Pre-Professional Summer Intensive

Designed for Pre-Professional dancers 11 and up, our 2-week program will take place on July 24 – August 4, 2023. Classes during our Summer Intensive will take place at Mareck Center for Dance from 9:00am – 4:00pm, Monday-Friday. Auditions are required for this program, and online video auditions will be accepted until June 17th. Please read the additional information below!

Junior Summer Intensive

Designed specifically for dancers ages 7-13, our Junior Summer Intensive focuses on the younger student’s desire to develop technique, strength, and artistry in preparation for further dance studies. The week-long program will take place July 17-21, 2023 at Mareck Center for Dance. Dancers do not need to audition to be accepted into this program. Further information on our Junior Summer Intensive can be found here!

Pre-Professional Summer Intensive 2023 Audition Dates & Requirements

There are two ways to audition for the Mareck Center for Dance Summer Intensive this year! We will be offering two in-person auditions and will be accepting recorded video auditions via email. To register for auditions please have the corresponding material for your entry. Each audition will be $25 and will be payable online once materials and registration information is received.

In Studio Audition Requirements:

In-person studio auditions have concluded for the 2023 summer intensive.

 

Recorded Video Audition Requirements: If you are unable to attend our in person audition, you may submit a video audition by emailing the following materials to school@mareckcenterfordance.org.

  • $25 audition fee
    • Please Venmo to @MareckCenterforDance and include “Summer Intensive Audition” and your name in the memo
  • YouTube or Vimeo video link
  • Resume
  • Headshot
  • First arabesque photo

**Videos should be no longer than 5 minutes and must include ballet center work consisting of pirouettes, adagio, petite & grand allegro, and pointe work, if applicable. A contemporary solo (no longer than 1 minute) is also preferred. Results will be sent within three weeks of video submission.

Video auditions must be submitted no later than June 17th

Tuition

Full 2-week attendance or partial attendance permitted.

2 weeks: $700.00      Weekly Rate: $400.00 

Applicants must submit a $100 non-refundable deposit (credited toward tuition) with the registration form. Full balance must be postmarked no later than June 25, 2023 or you may jeopardize your place in the program. Applicants are able to receive a 5% discount on tuition by paying tuition in full by May 1st. There are no refunds on tuition. Scholarships are available on a talent and need basis.

Housing

Host Family

Limited host family housing is available for $250/week. This fee covers housing, all meals, and transportation. Host families will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Once matched, host family information will be given to the incoming dancer’s family.

 

Extended Stay Hotels

There are several affordable options for extended stay hotels within 10 miles of the studio. Prices to be determined.

Testimonials

“I am currently enrolled as a Dance Pedagogy major at Butler University in Indiana. This past summer, I chose to attend the Mareck Center for Dance Summer Intensive. Having never been to Missouri before, I was graciously welcomed by my host family and their two adorable dogs. My host family made the transition and stay comfortable and showed me all that Columbia had to offer! While training at the Mareck Center for Dance Summer Intensive, I was able to work not only with company dancers and artistic director Karen Grundy, but two guest artists as well. Kristopher Estes-Brown and Meg Paul were able to spend a substantial amount of time each day with us, which resulted in each creating and rehearsing a piece on us for the final performances. The personalized corrections and relationships which the Mareck Center for Dance Summer Intensive fosters are truly exceptional and I am so grateful that I was able to experience them. As I embark on my senior year of college and completing my undergraduate career, I believe that the Mareck Center for Dance Summer Intensive was the perfect choice to attend, as it immersed me into the professional dance world and gave me a glimpse of professional life for two weeks in the heart of Columbia under an impeccable faculty and other dancers!” -Ashley Tomaszewski, 2017

“I have been going to Mareck Center for Dance summer intensive since 2015 and it’s amazing. I enjoy it because I get a lot of one-on-one attention and it helps me improve. I recommend it to dancers everywhere! They do many different styles of dance with an emphasis on ballet and contemporary. They bring in spectacular guest teachers and I love their resident staff. The focus is on technique as well as artistry.” -Sophia Schepers, 2015 & 2016

 

“I have taken the Mareck Center for Dance summer intensive for the past 2 years! I am so impressed with the faculty and program. It took me to the next level in my ballet and the guest teachers were incredible!!” -Savanah Wozny, 2015 & 2016

 

