Summers at KC Ballet School are Intense

Another KCBS Summer Intensive program has come and gone. Why is this five-week program important to aspiring dancers?

“For a lot of the students the first week is a big eye opener,” says teacher and former company dancer, Lisa Thorn. “We help them learn to manage their time and how to take care of their body in order to dance that many hours a day. They have to spend an entire day dancing instead of only a couple of hours.”

With the long days of dance classes, as much as a third of a student’s classes for the year can take place in a summer program. Being exposed to new teachers and students from other schools, as well as taking different dance classes like modern, jazz, and character is crucial to major growth. Another way this program distinguishes itself from others is by offering skills training beyond dancing. Make up technique, resume writing, theater and repertoire classes were added to the mix to give students an even more well-rounded summer education.

Guest teachers vary from summer to summer, but each is specially selected to bring their own bit of expertise. This year guest artists included: Toni Pimble, co-founder of Eugene Ballet Company; Jeri Kumery, ballet mistress of Richmond Ballet; Karen P. Brown, ballet mistress for Kansas City Ballet; and Paula Weber, chair of dance and associate professor at UMKC.

“It is really intense like the title. You need to be serious,” says 13-year-old KCBS student Durante Verzola. “If you’re just here to socialize, you won’t get enough out of it. You have to have your head AND your heart in it. You have to be passionate to get the most out of it.”

For the KCBS summer programs, local students must audition in March. School Director Peter Pawlyshyn also travels to more than 20 locations from January through March to hold auditions at other dance schools.

“This program is sought after by students across the country. Those that I can’t see in person, send in video auditions.” This year, 110 students came to Kansas City’s downtown campus from 17 different states,” says KCBS School Director Peter Pawlyshyn.

Out-of-town students usually opt to stay in the dormitories at the Art Institute. There, young adults who are also summer intensive students serve as resident assistants (RA’s) to supervise and socialize with the visiting students.

Gavin Stewart, a 19-year old RA, attends UMKC as a dance major. He enjoys meeting the kids and spending time accompanying them on fun outings around Kansas City like a Royals game, Worlds of Fun and more. “It’s cool to see the kids grow into themselves, even in this short time,” Stewart says.

This year, the summer intensive program for the Johnson County campus grew even more than anticipated. More than 70 students participated compared to last year’s 38.

“I believe in providing great classes with proper technique, as well as providing those students with their sights set on a dance career all of the tools they need to succeed both in and out of the studio. For some, it may be the only time this kind of education is offered to them,” says Pawlyshyn. “My goal for next year is to continue to build on this educational platform.”

His work is already paying off. He’s received correspondence from several grateful students thanking him for the personal attention they received from teachers, as well as the additional skills they learned.

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