A Summer of Dance with Texas Ballet Theater

Summer is fast approaching, and that means we have to start thinking about what we can do with our little darlings to keep them off their screens all summer. Fortunately, Texas Ballet Theater School (TBTS) has the answer for all your dancers!

Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater School

Recently, I sat down with Yvonne Leffel, Administrative Director of Schools for Texas Ballet Theater, and Mary Ashley Ray, Texas Ballet Theater’s Marketing and Communications Specialist, to talk about TBTS’s summer programs. While TBTS is well-known in the Metroplex as THE place for aspiring dancers to receive pre-professional training, their summer programs are designed for dancers of all abilities from age three through high school.

Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater School

For your little dancer, Ballet Basics provides a wonderful introduction to the world of ballet. Boys and girls, ages three to six, will enjoy crafts, story times, and choreography that correlates to each week’s theme. This summer, TBT School will take your children on an Icy Adventure or Around the World while teaching your child the fundamentals of ballet. The classes run from 9 am to 12 pm, and each week ends with a performance showcase for family. As Mary Ashley said, “If you’re not sure your child is ready to commit to a full semester of ballet, Ballet Basics is the place for them!”

Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater School

If your child has realized that they love to dance and is ready to learn more about the world of dance, TBT School offers two Intensive programs this summer. The Young Dancer Intensive (ages seven to 9) and the Junior Intensive (ages ten to fourteen) allow dancers to explore other genres of dance, such as jazz, modern, tap, Broadway, as well as a deeper dive into the fundamentals of ballet. The Junior Intensive is divided into two divisions; these are based on the dancer’s class level during the school year.

The Intensive programs are designed to improve your dancer’s artistic and technical skills between semesters. (TBTS offers a multi-week discount for those who want to take more than a single week’s Intensive.) The Intensive programs are open to students from other schools, as well, for as Yvonne said, “The more people you learn from, the more techniques you’re exposed to, the better you become as a dancer.”

Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater School

Finally, if your child has realized that they want to pursue dance beyond high school, TBT School offers the Summer Intensive for ages twelve and up. This audition-only, ballet-focused program is inspired by the Royal Academy of Dance and is a concentrated program taught by TBT School’s master faculty. To learn more, go to www.texasballettheater.org/summer-intensive/.

When I asked Yvonne and Mary Ashley to explain what sets TBT School’s summer programs apart from other summer dance programs, Yvonne was quick to reply, “Our faculty!” She explained, “Many of our teachers are former dancers or members of the TBT company. Leticia Olivera, the principal of the Fort Worth school, is a former principal dancer with the Houston Ballet and TBT. Having members of our company as teachers really fosters the connection between the school and the professional company and allows our students to see what a career as a dancer is like.”

TBTS health and safety policies follow the CDC’s suggestions. As of now, masks are strongly encouraged but are not required. This policy is subject to change.

So if you have a child who loves to dance, be they a beginner or more advanced, Texas Ballet Theater School’s summer programs are for them!

For more information, visit www.texasballettheater.org/summer-programs/

For the complete summer schedules for both Fort Worth and Dallas, lclick on the schedules below. 

2022 FW summer schedule updated 02.21.22

2022 DAL summer schedule updated 02.18.22

If you are ready to register, click here for the registration page.