Summer Dance Intensive & Teacher's Forum



Click on the video clip below for a peak of the World Premier and rehearsals of Will You or Won't You
Pre-Professional Level
Summer Intensive 2009's Pre-Professional's Ballet was a contemporary chamber ballet
inspired by the Book of Daniel,
choreography and story
adaptation by
Jiri Sebastian Voborsky
World Premier at SDI '09
by Pre-Professional Company

INFO on 2010 Pre-Professional Company Ballet COMING SOON!

Bill & Sharon Arnold
Family Foundation Scholarship
for Arkansas dancers


If you would like a number of workshop flyers to pass out to your students or friends, please click here to submit a request.

Bible, ballet: A moving mix
A chance to combine dance, worship attracts youth to Jackson camp

by Charlotte Graham
Clarion Ledger/July 19, 2003


Performances

Company Concerts

As a participant at our Summer Intensive, you have the opportunity to see  both of Ballet Magnificat!'s professional touring companies in concert. The companies will perform their current repertoire. Students love these performances, as they are presented especially for them.

Student Concerts

All students learn and rehearse Ballet Magnificat! choreography during their variations classes. These pieces will be presented during the Student Concerts held at the end of each 2-week session.

Ages: 11 - 24

Ballet Magnificat!

21st Annual Summer Dance Intensive

Jackson, Mississippi

Ballet Magnificat! summer dance intensives bring excitement and purpose to the summers of hundreds of students annually. The intensive training, both spiritual and technical, conducted by members of Ballet Magnificat!'s professional touring companies and staff guides young people to develop their potential and seek God's direction for their lives.

Classes offered in ballet, pointe, variation (classical and Ballet Magnificat! repertoire), pas de deux, modern, conditioning, improvisation and creative worship. In addition, the schedule includes daily chapel and small group discipleship.

Pre-Professional Level

Created for the dancer capable of stepping over the barre from student to professional dancer, this new level offers unique training and experiences for the participants.

  1. Open to 4-week students only.
  2. Students selected for this level during the regular workshop placement classes.
  3. Variations class 5+ times each week where dancers will learn and rehearse an original ballet created for this level by one of Ballet Magnificat!’s Choreographers, to be premiered at the Student Performance at the end of the 4-week workshop.
  4. Classes - experience the life of a professional by working like and with the professional companies and under the instruction of company teachers like Kathy Thibodeaux, Jiri Sebastian Voborsky and Sol Nazario.
  5. Pre-Professional Company Local Tour of their original ballet during the final week of the intensive.

Student Concert

2009 Workshop Video

All students will participate. Ballet Magnificat! choreography will be learned, rehearsed and performed in variations classes and performed at the Student Concert at the end of each 2-week session of the workshop.

Applications Accepted Beginning November 1, 2009

Applying early will help you begin your fundraising efforts sooner, especially during Christmas vacation. Here's a link to some fundraising ideas and encouragement. Click Here.

 LOCATION AND HOUSING

  1. Classes and chapel meetings held at Ballet Magnificat! studios and Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi
  2. Belhaven College dormitories reserved for out-of-town students
  3. 3 meals daily served by the cafeteria on campus
  4. Students are required to bring bedding, towels, and personal toiletries
  5. Coin-operated laundry facilities available in each dorm
  6. Prior to the workshop, participants are prayerfully divided, by age, into small groups
  7. Adult counselors/chaperones assigned to each group to provide supervision, moral support, and spiritual encouragement for the duration of the workshop

 REQUIREMENTS

  1. Female applicants must have a minimum of 4 consecutive years of ballet training and at least 1 year of pointe since the age of 8**
  2. Men must have a minimum of 2 years of ballet instruction**
  3. All applicants must be currently in dance training and be able to dance four to five hours daily, six days a week

**For special case situations that do not meet the requirements, please call our office to discuss with our workshop staff.

CLASSES

  1. Classes offered in ballet, pointe, variation (classical as well as Ballet Magnificat! repertoire), pas de deux, modern, conditioning, jazz, improvisation and creative worship
  2. Variations classes - Ballet Magnificat! choreography is learned, rehearsed and performed by all students at the Student Concert at the end of each 2-week session of the workshop
  3. Classes are taught by members of Ballet Magnificat!'s professional touring companies as well as teachers from the Ballet Magnificat! Trainee Program and School of the Arts
  4. Schedule includes daily chapel and small group discipleship
  5. Planned evening and weekend activities include performances by Ballet Magnificat! companies, speakers, and student concerts

4-Weekers Mid-Workshop Fun Saturday

On Saturday, July 17, when First Session students are leaving and Second Session Students are arriving, we'll take you on an outing where you can clear the ballet dust from your heads, refreshing you for the second two-week session. Counselors and students will travel to a local shopping area for a few hours of browsing, followed by dinner at one of the local restaurants (each counselor group picks their own restaurant destination).

