Each summer Walnut Hill draws some of the most dedicated and talented young dancers from around the world to our campus. Summer Youth Dance is an intensive, three-week program for serious young dancers ages ten through twelve. Specifically designed for this age group, the program provides excellent training with renowned faculty in a safe and nurturing environment.
Summer Youth Dance Brochure (PDF)
CURRICULUM AND TRAINING
Walnut Hill Summer Youth Dance offers classes in ballet technique, pointe or pre-pointe as determined by assessment of student’s level, and other dance/theater forms, including all or some of the following: modern, jazz, character, acting, and variations class. Technique Workshops enable students to focus on particular aspects of their technique. Most classes have live accompaniment. Classes are held Monday through Saturday in Walnut Hill’s five-studio Dance Center. Other scheduled activities include dance movies and classes on topics such as music or dance history. Eleven- and twelve-year old students have additional evening classes in choreography and repertory at the Director’s discretion.
An added component is the instruction offered through our Hydroconditioning Exercise System™, a tremendous tool in providing gains in joint mobility, strength, and flexibility. This non-weight-bearing program produces an opportunity to prevent or manage injuries in a safe and dance-specific manner. Classes take place in our on-campus swimming pool.
At the conclusions of the second and third week, dancers’ families are invited to observe classes and studio demonstrations. The program culminates in a final performance onstage at Walnut Hill’s Jane Oxford Keiter Performing Arts Center.
TYPICAL WEEKDAY SCHEDULE
| 9:00–10:30 | Ballet Technique or Master Class | |
| 10:30–11:00 | Pointe/Per-Pointe or Variations | |
| 11:15–12:00 | Technique Workshops | |
| 12:00–1:00 | Lunch | |
| 1:00–2:00 | Rehearsal | |
| 2:15–3:15 | Free time | |
| 3:30–4:30 | Jazz or Modern | |
| Evening Programs (11-12 year olds) | ||
| 5:15–6:15 | Dinner | |
| 6:30–7:30 | Rehearsal and Educational Workshops | |
| 7:30–8:30 | Choreography Workshop | |
| 9:00 | Check-In/Dorm Curfew | |
The weekend schedule includes classes and rehearsals on Saturday as well as time to participate in campus events such as swimming, movies, and outdoor activities. On Sunday students may also participate in chaperoned day trips around New England and Boston.
HYDROCONDITIONING EXERCISE SYSTEM™
Hydroconditioning is a tremendous tool to provide gains in joint mobility, strength and flexibility in a non-weight-bearing environment. By manipulating the factors of buoyancy and turbulence, via changes in equipment worn by the student and the speed, position, and direction of movement, aquatic exercise can be very supportive and safe, while also being challenging and dance-specific.
GUEST FACULTY-IN-RESIDENCE AND MASTER TEACHERS
Each year Walnut Hill invites internationally known guest faculty to teach during our summer youth program. The list below includes faculty who have recently been in residence and some who may be in residence in future years. Guest faculty for 2008 will be announced at a future date.
Melanie Atkins
Ms. Atkins is a soloist with Boston Ballet and Walnut Hill
alumna.
Catherine Batcheller
Ms. Bacheller is former principal with the Birmingham Royal
Ballet and current director of Configuration Dance Company.
Mucuy
Bolles
Ms. Bolles is a former dancer with Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater and Walnut Hill alumna.
Joe Cipolla
Mr. Cipolla is a former principal with the Birmingham
Royal Ballet and current director of Configuration
Dance Company.
Samuel Kurkjian
Mr. Kurkjian is the Choreographer-in-Residence and
faculty member at Walnut Hill School.
Diane Noya
Ms. Noya is the Modern faculty member at Walnut
Hill School and Director of Prometheus Dance
Company.
Michael Owen
Mr. Owen is the Director of Ballet Department
at Walnut Hill and former principal with American
Ballet Theatre.
Janet White
Ms. White is a former dancer with Ballet Austin
and current faculty member at Ballet Hispanico.
FACILITIES
The Ballet Center at Walnut Hill
The beautiful gambrel-roofed home of the Summer Dance Program offers five spacious studios with large arched windows, dressing rooms, faculty offices, and a lounge area. In addition, the campus fitness center offers a movement studios, as well as cardiovascular and strength building equipment.
Jane Oxford Keiter Performing Arts Center
Stephanie Bonnell Perrin Theater
The 350-seat Perrin Theater is the principal home and performance space for Summer Dance. The theater is a professional level venue with full stage-size wings and a 60-foot full fly loft with thirty-two counter weight battens. The theater has an electronic lighting system and a double sprung stage floor.
In addition, the Keiter Center includes a Green Room, teaching studios, costume shops, spacious dressing rooms with showers, lockers, hanging racks and specially
DANCE FACULTY
Kathryn Stark
Director of Walnut Hill Summer Youth Dance and the Community Dance Academy. Ms. Stark has been an instructor at the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet and Chautauqua Institute. She received her dance training at North Carolina School of the Arts, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and as a child with Eduad Caton and Jean Gedeon. As a professional dancer, Ms. Stark performed with Ballet Met and was a principal dancer of Southern Ballet Theatre.
Monica Lender
Ms. Lender received her training at Ballet Arts in Carnegie Hall with Robert Blankshine, as a scholarship student at the New York School of Ballet with Richard Thomas, and at the David Howard Dance Center with David Howard and Diana Cartier. She danced professionally with Feld Ballets/NY, Princeton Ballet, James Sewell Ballet and Ballet Manhattan, among others. She continued her career performing as a free-lance and guest artist for a number of different choreographers. Ms. Lender has taught in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and is currently on faculty at Walnut Hill and the Academy of Ballet Arts.
ADMISSION
Admission to the Summer Youth Dance at Walnut Hill is highly selective. Each year Walnut Hill enrolls talent students from around the nation and the world.
To apply to Summer Youth Dance Program, please submit the following:
- Complete application form
- A nonrefundable $30 application fee
- Two photographs (1 First arabesque and 1 pointe tendu crosse devant)
- One letter of recommendation from a current or recent dance teacher
- Audition in one of the cities in which Walnut Hill will conduct auditions in 2008 or send a video
Return your application to:
Walnut Hill School
Summer Youth Dance Application
12 Highland Street
Natick, MA 01760
Applications can be mailed to the address above or given to the audition personnel at the audition. Spaces are limited. No admission decision can be made prior to completing the entire application process.
Please call the Office of Admission and Placement at (508) 650-5020 if you have any questions.
AUDITION INSTRUCTIONS
Live Auditions
Live auditions at one of the audition sites take the form of a regular ballet technique class and include barre, centre work, and pointe. Ladies are asked to have their hair secured up, jewelry removed, and wear pint tights and ballet shoes with a solid-colored, but preferably not black leotard. Gentlemen are asked to wear black tights and a white leotard or t-shirt. Black shoes and white socks are preferred. Pre-registration is not required to audition. Audition registration will take place during the first half hour of each audition session. The application fee of $30.00 and photographs are due at the time of audition.
Video Auditions
The tape should be approximately fifteen minutes in length and should display a student's technical ability. Examples of classroom work including both barre and centre combinations should be shown. Please do not submit performance exerpts.
Walnut Hill School policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, handicap, sexual orientation, or veteran status. This policy extends to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities, including admission, employment, financial assistance, and educational, arts, and athletic programs.
Disclaimer: All information contained in these pages of is as current as possible, but is subject to change at the discretion of Walnut Hill School without notice.
