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Inside USC Kaufman & What Makes This Dance Program Stand Out

Release Date: 04/30/2025

Peter Stark on the State of the Ballet Job Market: A Rerelease

Ballet Help Desk

We're rereleasing one of Ballet Help Desk's most popular episodes! Peter Stark from The Rock School discusses the ballet job market, choosing post-graduate ballet programs, and audition strategies for pre-professional dancers. Learn how to approach ballet auditions, what trainee programs look for, and how to stand out as you transition from ballet student to professional dancer. Links: Instagram: @ Facebook: TikTok: Music from #Uppbeat: License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI

Jenny's Favorite Episode - Abbey's 1st Contract

Ballet Help Desk

A rerelease: In our first episode of Dancer Stories, Jenny and her daughter Abbey share how Abbey got her first ballet contract. Tune in to hear how a meeting about dorm policy violations at a summer intensive turned into an apprenticeship offer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. After a last-minute decision to attend the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Company Experience, Abbey's unexpected journey underscores the importance of seizing opportunities—you never know where they might lead! Learn more about Pittsburgh Ballet Theater on their . Interested in following Abbey's career? You can find...

Raymond Rodriguez on Pittsburgh Ballet's Company Experience

Ballet Help Desk

Raymond Rodriguez, Dean of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, breaks down their Company Experience program and why they created it. Unlike traditional summer intensives, the Company Experience simulates professional dancer life through repertoire-heavy training and direct interaction with Pittsburgh Ballet's artistic staff. Raymond explains what a typical day looks like, the types of choreography students work on, and who mentors participants throughout the program. The conversation covers how the program helps dancers understand company realities, what discussions happen around professional...

How Philadelphia Ballet Does Summer: Three Unique Programs

Ballet Help Desk

Davit Karapetyan and Laura Bowman Goldstein from Philadelphia Ballet break down three focused summer programs designed for dancers considering specialized training: the Pas de Deux Intensive, