Five Tips for Your Best Summer Intensive Experience

Summer intensives come with a roller-coaster ride of emotions: Auditioning, getting in, level placement, new challenges, new friends, leaving home…your intensive will push you in all kinds of exciting new ways.

Gabriel Hyman during The Ailey School’s Summer Intensive Program. (Photo by Kyle Froman, courtesy The Ailey School)

Here are five things to think about as you head in, so you can make the most of your experience.

1. Arrive in top form
   . Intensives are intense. Do what you can to avoid injury by cross-training, eating well and getting enough rest.
2. If you do injure yourself, it’s not the end of the world
   . Be honest with your teachers even if it means letting go of a solo or other big role! Your long-term health is the most important thing, and your maturity will make a positive impression.
3. Brush up on Kathryn Morgan’s tips for your best intensive ever
   . You can’t beat her tried and true advice!
4. Try not to over-analyze level placement
   . The teachers want you to be in the level that’s best for you. Even if that doesn’t line up with your level at home, or with other people in your age group. Let it go and focus on how much you can learn.
5. Stay in touch with your new friends
   . You’ll be following each other on Instagram after the first day, anyway. So be proactive and stay in touch after you all go home. Who knows, you might be in the same program next summer, too!

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