TUSCAN SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE 2012
for advanced and pre-professional dancers

COME TO DANCE.
GO HOME CHANGED.

Session One: June 10-30
Session Two: July 8-28

Join us in magical Tuscany on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea for Tuscan Summer Dance Intensive, a unique program of dance training and cultural tourism sure to push your artistic edges and open your heart and mind.

MORE THAN JUST DANCING: Although training is at the core of this program, we believe it's also important to have a cultural experience that touches you in a meaningful way.

Tuscan Summer Dance Intensive is based in the decidedly NON tourist city of Livorno (Leghorn), where you will be housed in apartments in the center of town and see a more normal side of Italy (and do your own grocery shopping, take public transport, and get along in a place where English is not widely spoken). Although it can't boast the beauty of Florence, Livorno is really quite delightful in its own modest way, and the seaside here in summer is absolutely fantastic.

Our goal is to help you get a taste of la bella vita -- the beautiful life in which we slow down and take time to enjoy a place, its food, its art, and each other.
 

OUR EXCELLENT & ECONOMICAL TOURISM OPTIONS: If you'd like an organized, economical way to experience some of the most legendary places in Italy, you can participate in our 3-day excursion to Rome and/or our day trip to Florence, Pisa and a Chianti winery. Knowing that many students are on limited budgets, these bits are optional.
 

MORE ABOUT THE DANCE WORKSHOP: Tuscan Summer Dance Intensive offers solid dance training in the major genres plus significant opportunity to broaden your scope as a dancer thru an excellent selection of interesting forms such as Swing, body rhythm and Fosse jazz, for example. (More details available once faculty is finalized, scroll to bottom of page for general schedule.)

Composition and choreo labs will feature our guest instructors.

Public performances are possible. In 2011 we collaborated with a group of Italian dancers to create a dance piece that we performed at a festival in Turin, and Kathleen Ochoa structed a really nifty street improv performed on the seaside promenade and in the main piazza in Livorno.

Add to all of this yoga (outside under the tall pines when possible) or pilates and some well structured, fun improv (that even students with fear of improv enjoy, honest!) and you have a recipe for an experience that will leave you stronger and more serene, more technically capable, and more trusting of yourself.

Important note: you will be dancing in professional, modern studios with proper floors and AIR CONDITIONING at Studio Live and Areadanza. If you are considering other dance programs in Italy, ask them about their facilities. Without AC, the summer heat can really diminish your dance experience.

OUR TERRIFIC BUT NOT FAMOUS FACULTY: All teachers speak English and have generosity of spirit, fun teaching style, and of course excellent credentials.

Faculty for 2012 is still being developed, but to give an idea of the calibre of teachers and styles offered, our 2011 faculty was comprised of:

Holly Matyas (US; The Dance-Voice Connection, Ballet, Modern)
Michèle Moss (Canada; African, Swing, jazz)
Kathleen Ochoa (Canada; contemporary, pilates, composition, improv)
Leonarda Raimondi (Italy; ballet)
Sharon Richardson (USA; body rhythm, jazz, yoga)
Denise Storti (Italy; hip hop, video dance)
 

TO APPLY: simply write to us at info@LaBellaVitaArts.com
MINIMUM AGE: 17 (16 year olds accepted on a case by case basis)
LEVEL: Advanced
DEADLINE: Registration for June session is Feb 28; for July session Mar 21.
Note: Apps are processed as received and group size is small; early registration is advised if you're serious about attending. Write to us for payment options and deadlines.
AUDITION: Required unless you are a dance major at university. One or two short pieces of any style. The audition is not competitive, it is to ensure that a dancer can work at the required level. Video posted to YouTube, please.
 

TUITION:
Please write to us for prices at LaBellaVitaArts.com.
(To our knowledge we are the most economical/best value summer workshop in Tuscany.)

Tuition covers:
-The 3-week intensive (90 hours of dance)
-21 nights lodgings in a shared apartment*
-Transportation to/from studio
-Twice weekly Italian lessons
-Weekly hands-on cooking lesson
-Wrap-up dinner party (a full Livornese feast!)
-Full cultural and locale orientations
-Staff available 24/7

Optional ROME add-on includes:
-3 nights lodgings in a friendly hostel*
-Daily breakfast
-Daily maid service
-Guided tour, lunch and gelato on Day 1
-Accompanied transport from Rome to Tuscany

Optional FLORENCE-PISA-WINERY add-on includes:
-private transport using air conditioned, luxury Mercedes vans
-wine tasting at San Michele a Torri in Chianti

Tuition does NOT cover:
-Flight** or transfers upon arrival or departure
-Food
-Museum/attraction entry fees

 

*In Rome, we will stay at the Alessandro Palace, a convenient, top rated hostel. In Tuscany our lodgings are in new, tastefully decorated apartments, the residencies of Hotel al Teatro.

**Do not book travel until until you have been notified that we have minimum numbers for your program or until arrival details are posted to the GETTING THERE section.