ARRIVAL WEEKEND

Saturday - Arrival Day. Dancers arrive and settle into their dorm rooms, meet their counselors, roommates, and small group members. After a hot dinner, everyone gets a good night's rest.

Sunday - Chapel Service, Orientation, Placement Classes, and Group Activities.

Monday - Classes begin!

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

We provide a shuttle for those on-campus students coming by plane, train, or bus on arrival and departure days, with greeters assigned to check in each arriving participant.

Preferred Arrival and Departure Times:

Workshop Dates Arrival Date Preferred Arrival Time Departure Date Preferred Departure Time
July 3 - July 17 Saturday
July 3
Driving: 10AM - 4PM
Flying: 8AM - 4PM
Saturday
July 17
Driving: 6AM - 10AM
Flying: 6AM - 2PM
July 17 - July 31 Saturday
July 17
Saturday
July 31
July 3 - July 31 Saturday
July 3
Saturday
July 31
  • Please do not book flights except on the above arrival and departure days. We do not have accommodations for you if you arrive early or stay later.
  • Airline arrivals and departures falling outside our "preferred times" may be charged a $10 fee for individual airport runs.
  • International students with booking problems, please email our office.
  • Arrival and departure dates are inclusive. Shuttle buses are provided to and from Jackson International Airport. These shuttle buses are for registered workshop participants only.

Airlines that fly into Jackson International Airport (JAN)

American Eagle…………………………………………800-433-7300
Delta (www.delta.com)……………………………800-221-1212
Continental………………………………………………800-523-3273
Northwest ( www.nwa.com ) ……………………800-225-2525
Southwest (www.iflyswa.com) …………………800-435-9792
U.S. Air ( www.usair.com ) ………………………800-428-4322

Ground Transportation into Jackson

Amtrak………………………………………………………..800-872-7245
Greyhound ……………………………………………………800-231-2222

 PLACEMENT

  1. A placement ballet class is held to determine the level of each student.
  2. Seven levels of classes offered.
  3. Placement is determined by a panel of qualified faculty under the direction of Kathy Thibodeaux.
  4. Students are grouped according to similar physical capabilities and levels of training.
  5. Placement is based on the range of ability represented at the workshop, not on a student's level within his/her local ballet school.
  6. Students are picked from these placement classes for participation in the new Pre-Professional Level.

REGISTRATION FEE

$50 non-refundable registration fee with application.

ON-CAMPUS STUDENT FEES
OPTIONS
ROOM & BOARD
TUITION
**
TOTAL
2 weeks
$859
$615.00
$12
$1,486
4 weeks
$1,598
$1,050.00
$32
$2,680

**Materials Fee for all students, plus Activity Fee for 4-Week Students

5% Discount when all payments are made by cash, check, money order, or cashier's check.

OPTIONS
TOTAL with 5% discount
2 weeks
$1,411.70
4 weeks
$2,546.00

OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS

Some of our local students and students with friends or family in the area prefer to stay off-campus at night. This is allowed, however, as an off-campus student, you are required to attend all workshop activities, including morning devotions, evening activities, Bible studies, and group times. You will be assigned to a counselor group for Bible studies and group activities.

As an off-campus student, you may purchase meal cards in the cafeteria or pay for cafeteria meals on a per-meal basis. You may also bring sack lunches and eat them in the cafeteria with your friends.

OFF-CAMPUS STUDENT FEES

OPTIONS
TUITION
**
TOTAL
2 weeks
$715.00
$12
$727.00
4 weeks
$1,199.00
$32
$1,231.00

**Materials Fee for all students, plus Activity Fee for 4-Week Students

5% Discount when all payments are made by cash, check, money order, or cashier's check.

OPTIONS
TOTAL with 5% discount
2 weeks
$690.65
4 weeks
$1,169.45

PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND INFORMATION:

Upon acceptance into the workshop, a link to additional information will be provided.

  1. Registration due by May 28, 2010, or as long as space is available.
  2. Applications received after May 28, 2010, will be charged a $100 processing fee and all fees are due with registration.
  3. A $50 non-refundable registration fee required at the time of application.
  4. Payments may be made in installments (depending on date of registration).
  5. REFUNDS: No refunds will be issued if we do not receive cancellation notification by the Thursday preceding the start of your session. There is a $375 fee for cancellations after May 28, 2010.
  6. There will be a charge of $25 for all returned checks.
  7. All monies must be paid by May 28, 2010. Absolutely no exceptions.

