Congratulations! Your dancer got accepted to multiple summer intensives. Maybe they even got some scholarships. This is fantastic news! But now comes the tricky part: actually deciding where to go. This is usually a really personal decision. 

It’s tempting to just pick the most prestigious program or the one with the biggest scholarship. And look, we get it. When your kid gets into a big-name school, it feels like validation that all those hours in the studio are paying off. But here’s the thing: the “best” summer intensive isn’t always the most famous one. It’s the one that actually fits your dancer’s goals, addresses their training needs, and works for your family’s reality.

So how do you figure out which program is the right fit? Here’s what you need to think about.

Start With the Big Picture: What’s the Goal?

Before you get into the weeds of comparing programs, take a step back. What is your dancer actually trying to get out of this summer?

Maybe they want:

• A shot at getting into a specific school year-round
• To work on a technical weakness they’re not addressing at home
• Exposure to a different style of ballet
• Partnering experience they can’t get during the year
• Performance opportunities
• To see if they could actually live in a certain city

Here’s the thing: not every summer needs to accomplish all of these things. Some summers are about technique. Some are about getting noticed by a school. Some are just about trying something new. Once you’re clear on what the main goal is for this summer, the decision gets a lot easier. Of course, we always recommend reading the reviews other families may have submitted for programs you’re interested in.

Does Your Dancer Want to Train There Year-Round?

Summer intensives aren’t just about summer training. For a lot of schools, they’re a recruiting tool. They’re looking for students to invite into their year-round programs. And if your dancer is genuinely interested in attending a school full-time, that summer intensive needs to be a priority.

Think of it this way: summer is a two-way audition. The school is checking out your dancer, and your dancer is checking out the school. If year-round training is something your family is seriously considering, going to that summer intensive gives your dancer the best shot at being seen and remembered. It also lets them experience the teaching, the culture, the city, and whether they could actually see themselves living there for a year or more.

Now, if your dancer has zero interest in moving away (maybe they’re too young, or your family situation doesn’t allow it, or they just don’t want to), then you have way more flexibility. They can go to a summer program purely for the training without worrying about positioning themselves for a year-round offer.

Things to think about:

• Is your dancer old enough for year-round training? (Most programs start taking students around 14-15.)
• Is your family actually open to them moving away?
• Could you afford year-round tuition if it’s offered?
• Does your dancer want to train there, or are you the one pushing it?

If the answer to most of these is yes, prioritize that summer intensive. If not, you’ve got more freedom to choose based on other factors.

What Does Your Dancer Actually Need to Work On?

Let’s be real: every dancer has things they’re good at and things they struggle with. Summer is a chance to fix the weak spots, polish the strong spots, or try something completely new.

So talk to your dancer’s teacher. What is your dancer always hearing on repeat? Is it pointe work? Turns? Petit allegro? Port de bras? Maybe your dancer has never taken a contemporary class and needs some exposure. Or maybe they’re great at classical but have never touched the Balanchine style.

Here’s the thing: not all summer intensives are created equal. Some are known for drilling pointe work until your feet want to fall off. Some focus heavily on contemporary. Some are all about variations and performance. Some are just pure classical technique all day long.

Match the program to what your dancer needs.

If they’re not getting partnering at home and they need it, find a program that actually offers partnering at their level. Hint, our reviews indicate the frequency with which partnering classes took place at specific programs. If they need contemporary work, pick a program that offers these classes. Again, our reviews indicate what other types of classes were offered. If their home school is super contemporary and they need more classical foundation, go somewhere known for strict classical training.

And here’s a secret: sometimes the less prestigious program is actually the better choice. A solid regional program that focuses exactly on what your dancer needs might be way more valuable than a famous-name program where they’re one of 30 kids in class and barely get a correction all summer.

Which Audition Did Your Dancer Like Best?

This might sound obvious, but pay attention to how your dancer felt walking out of each audition.

Which class left them excited and energized? Which one made them feel deflated? Where did they feel challenged in a good way versus just stressed out and defeated?

Here’s something important: schools typically send their best teachers to adjudicate auditions. So what your dancer experiences in that audition class is usually a pretty good representation of the quality of teaching they’ll get all summer. If your dancer connects with the teacher and the style, that’s a really good sign.

When Jenny’s daughter, Abbey, was auditioning for summer programs, there were always one or two audition classes that just stood out. She’d walk out buzzing with energy, talking about how much she loved the teacher’s style or how the corrections just clicked. That’s worth paying attention to.

The audition itself tells you something. If your dancer connected with a teacher, understood the corrections, and left feeling pumped up, that matters. If they felt lost, talked down to, or like they didn’t belong, that also matters.

Teaching styles are different. Some teachers are super encouraging and nurturing. Others are tough and critical. Your dancer will thrive with certain styles and struggle with others.

If the audition gave them a glimpse of what the summer will be like and they responded well to it, that’s a good sign. If they hated the vibe, think hard about whether five weeks of that is really what you want.

Do They Want to Learn a Different Style?

Exposure to different ballet styles makes dancers more versatile. And versatility makes them more hireable later on.

If your dancer trains in a super classical Vaganova program at home, spending a summer at a Balanchine-heavy program can totally change their range. If they’re at a contemporary-leaning school, a summer of strict classical technique might fill in gaps. If they’ve only ever done one style, learning something new can help them figure out what they actually love.

Most companies these days do a mix of repertoire. They want dancers who can handle classical story ballets, Balanchine and contemporary. Summer is a low-risk way to test out a new style and see if it clicks.

Let’s Talk Money

Scholarships are awesome. But they don’t tell the whole financial story.

Do the math – sometimes there are hidden costs

A scholarship covers part of tuition. But summer intensives come with a million other costs: housing (if it’s not included), meals, travel, dancewear and pointe shoes, spending money.

Sometimes a 50% scholarship at a $4,000 program plus $2,000 for housing and $500 for travel ends up costing more than a 25% scholarship at a $2,000 program with included housing in a city you can drive to. 

Scholarship size can signal interest

The size of the scholarship can tell you how interested a school is in your dancer. A full tuition and housing scholarship often means they’re seriously interested in recruiting your dancer for year-round. A small partial scholarship might just mean they’d be happy to have them for summer but aren’t necessarily scouting them.

If your dancer’s dream program offers only a small scholarship, or none at all, that does not automatically mean the door is closed. What matters just as much is what your dancer does with the opportunity once they’re there. A summer intensive can function as a two- to six-week audition after you get in the door. If this is a place your dancer truly wants to train long term, this is the time to show work ethic, openness to corrections, coachability, and professionalism. Schools are not only evaluating talent. They are paying attention to growth, attitude, and how a dancer responds in the studio day after day.

Don’t go into debt.

Look, summer intensives are great. But they’re not worth going into debt over. There will be more summers. If the cost is genuinely too much even with a scholarship, it’s totally okay to choose a more affordable option. Or even to skip a summer and save up for next year.

Also, most programs offer need-based financial aid on top of merit scholarships. If you need more help, ask. Worst case, they say no.

What’s the Housing Situation?

Housing can make or break a summer. Seriously.

Programs offer different setups: dorms with supervision and structure, host families (which can be amazing or terrible), or you’re on your own to find housing.

If your dancer has never been away from home, more structured housing may be the way to go. They have built-in support, friends, and clear rules. For older or more independent kids, less structure might be fine.

Before you commit, ask (and you can find most of this information in our reviews):

• What type of housing is provided?
• Is there supervision and how strict is it?
• Are meals included? If not, is there a kitchen?
• How far is housing from the studio?
• What’s the roommate situation?

If you’re finding your own housing, think about logistics. How will your dancer get to and from the studio every day? Where will they eat? Will you travel with them?

Also, if something about the housing feels off or unsafe, trust your gut. Your dancer’s safety matters more than any summer intensive. And, yes, we have heard countless stories about shady AirBnB experiences.

Can They Actually Eat There?

If your dancer has food allergies, celiac disease, follows a vegetarian or vegan diet, has religious dietary restrictions, or anything else food-related, you need to know the program can handle it.

Before you accept an offer, contact the program directly. Be specific about what your dancer needs. Don’t assume it’ll “work out.” Get confirmation in writing that they can accommodate your dancer safely. Think all programs handle it equally well? Just ask Jenny about Abbey’s diet at one summer program that shall not be named.

If the intensive can’t handle it and there’s no kitchen access in housing, you might need to arrange your own accommodations where your dancer can cook their own meals.

This isn’t being high-maintenance. It’s making sure your dancer has the fuel they need to dance six hours a day.

Other factors to Consider

Partnering: If your dancer needs it and doesn’t get it at home, make sure the program offers it at their level. Ask how many boys typically attend. More boys = more partnering.

Performances: Some programs end with a showcase, others don’t. If your dancer needs stage time, this matters. But if they need technique work more than performance time, a performance-free summer might actually be the way to go.

City: If your dancer is thinking about moving away eventually, summer is a chance to test out a city. Can they see themselves living there? Do they feel comfortable navigating it?

Okay, So How Do You Actually Decide?

You’ve got all the information. Now what?

Make a chart. List all the programs across the top and your priorities down the side. Rate each one. Sometimes seeing it on paper makes the answer really obvious. We’ve got a handy checklist that you can use listed below.

Talk with their teacher. Assuming they’re up to date on the current landscape of programs, a well-informed teacher knows your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and readiness better than anyone and can offer helpful perspective on which intensives are likely to be the best fit right now.

Involve your dancer. This is their summer, their training, and increasingly, their career. They need to be part of the decision. Dancers work way harder when they helped choose where they’re going.

That said, you’re still the parent. You have the final say, especially when it comes to money, safety, and logistics.

Trust your gut. After you’ve done all the analysis, sometimes one choice just feels right. If you and your dancer keep coming back to one program even though another looks better on paper, pay attention to that.

Remember: there’s no perfect choice. Every summer intensive has pros and cons. You’re not looking for perfection. You’re looking for the best fit for this summer, for this dancer, at this point in their training.

And here’s the thing: if you choose “wrong” (which is rare), there will be other summers. Dancers learn from every experience, even the ones that don’t go exactly as planned.

Decision Checklist

Which program your dancer chooses to attend may also depend on where they are on the training path. Consider this as you weigh the following decision points. 

[ ] Is year-round training at this school something we’re actually interested in?

[ ] What technical gaps will this program fix?

[ ] Which audition class did my dancer connect with most?

[ ] Does this program teach a style my dancer needs or wants to learn?

[ ] What’s the total cost including absolutely everything?

[ ] Can we afford this without stressing out about money?

[ ] Is the housing safe and appropriate?

[ ] Can they handle my dancer’s dietary needs?

[ ] Does this fit with my dancer’s long-term goals?

[ ] What’s my dancer’s gut feeling about this place?

Bottom Line

Choosing a summer intensive is one of many decisions you’ll make in your dancer’s training. It feels big, and it is important. But it’s also just one summer.

The “right” summer intensive isn’t the most famous one. It’s not the one with the biggest scholarship. It’s the one that actually fits what your dancer needs right now, matches up with their goals, and works for your family.

Make the most informed decision you can with what you know. Focus on what matters most for this particular summer. Listen to your dancer. Factor in your reality. And then trust that wherever they end up, they’ll learn something valuable.

Summer intensives are about growth and figuring things out. Sometimes the best lessons come from summers that don’t go exactly as planned. Your dancer will be fine. You’ve got this.

Want more help navigating summer intensive season? Check out our Summer Intensive Boot Camp page for audition tips, school research tools, program comparisons, and way more resources to help you make smart decisions.