“I am currently enrolled at Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale, Michigan. This past summer I attended the Mareck Center for Dance’s summer intensive. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have had thus far in my dancing education. I stayed with an amazing host family and their four adorable dogs. They were very welcoming and made the transition and stay comfortable. My host family made me feel very at home and even helped me experience Missouri. While attending Mareck Center for Dance’s intensive, I was fortunate enough to not only take classes from Mareck Center for Dance’s company dancers and director Karen Grundy, but also from two guest artists, Megan Pulfer and Peter Pawlyshyn. All of the instructors gave me feedback that helped me grow as a dancer. Megan instructed with impeccable technique and artistic choreography, while Peter was inspiration in work ethic and had a true gift for helping me understand and apply corrections to my ballet technique. Overall I was truly impressed by the personal attention and care that was given to all the students in the program, from the first contact through to the final presentation. My Mareck Center for Dance experience was phenomenal and I feel that it shaped me into a more confident and strong dancer.” –Sarah Byington, 2015

 

“Last summer, I attended the School of Mareck Center for Dance’s summer intensive. It was a fantastic chance to take class and learn repertoire at a high level and see improvement in just two weeks, and it was a safe environment to grow as an artist and benefit from the diverse faculty. In addition to personalized feedback and corrections, we also had a brief lecture on how best to take care of the body while dancing at a professional or college level. Skills such as managing nutrition and preventing or recovering from injury are often forgotten but are essential tools for every dancer. The rigorous schedule prepared me well for the university schedule I am now in the midst of and equipped me to continue making the most out of every class I’ve taken since.” –Stephanie Bonham, 2014

 

“The Mareck Center for Dance summer intensive was a great experience. Dancing all day gives it the same feel of a large institution, yet you get great one-on-one attention here. I highly recommend it for anyone who aspires to dance or wants to get a feel for dancing professionally.” — Camille Laboile, 2013

Guest Instructors

Mareck Center for Dance Guest Instructors 2022


 

Madeline Stein Originally from San Diego, CA, Madeline Stein studied at California Ballet School. At the age of 16 she moved to Philadelphia, PA to train at The Rock School for Dance Education.  Ms. Stein has performed with Charlotte Ballet and The Pennsylvania Ballet where she danced in numerous ballets by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp,  Christopher Wheeldon, Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Mark Diamond, and Emery LeCrone. In addition, Ms. Stein performed with The New Chamber Ballet, Avi Scher & Dancers, Ballet NY, and Rebecca Kelly Ballet in New York City, as well as with the Minnesota Dance Theatre in Minneapolis. Ms. Stein is a fully certified Pilates mat and apparatus instructor. She has been teaching ballet and Pilates since 2010 throughout the NYC metro area, Twin Cities, Omaha, NE, and now Columbia, MO where she teaches the company dancers of Mareck Center for Dance. Madeline’s most recent role has been wife to her husband, Dr. Adam Stein, and their two daughters.

 

                                           

Caitlin Sloan, originally from Rochester Hills, MI, began her training at the Rochester School of Dance under the instruction of Cornelia Sampson. She also studied at Summer Intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Eisenhower Dance Ensemble (on full scholarship).

 Caitlin attended Grand Valley State University on scholarship, where she was named Outstanding Dance Student of 2009. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from GVSU, Caitlin joined Ballet Tucson under the direction of Mary Beth Cabana as a trainee, rising to the rank of apprentice during her second season. While with Ballet Tucson she danced in works by artists including John Gardner, Amanda McKerrow, Chieko Imada, Mark Schneider and Jeffrey Graham Hughes. She has also performed professionally with Grand Rapids Dance Project.

 Caitlin joined Mareck Center for Dance in 2011 under the direction of Karen Mareck Grundy. Notable roles with Mareck Center for Dance include Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Stepsister in Cinderella and The Bride in The Big Day. She has also performed Principal and Soloist roles in works by artists including Karen Mareck Grundy, Shannon Lee West, Joshua Blake Carter, Thang Dao, Autumn Eckman, Penny Saunders, John Mark Owen, Christian Denice, Lindsey Matheis, Fernando Rodriguez and Kameron Saunders. Caitlin retired from the stage in June 2018 after dancing for seven seasons with Mareck Center for Dance.

Beyond the stage, Caitlin taught at the School of Mareck Center for Dance since its inception in 2011 and was named School Director in 2014. As School Director, Caitlin founded the Mareck Center for Dance Youth Ensemble, aimed at giving advanced students professional performance opportunities to further prepare them for a future career in dance. She also served as a lead instructor for the Mareck Center for Dance’s adaptive dance program. In 2017, Caitlin earned her Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri. 

Caitlin has also served as Youth Company Director and Instructor for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble in Carmel, IN and is currently on staff as a Ballet Instructor at the School of Madison Ballet. 

Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. The Brainy Ballerina empowers aspiring dancers with the tools they need to succeed in a professional career both on and off the stage. Through 1-1 career mentorship, virtual private lessons and digital resources, dancers gain the skills necessary to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry.