Summer Dance Intensive
June 8-18, 2026
2026 Summer Dance Intensive
Dance Uprising welcomes dancers ages 9-18 to our 2026 Summer Dance Intensive, held at the beautiful Joy Dance Company in Ypsilanti! Learn from Dance Uprising professionals as well as guest teachers in this densely packed, 2-week training opportunity!
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Dancers will enjoy the daily routine of a warmup class, modern technique, elective classes, and Dance Uprising repertory rehearsals, as well as an opportunity to perform Dance Uprising repertory at the end of the session!
Full Registration
Dance Uprising's Summer Dance Intensive is an opportunity for dancers to dive into dance full-time for 2 weeks! Perfect for serious dancers, as well as dancers who are obsessed and want to train every day! Make leaps in your technique as you develop new friendships and passion for dance!
1 Week
Dance Uprising's Summer Dance Intensive is an opportunity for dancers to dive into dance full-time for 2 weeks packed full of classes! We believe dancers will gain the most benefit by attending the full 2-week session, but we understand that isn't always possible! 1-week registration is available here:
Drop-In Classes
Choose this option if you are only able to come to a few classes during the session. Complete schedule will be posted soon.
Intensive Schedule
The Summer Dance Intensive will run Monday, June 8 - Friday, June 12 and Monday, June 15 - Thursday, June 18. There is no class on Friday, June 19. Each day begins at 9am, although dancers may arrive up to 20 minutes early. We end at 3:30pm except on Thursday 6/19, when we will have an exposition for dancers to perform the repertory they have learned! Guests may arrive between 3:45 and 4:00. We will begin right at 4!
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An example of the Summer Dance Intensive daily schedule is:
9-10am Yoga warm-up class
10-11:30am Modern dance technique
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch break
12:30-2:00pm Electives*
2:00-3:30pm Repertory
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* Electives
- Ballet
- Choreography
- Contact Improvisation
- Floorwork
- Improvisation
- Injury Prevention
- Musical Theater
- Nontraditional Partnering
- Tap
Class Descriptions
Ballet - elective
Taught by GingerAnn Neslund
More info coming soon!
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Choreography - elective
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
Choreography, also known as dance composition, can be approached in a variety of ways. In this class, dancers will learn tools to create their own original, idiosyncratic movement phrases, developing dance choreography with meaning.
Contact Improvisation - elective
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
Contact Improvisation is an exploratory dance form originally developed by Steve Paxton in 1972. Dancers engage in playful exploration of weight shifts, counterbalance, and shared points of contact to achieve connection and effortless lifts in their dancing.
Floorwork - elective
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
This floor based modern class uses release, rolling, sliding, and more to dance at a low level. Dancers may wear kneepads and layers for this class.
Horton technique - daily
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
This historic technique was originally developed by Lester Horton in the early-mid twentieth century, with an aim to correct muscular imbalances and create strong dancers. Horton technique continues to be used by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and other modern dance companies around the US.
Improvisation - elective
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
Dancers will learn about the elements of dance and engage in playful creative exercises. Improvisation is spontaneous dancing, by individuals or by a group, with in-the-moment compositional decisions shaping the dance.
Injury Prevention - elective
Taught by GingerAnn Neslund
More info coming soon!
Musical Theater - elective
Taught by Theo Renee
More info coming soon!
Nontraditional Partnering - elective
Taught by Amy Cadwallader
Nontraditional Partnering is born out of Alison Chase / Pilobolus style movement. Dancers learn and apply physics concepts like counterbalance and cantilever to establish lifts with ease. Lifts and weight shares are sequenced into a dance phrase.
Tap - elective
Taught by Theo Renee
More info coming soon!
Yoga / Warmup - daily
Taught by Autumn Short
Students have the opportunity to warm up each morning with Dance Uprising company member Autumn Short. Autumn earned a Dance degree with a Yoga minor at Wayne State University. This class begins with a focus on breath and intention and moves into full body flow to prime the mind and body for a full day of dancing.