Joffrey Ballet School

What a beautiful way to conclude the 2026 JoffreyRED Contemporary Ballet Summer Intensive.

A heartfelt congratulations to every dancer who took the stage in Infinity. Your dedication, creativity, and artistry made for an inspiring evening and a wonderful celebration of all you’ve accomplished together.

Thank you to Artistic Director Josie Walsh Josie Walsh, all faculty and choreographers Elaine Kimble Elaine Kimble McCulloch and Andrew Brader Andrew Brader for sharing your artistry, mentorship, and creative vision throughout the intensive. To our families, students, staff, and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for your unwavering support in making this experience so meaningful.

The final curtain may have fallen, but this is just the beginning. Stay tuned as we continue sharing highlights, special moments, and memories from an unforgettable summer.

📸 BIG LIGHT STUDIOS

Great training is built on meaningful guidance, individualized attention, and a commitment to every dancer's growth. In our Pre-Professional Trainee Program, our Dean and Artistic Directors work alongside students offering hands-on corrections, demonstrations, and thoughtful feedback that encourage both technical and artistic development.

Across our Ballet Trainee and Jazz & Contemporary Trainee concentrations, learning is a collaborative process. Every correction, conversation, and shared moment in the studio reflects the care and expertise our leadership team brings to each dancer's journey. It is this daily connection that helps students build confidence, refine their artistry, and continue growing as both dancers and individuals.

Learn more about our Pre-Professional Trainee Program and take the next step in your training at www.joffreyballetschool.com/trainee-program

📸 .shoo

Every class is an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen technique, and foster a lifelong love of dance. Our Children's & Youth Ballet Programs provide a welcoming and supportive environment where young dancers are encouraged to grow artistically, technically, and personally.

With guidance from our dedicated faculty, students develop strong fundamentals, creativity, discipline, and lasting friendships while discovering the joy of movement. We are proud to support each dancer's journey and celebrate every milestone along the way.

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From the studio to the streets of New York City, our NYC Hip Hop Summer Intensive was filled with nonstop energy, creativity, and unforgettable experiences!

Under the artistic direction of Lissette and David Lucas and in partnership with Shake the Ground, The Ultimate Dance Competition , dancers trained with our incredible faculty while exploring a wide range of hip hop styles, including commercial, breaking, house, locking, jazz/funk, freestyle, and more. Beyond the studio, students brought their artistry to life through exciting performance opportunities, including a flash mob, a music video, dance battles, and experiences that challenged them to perform with confidence, adaptability, and individuality.

Thank you to our amazing faculty and staff for creating such an inspiring and supportive environment throughout the summer, and to every dancer for your passion, hard work, and commitment to growing as both artists and performers. Your energy and dedication made this intensive one to remember!

Stay tuned as we share a recap of their culminating performance, Legends of the Beat, later this week!

There’s still time to be considered for select 2026 Summer Intensives through a digital audition, subject to availability.

Dancers across the U.S. and internationally may submit a video audition for review, with select applicants also considered for the Joffrey Ballet School’s Pre-Professional Trainee Program.

With August programs approaching, dancers are encouraged to submit as soon as possible. We recommend submitting at least one month before the start of your desired intensive whenever possible. Registration closes one week before each program begins.

Don’t miss your opportunity to take the next step in your training this summer. Submit your digital audition at www.joffreyballetschool.com/digital-auditions.

Join us for the culminating performance of the 2026 Joffrey Colorado Summer Intensive!

After weeks of dedicated training, artistic growth, and creative exploration, our Joffrey Colorado Summer Intensive dancers are ready to take the stage for an inspiring evening of dance.

Under the artistic direction of Colleen Barnes, this special performance features works by Colleen Barnes and Christa St. John, after Lev Ivanov, alongside original choreography by Lindsay Giedl, Makenna Zelenak, and Ben Needham-Wood. Together, these works celebrate the versatility, discipline, and artistry our dancers have developed throughout their summer experience.

📅 Friday, July 24, 2026
🕓 4:00 PM
📍 The Dairy Arts Center – Gordon Gamm Theater, Boulder, Colorado

We invite family, friends, and the community to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of these young artists as they bring their summer journey to the stage.

Click https://thedairy.org/event/2026-joffrey-colorado-final-performance/ for tickets.

Photographer: Rachel Neville at ⁠
Creative & Marketing Director: Maria Zamri .zamri⁠
Dancers: Charles Klepner and Miriam Nsangu, Rising Year 4 Ballet Trainees.

Movement became expression, challenges became opportunities, and every day in the studio brought new discoveries at our Joffrey South Jazz & Contemporary Summer Intensive.

Led by Artistic Director Colleen Barnes and Associate Artistic Director Lindsay Giedl , dancers spent four weeks exploring a diverse curriculum of jazz, modern, contemporary, hip hop, ballet, and conditioning. Through rigorous training, artistic exploration, and personalized mentorship, students strengthened their versatility, expanded their creative voices, and gained the confidence to approach every new challenge with curiosity and purpose.

A sincere thank you to our outstanding faculty and staff for fostering such a supportive and inspiring environment, and to each of our dancers for your commitment, passion, and willingness to push beyond your comfort zones. Your dedication made this summer an incredible experience, and we are so proud of everything you accomplished.

Stay tuned as we share highlights from their culminating final performance later this week!

Our NYC Ballet Summer Intensive is led by an exceptional faculty of artists and educators who bring decades of professional experience into the studio, creating an environment where dancers are challenged to grow both technically and artistically. Valerie Madonia is among the distinguished faculty guiding this summer's intensive, sharing the knowledge and perspective she has gained throughout an accomplished career in performance, education, and artistic leadership.

A former dancer with The Joffrey Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, and American Ballet Theatre, Valerie has spent more than 25 years mentoring the next generation of dancers through leading ballet schools, pre-professional programs, and international intensives. Her longstanding connection to Joffrey Ballet School, combined with her experience as a director, choreographer, and répétiteur for The Gerald Arpino Foundation, allows her to bring both the traditions of classical ballet and the values of the Joffrey legacy into every class she teaches.

As one of the many accomplished faculty members at our NYC Ballet Summer Intensive, Valerie helps create a training experience that extends beyond technique alone. Through her mentorship, students are encouraged to develop the discipline, artistry, and confidence that define a well-rounded dancer while learning from artists who continue to shape and preserve the future of ballet.