Summer Intensive 2026
at Southern California Ballet
2026 Summer Intensive Dates:
June 29- July 3, 2026 • July 6-10, 2026 • July 13-17, 2026
Ages 11+ or SCB Levels 4-Company
What is the SCB Summer Intensive?
Since 2017, Southern California Ballet has held its own summer intensive program, bringing in top-quality guest teaching faculty to complement and enhance the year-round training of its own highly experienced teachers.
The intensive provides our dancers with a summer program option of the same, if not higher, caliber than those associated with professional ballet companies across the states, with the added benefit of smaller class sizes and a familiar environment.
Learn from renowned guest teachers from across the country
Concentrated Workshops Include:
Ballet technique
Concentrated classes of allegro, pirouettes and/or pointe
Body conditioning
Different styles of dance, including jazz, contemporary, and character.
Why Participate in a Summer Intensive?
Due to the amount of concentrated time spent in the studio, dancers advance faster and make significant progress during summer intensives. It is a time of “lightbulb moments” and huge leaps in technique, artistry, and confidence. Dancing during the day, lacking the school-year demands of school and homework, contributes to dancers’ enjoyment and learning.
The summer intensive also creates camaraderie between dancers as they spend the week(s) together in the studio, learning from both teachers and each other.
Access to guest teachers with unique knowledge & experience
Reinforces correct body placement & technique with mind-body connection
Stronger muscle memory via repetition & practice
Fast improvement of flexibility and strength
Development of lifelong friendships & connections
Benefits of Summer
Intensive Training
“It helped me improve in acting and learn how to incorporate my techniques and personality into dance.”
— 2018 Participant
“My favorite thing about the summer intensive is getting to dance with my friends and learning new choreography.”
— 2019 Participant
Even participating for just one week of a summer intensive can have immense benefits for dancers in Levels 4 and above.
If your dancer is beginning to find their love of dance, or has already made dance their after school commitment, this is a perfect time to begin the next step in training.
Dancers will be divided into two levels after registration closes.
Dates & Schedule
June 29 - July 3 • July 6-10 • July 13-17
M-F approx. 9:00 am – 1:15 pm
Dancers can enroll in any week, including all three.
Sample Schedule* (Estimated Times)
We are currently estimating that the classes will be held between 9:00am - 1:15pm. Please review the sample schedule below:
Monday/Tuesday/Thursday
| Time | Class |
|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Technique |
| 10:30 am | Variations/Pointe/Clinic** OR Modern/Jazz |
| 11:30 am | Lunch or Snack |
| 12:00 pm | Variations/Pointe/Clinic** OR Modern/Jazz |
| 1:00 pm | Stretch & Cool Down |
| 1:15 pm | Finish |
Wednesday/Friday
| Time | Class |
|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Technique |
| 10:00 am | Character OR Body Conditioning |
| 11:00 am | Lunch or Snack |
| 11:30 am | Warm-Up |
| 11:45 am | Variations/Pointe/Clinic** OR Modern/Jazz |
| 12:45 pm | Stretch & Cool Down |
| 1:15 pm | Finish |
* Schedule and teachers are all subject to change
** Clinic is time dedicated for extra work on pirouettes, allegro, music, and artistry
Tuition
Dancers can enroll in all three weeks, two weeks, or one week. Please see the adjacent pricing table for each option.
| One Total Week | $600 |
| Two Total Weeks | $1,000 |
| Three Total Weeks | $1,250 |
Enroll
Faculty
Directors of Summer Intensive
Martha Leebolt
Co-Artistic Director of Southern California Ballet
Martha Leebolt trained at Black Mountain Dance Centre under the direction of Sylvia Palmer and Ahita Ardalan and was a Southern California Ballet Company member. After graduation she attended the professional training program at BalletMet. A year later, she joined Northern Ballet, Leeds, England, rising to rank of principal . Numerous roles created for her include Cleopatra in Claude-Michel Schonberg and David Nixon's Cleopatra, Daisy in The Great Gatsby, Beauty in Beauty and the Beast, Julia in 1984 and Cinderella in Cinderella. Other roles include Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Odette and Odilia in Swan Lake, Mina and Lucy in Dracula to name a few. She has worked with some of the top choreographers in the world including Hans Van Manen, Christopher Hampson, Jean-Christophe Maillot, David Nixon, Jonathan Watkins and Cathy Marston. A recipient of the Outstanding Female Classical Performance Award, 2010 National Dance Awards, England and nominated for the same award in 2016; repeatedly included in the Dance Europe magazine's list of outstanding dancers; Martha has been a guest artist around the world including the23rd International Ballet Festival, Havana, Cuba, China and the 2014 European Ballet Awards, Berlin. As of September 2017, Martha became Co-Artistic Director of Southern California Ballet in San Diego.
Toby Batley
Co-Artistic Director of Southern California Ballet
Toby Batley was born in Manchester, England and trained at the Hammond School of Dance in Chester and the Royal Ballet School, London. After graduating, Tobias joined the Jeune Ballet de Cannes, in France before joining Northern Ballet, England in 2004 where he was promoted to principal dancer. In addition to performing all of the leading roles in Northern Ballet’s repertoire he had many roles created for him including Marc Anthony in David Nixon and Claude Michel in Schonberg's Cleopatra, Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, Prince Mikhail in Cinderella, Charles Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities and Winston Smith in the award winning 1984. He has worked with some of the top choreographers in the world including Hans Van Manen, Christopher Hampson, Jean-Christophe Maillot, David Nixon, Jonathan Watkins and Cathy Marston. He was nominated for National Dance Awards in 2010 , 2012 , 2015 and 2016 and has been included in Dance Europe magazine’s list of outstanding dancers for the last six years. He has guested in galas internationally, most recently at the Taglioni European Ballet Awards in Berlin. As of September 2017, Tobias became Co-Artistic Director of Southern California Ballet in San Diego.
2025 Guest Faculty
2026 Teachers TBA
*Please note that faculty will vary between different weeks of the summer intensive.
Mary Beth Hansohn
Formerly Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet & Twyla Tharp Dance
Mary Beth Hansohn received her professional training at The Arlington Center for Dance in Arlington, VA. She joined the Ohio Ballet as a full member at age 18, and went on to dance in works by Heinz Poll, Donald Byrd, Laura Dean, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Stephen Mills, Septime Webre, Salvatore Aiello, Dermot Burke, Christopher Fleming, and Jeffrey Hughes. Mary Beth has performed with Twyla Tharp Dance, The Metropolitan Opera, Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, The Cleveland Opera, D.C. Contemporary Dance Festival, Neglia Ballet Artists, Dances Patrelle and Terra Firma Dance Theatre.
Mary Beth performed in The 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York City, which was televised on CBS. She has also worked with Edouard Lock at La La La Human Steps in Montreal, and with Karole Armitage at Armitage Gone! Dance in New York City. Some of Mary Beth’s favorite roles performed include the title role in Giselle, “Mina Harker” in Dracula, “Gertrude” in Hamlet, “Russian Girl” in Serenade, the pas de trois from George Balanchine’s Agon, and Unnatural Selection, a pas de deux choreographed and danced with her husband, James Graber.
Fiona Hutchens
Dancer with Diablo Ballet, ABT certified teacher
Fiona was born in New York City. She began her classical ballet training at a young age at Southold Dance Theater in South Bend, Indiana under the direction of Erica Fischbach. Fiona relocated to Denver in 2016 and joined Colorado Ballet Academy under the direction of Erica Fischbach.
She was promoted to Trainee in 2019 and joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company in 2020. While in Studio Company she had the opportunity to perform Corps de Ballet roles with the company including George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Clark Tippet’s Bruch Violin Concerto, and Nanine in Lady of the Camellias.
In 2023 Fiona relocated to California to join Diablo Ballet as an Apprentice for their 30th anniversary season. She had the joy of performing many Corps de Ballet roles, George Balanchine’s Donizetti, and a new work by Penny Saunders. Fiona also teaches in Diablo Ballet's PEEK outreach program.
Fiona additionally has a passion for teaching and choreographing. While on the faculty for Colorado Ballet Academy, she had many opportunities to choreograph and create new works on the students. She had the privilege of creating and performing Ivory Suite and Short Dances for Colorado Ballet’s Fancy Footwork series. She has also choreographed numerous contemporary solos and duets for Youth America Grand Prix that have passed to finals, as well as assisting in ensemble rehearsals.
Fiona is an ABT NTC certified teacher and enjoys teaching for Diablo Ballet School, Oakland Ballet School, and other local studios in the Bay Area as a year round faculty member.
Emily Webb
Formerly Dayton Ballet and BalletMet Columbus
Emily (Gotschall) Webb has devoted over three decades of her life to the art of dance. Recently having retired from a nearly 20 year career performing as a soloist and principal dancer with Dayton Ballet and BalletMet, she now teaches in the Ohio area, around the US and in the UK as a guest instructor and stager. Emily was fortunate to work with many great choreographers of our time and performed leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Dangerous Liasons, Peter Pan and numerous neoclassical and contemporary works.
She finds great fulfillment now sharing her knowledge with students and helping them on their training journey with positive and encouraging energy in the studio and beyond. Recent projects include co artistic directing the Bozeman Dance Project, an outreach program serving the community of Bozeman, MT in 2019 and staging Edwaard Liang’s full length Romeo and Juliet on Ballet San Antonio.
Pedro Lapetra Miñana
Current full-time faculty at Milwaukee Ballet & Formerly lead dancer, English National Ballet
Born in Zaragoza (Spain) began his training at Escuela Municipal de Danza in Zaragoza under the direction of Cristina Miñana. From 1997 to 2001, He enriched his training at Bartholin International Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen (Denmark) where He was awarded a scholarship to learn the Bournonville technique and work with Master teachers such as Vivi Flindt, Johnny Eliasen, Robert Denvers, Laura Alonso, Lloyd Riggins, Nicolaj Hubbe, David Howard among others.
In 2001 He joined European Ballet as a Principal dancer to perform Franz in Coppelia, He then went on to join the Norwegian National Ballet in 2002 where He perform master pieces by Jiri Kylian, Paul Lightfoot, Michael Pink, and Balanchine.
In 2003 He joined English National Ballet where he danced for 19 years and performed principal and soloist roles such as, Mercutio in Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet, Bluebird in Macmillan’s Sleeping Beauty, Peasant Pas de Deux in Skeaping’s Giselle, Russian and Spanish Dance in Eagling’s Nutcracker, White Rabbit in Dean’s Alice in Wonderland, Ali in Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Neapolitan Dance (Ashton) in Dean’s Swan Lake, Beggar Chief in Macmillan’s Manon, Solo Man in Pina Bauch’s Le Sacre du Printemps. He has also worked with major choreographers like John Neumeire, Russell Maliphant, Akram Khan, Christopher Wheeldon and Tamara Rojo and performed at prestigious stages Palais Garnier (Paris), Bolshoi Theatre (Moscow), Tokyo’s Bunka Kaikan, Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Athens) Pedro appeared in several International Ballet Galas where he performed Don Quixote Pas de Deux, Flower Festival in Genzano, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Coppelia Pas de Deux, Satanella Pas de Deux, Pas de Esclave from Le Corsaire, Diana & Acteon Pas de Deux, La Sylphide Act II Pas de Deux.
He graduated from the Royal Ballet Teaching Diploma in 2018 and has been a guest teacher with English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet II, Rambert School of Dance, English National Ballet School, Escuela de Francisca Tomas (Palma de Mallorca), Los Angeles Ballet Academy.
In 2022 He was Assistant of Choreography for Tamara Rojo’s Cinderella at Royal Swedish Ballet.
David Ward
Leading dancer with BalletMet Columbus & Formerly Northern Ballet, UK
David Ward, a current leading dancer with BalletMet, was born in London, England where he received his early training, attending The Royal Ballet School programs, and later graduated from the English National Ballet School. He joined Northern Ballet in Leeds, England, and was promoted to soloist in 2008. He then moved to the US and joined BalletMet in Columbus, OH where he was a leading dancer. David has performed as a Guest Principal with Oklahoma City Ballet for the 2019/20 season and joined companies performing lead roles in productions across the USA.
He originated roles in many world premiere creations including Prince in Edwaard Liang’s Cinderella and James Kudelka’s Rite of Spring. He performed leads in much of BalletMet’s diverse classical and contemporary repertoire including the works of George Balanchine, Jerome Robins, Michael Pink, Ma Cong, and Christopher Wheeldon. He is a dance teacher, coach, and current stager for Edwaard Liang's Choreography. Most recently staging the full production of Romeo and Juliet on Ballet San Antonio and appearing as a master teacher for The Royal Academy of Dancing USA.
ERICA ALVARADO
Dancer with BalletMet Columbus
ERICA ALVARADO was born in Tucson, Arizona, and arrived at Ballet Met for the 2022/23 season via Atlanta Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, Milwaukee Ballet, and Ballet Tucson.
Alvarado was signed as a principal at City Ballet of San Diego in 2011, where she performed in The Firebird, Carmen, Giselle, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, George Balanchine works Square Dance, Who Cares, La Source, Donizetti Variations, Allegro Brillante, Serenade, Tarantella, Walpurgisnacht, Concerto Barocco, Apollo, and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux. She also performed soloist roles in The Four Temperaments and Agon, and danced the role of the Principal Woman in Peter Martin’s Hallelujah Junction.
