photos. As an aside, we always thought it was crazy that acceptances were based entirely on photos, but several teachers and administrators we spoke with assured us that photos were enough to determine admission.
I still remain skeptical of this practice, but this is what the experts told us!
A note you should be aware of – applications to European programs open earlier than those in the U.S. In fact, many in Europe are already accepting auditions. And, notification on whether or not a dancer gets admitted comes out significantly later than notifications for U.S. intensives. So, if your dancer has their heart set on heading overseas this summer, be prepared to either put a deposit down on an American program and then potentially lose it or play the waiting game and hope to get admitted to the European programs your dancer applied to.
When Is A Student Ready To Go Overseas?
Getting admitted to a European summer intensive is only the first step in actually getting there. After that, families will need to take a good look at their own situation and gauge the maturity of their dancer. Ask yourself this: Is my dancer open to a new cultural experience? And, be clear eyes about your assessment.
Although some programs are conducted in English, many are not. Is your dancer comfortable taking class in a language that may be unfamiliar? And, are they independent enough to navigate public transportation in a language they may not speak. English is widely spoken across Europe, but it isn’t a guarantee and one should not assume that everyone your child comes in contact with will speak English.
Next, how well does your dancer travel on their own? Uness, you’re planning to fly with your child, they will have to navigate international flights, sometimes with a connection, immigration and customs at the airport, getting from the airport to housing and checking into the program completely on their own. While many students successfully do this every summer, be sure that your dancer is ready.
In addition, it’s one thing to have roommate conflicts or other unexpected hiccups when your dancer is in the same time zone or one or two time zones away. But, when they’re nine time zones away? It gets that much more complicated. Your child will likely have to handle more issues that arise on their own vs. getting an assist from mom or dad.
Also, is your dancer comfortable with a different culture? Every country has its own customs and norms. Students must be ready to embrace them and also potentially modify their behavior compared to that of their home country. Food is another big issue. Students may be served food that is unfamiliar to them. They will need to be flexible in their eating habits.
Why Go To Europe?
There are a few reasons students might look to overseas programs for the summer. First, if a student is interested in training in Europe, the summer provides a great option to give it a “test run.” They will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a completely new city and culture. And, your dancer can gauge if the training is what they’re looking for before they commit to an entire year abroad.
When my son was 16, he did just that. He thought he might want to make a switch from the ballet school he attended in the U.S. So, he attended a two-week European program to see if this potential switch made sense.
As much as he did love his experience there, he ultimately decided to return to his same year-round program back in the U.S. However, he has known several students over the years who have opted to attend a year-round program in Europe after having spent a few weeks training there during the summer.
Another reason to try a European program is if your dancer ultimately wants to dance in Europe. At this point, though, it’s important to point out that getting a job as an American at the entry level of European ballet companies can be difficult. It’s certainly not impossible, but visa issues come into play whenever a dancer is looking for employment overseas.
Is It Worth It To Go To A European Summer Intensive?
One myth that we want to dispel is that the training in Europe is far superior to that of other places, including the U.S. We asked a former administrator from a well-regarded European ballet school and she pointed out that training across the world varies. But, she was quick to say that she would not consider European training “better” than dancers could get in other places.
So, is it worth it? Like with everything, it depends. European summer intensives are expensive. While tuition and housing, thanks to government funding, are often less than programs in the U.S., travel costs can quickly add up. Add in needing to arrive a day or two early to adjust to jet-lag and costs continue to go up.
I always put this in the same bucket as a college student that goes and studies overseas for a semester. Going somewhere outside of a student’s home country can only help them expand their world view.
And, as dancers continue with serious training and ultimately join post-graduate programs, they will meet and train with students from all over the world.
For younger dancers, the reason we could see it making sense to go to a European program is if your family planned to go and tack on a vacation to the front or back-end of an intensive. We know families who would send their 10 and 11 year olds to one or two weeks at RBS White Lodge or Royal Danish Ballet. But, it was always a part of a larger vacation that the family planned.
I honestly cannot make any case for sending an American dancer, or really any dancer, to a European summer program until they are old enough to travel on their own or are seriously considering trying to gain admission to the year-round program or get a job with the company.
If you were to ask us if, based purely on ballet training, if it is worth it, we would probably say no. As we mentioned previously, according to one former administrator we spoke with as well as based on conversations with multiple dancers who attended European programs, a dancer can get perfectly good training in the U.S. that is comparable to that of Europe.
However, there is never a substitute for seeing the world. And, I say this to non-dancers as well. We live in a big, interesting world and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to see as much of it as possible.
Dancers who continue with their training will likely encounter people from all over the place and developing a healthy understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures can only help all of us.
So, go to Europe if you want to and have the means to do so. But, don’t go simply for ballet training. Go for the incredible experience you will have if you allow your mind to open and appreciate all that other cultures have to offer.
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