New and returning students are required to submit:

  1. Registration Form
  2. Current dance photograph, first arabesque profile en pointe for ladies, demi pointe for men. Leotard and tights only, no skirts or costumes, please. It is not necessary to send a studio portrait. A clear, unobstructed snap-shot will do fine, no larger than 5" x 7".
  3. Two head-shot photos (may be the same picture).

 SCHOLARSHIPS

  1. A limited number of tuition scholarships are available.
  2. Merit Scholarships - 4-week on-campus students only - awarded on the basis of technical ability and potential.
  3. Financial Aid Scholarships - 2-week students only - awarded on the basis of financial need.
  4. $50 non-refundable scholarship application/ registration fee
  5. Applications must be received by March 12, 2010
  6. Those received after the dead-line will not be considered

FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST

At Ballet Magnificat! we seek to honor Jesus Christ and make Him known to the widest possible audience through the medium of dance.  So how does that happen at our Summer Intensive? We begin each day with praise and worship and an opportunity to hear personal testimonies from Ballet Magnificat! staff and professional company members.

Also, all students are assigned to small groups of 10-12 students and a counselor.  These small groups meet for Bible studies in the evenings.  Students often find that treasured friendships are formed in their small groups as they are able to discuss and learn with others their own age. 

Creative Worship sessions take the dancer from the classical setting and allow them to use dance and creative talents as a worship tool.  Students are encouraged to use their dancing as an expression of adoration to the Almighty Creator.

Ballet Magnificat! is an inter-denominational ministry. Our members attend a variety of churches including Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, and non-denominational charismatic. It has always been our policy not to encourage one denomination over another, but rather to respect one another's choice of worship and to celebrate our common faith in Christ.



Former Student Comments

Did the Lord change your life during the workshop?

"Yes. He renewed my relationship with him and He taught me that to be a full believer that I had to give my WHOLE life to him."

"Yes! I always knew you could praise God doing anything but God showed me that I can truly praise God in dance! He also showed me that He is always in control of everything!"

"God showed me what it looks like to truly live for His glory and live my whole life as an act of worship unto Him. And I surrendered my future to the Lord."

"Yes, he did. He showed me that I needed to read His word more and I learned how to praise the Lord with dance."

"Yes! I believe the Word now! The Lord sees me as a beautiful person and it's incredible to realize that. Basically the change God has made in me is indescribable. I don't have words for it."

What did you like best about the Bible studies/group times?:

"I loved getting to know all the girls and seeing how at work God is in everyone's life."

"I like how it was so smoothly done and controled so not to get side-tracked on random subjects. Oh, and that the BIBLE was the material and not the material. Yeah!"

"The way skits were used to help us understand the purpose of the Bible study."

"Each group time really spoke to me because I could relate to the topics, instead of a sermon that is too distant to comprehend. I found myself closer to the Lord with each session and each night."

What class(es) did you find more beneficial and why?

"I loved the not-ballet classes (jazz, modern, etc.) because they gave me dance I have never experienced before."

"Ballet because, well, yeah, it was amazing! Jazz because it gave me new perspective, and conditioning 'cause it made me buff. :-)"

"I really enjoyed variation and pointe. Both were strengthening and I loved learning the different dances."

"I found technique class most beneficial because I received so many corrections, and it was challenging."

Were chapel messages helpful and encouraging? Why?:

"They showed real people like us who had really changed for Christ."

"They showed how people in our situations have felt the same way we do and how the Lord has changed their lives, giving us hope and encouragement for our future."

"They were easy to relate to."

"The testimonies were always inspirational and relevant. It is so encouraging to hear about all the ways God brought the companies together."

General Comments:

"Thank you! I had a blast, and I learned a lot, and best of all, I became closer to God. Thank you!"

"I had a life-changing experience and amazing time. I learned so much about God and dance. .. Thanks."

"I came here MAINLY looking forward to getting to know the teachers and the style of Ballet Mag! - which I did benefit from greatly. BUT I was MOST blessed in aspect of strengthening my love and passion for Christ, getting ready to reach out to others. Thank y'all for this opportunity!"

"...The Lord completely took my life, twirled me around a few times, and is directing me down the right path. I have overcome anorexia and cutting and I have surrendered my burdens down to him...."

"I loved how the company members didn't act better than us and were always there to talk. I also enjoyed how they took classes with us."

"I loved the bus rides!"

"I had a lot of fun!"