In 2017, Alvarado joined Atlanta Ballet where she performed Kitri, The Sugar Plum Fairy, The Snow Queen, and other leading roles in Helgi Tómasson’s 7 for Eight, Stanton Welch’s Tu Tu and More, Craig Davidson’s Remembrance Hereafter, Liam Scarlett’s Vespertine, and in Scarlett’s world premiere of Catch.
Since Alvarado joined Ballet Met she has performed leading roles in ballets by Edwaard Liang, Ma Cong, Twyla Tharp, Ulysses Dove, and Dana Genshaft to name a few.
Alvarado began her dance training at Ballet Arts in Tucson, under the direction of Mary Beth Cabana, and she attended many prestigious summer intensives. After graduating from high school, she joined Ballet Tucson and worked closely with ballet masters Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner from American Ballet Theater, where they selected Alvarado to perform leading roles in Antony Tudor ballets. Two years later, she joined Milwaukee Ballet II and has been teaching students and professionals of all ages ever since.
Resident Faculty
Noriko Zaragoza
Ballet Mistress & Assistant to the Artistic Directors
Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Noriko started her training at the Sasaki Mika Ballet Academy under the direction of Mika Sasaki and Mikio Ikehata.
Noriko has trained at the Christine Walsh Dance Center (now called The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet) in Melbourne, Australia under the direction of Christine Walsh. In her training Noriko has performed many notable principle/soloist roles.
Noriko has won numerous competitions in Japan and Australia such as: 3rd prize in All Japan Ballet Competition, 3rd prize in Itabashi Ballet Competition, and Finalist in the “Award to Honorable of the Ballet Teacher’s Workshop (VIC) Scholarships.”
Noriko joined the San Diego Ballet in 2004 under the direction of Robin Morgan and Javier Velasco. Since then she has performed many original pieces with the artistic direction of Mr. Velasco.
In 201,7 Noriko retired from performing on stage, and from 2017 to 2020 served as the Assistant to the Directors at San Diego Ballet. In 2020 Noriko joined the Southern California Ballet family by accepting the position of Ballet Mistress & Assistant to Artistic Directors.
Wendy Cormier
MFA Ballet
Mrs. Cormier earned her MFA in Ballet with a specialty in Character dance from The University of Utah where she trained with Yurek Lazowsky, William Christenson, Mattlyn Gavers and others. She danced with the College University Ballet Ensemble, Ballet West and was a featured soloist for the character dance ensemble. Upon completion of her degree, Wendy returned home to dance with Honolulu City Ballet and was also cast in many television programs, including Magnum P.I.. In 1986, she moved to San Diego and worked extensively within the Poway Unified school district developing innovative dance programs for children; produced and directed children's variety shows; and received the California State PTA Honorary Service and Continuing Service Awards. Mrs. Cormier has been teaching at Southern California Ballet since 2001, is a certified Cecchetti teacher and adjunct professor in the Dance Department at Palomar College teaching both lecture and studio classes.
Marlie Couto
Contemporary
Marlie Couto is a freelance dance artist and educator, often based in California. Marlie has had the pleasure of working closely with and performing works by Summer Lee Rhatigan, Christian Burns, Marissa Brown, Bobbi Jene Smith, Tom Weinberger, David Harvey, Lauren Simpson, Hope Mohr, Margaret Jenkins, Alex Ketley, Courtney Mazeika, and Margot Gelber. She is a collaborator with Room to Room Project, burnsWORK, and Lone King Projects. Marlie has danced, performed, and taught in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Boston, Austin, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Victoria BC, Montreal, Berlin, Luzern, and Rotterdam. Her infinite curiosity about the human body and its capacities has led her to become a certified Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist. Applying FRC concepts, and through mentorship with The Fitness Alchemists, Marlie’s physical research practices have continued to explore the resilience of bodies through movement, sensation, and communication with the nervous system.
Andrea Rose
Andrea Rose trained in classical ballet, jazz, modern and character at BMDC for eleven years. She received the California Arts Scholarship to train at CalArts in Valencia in 2003 and 2004 and was a member of the Varsity Tour de Force Dance Team at Rancho Bernardo High School. She was awarded Palomar College's Dancer of the Year in 2009 where she was a featured dancer and choreographer in various performances. Andrea is graduating from CSU San Marcos with a degree in Medical Anthropology and intends to obtain a graduate degree in Food Studies. She is currently a member of CSUSM's highly ranked competition dance team and performs as a guest artist with Axxiom Dance Collective.
Policies
Cancelled Weeks
If a recreation camp or summer intensive does not reach our minimum weekly enrollment, we hold the right to cancel that week at a full refund. We will let you know fourteen days in advance of any cancellations.