Summer Course at Pacific Northwest Ballet
Spende geschützt
Hi! I'm Ashlyn DuPree, a sixteen year old aspiring dancer from the Charleston, SC area. I currently train at the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH), a tuition-free public residential high school for SC students who are talented in the arts.
I've been studying ballet seriously since I was about twelve years old. Students who are serious about ballet and pursuing it as a career will usually go away in the summer for programs called "summer intensives". These programs are an "intense" way to improve technique and artistry in just a few weeks. Last summer I was accepted to the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) summer course as a student in Level VII. PNB is considered one of the premier ballet companies and schools in the United States so this was a huge honor for me! I took class for five weeks surrounded by some of the most talented students in the country who train year-round at some of the most prestigious programs. I was one of the youngest in my level. The teachers were all outstanding and I even took class from the artistic director Peter Boal! I left Seattle more determined than ever to bring my dream to life!
This summer I have the opportunity to attend the PNB summer course again. Given that I was younger than most students in my level last year, I was surprised and proud to learn that I have been placed in Level VIII for this summer. Level VIII is the top level in the PNB summer course and it's also the smallest. While most levels have about 50 students split into two groups, level VIII has only about 25 students. The smaller class size means even more personalized attention from the teachers who taught me so much last summer! And Level VIII is taught by the company's artistic director about once a week. For those that don't know, artistic directors are the ones who ultimately make hiring decisions for companies so this exposure could be really important later on.
The total cost to attend the PNB summer course in Level VIII is $6035. There are additional costs for travel and for pointe shoes. Last summer I went through about a pair ($120) a week! My family can help with some of the costs but with an older brother in college (GO TIGERS!) resources are a little scarce. If you are one of those people who have followed my journey so far with interest, a patron of the arts or just a person who enjoys watching a young person chase a big dream, then I hope you will consider making a donation. No amount is too small! Every little bit will help! And I am forever grateful for your support.
I've been studying ballet seriously since I was about twelve years old. Students who are serious about ballet and pursuing it as a career will usually go away in the summer for programs called "summer intensives". These programs are an "intense" way to improve technique and artistry in just a few weeks. Last summer I was accepted to the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) summer course as a student in Level VII. PNB is considered one of the premier ballet companies and schools in the United States so this was a huge honor for me! I took class for five weeks surrounded by some of the most talented students in the country who train year-round at some of the most prestigious programs. I was one of the youngest in my level. The teachers were all outstanding and I even took class from the artistic director Peter Boal! I left Seattle more determined than ever to bring my dream to life!
This summer I have the opportunity to attend the PNB summer course again. Given that I was younger than most students in my level last year, I was surprised and proud to learn that I have been placed in Level VIII for this summer. Level VIII is the top level in the PNB summer course and it's also the smallest. While most levels have about 50 students split into two groups, level VIII has only about 25 students. The smaller class size means even more personalized attention from the teachers who taught me so much last summer! And Level VIII is taught by the company's artistic director about once a week. For those that don't know, artistic directors are the ones who ultimately make hiring decisions for companies so this exposure could be really important later on.
The total cost to attend the PNB summer course in Level VIII is $6035. There are additional costs for travel and for pointe shoes. Last summer I went through about a pair ($120) a week! My family can help with some of the costs but with an older brother in college (GO TIGERS!) resources are a little scarce. If you are one of those people who have followed my journey so far with interest, a patron of the arts or just a person who enjoys watching a young person chase a big dream, then I hope you will consider making a donation. No amount is too small! Every little bit will help! And I am forever grateful for your support.
Organisator
April DuPree
Organisator
Dorchester Manor, SC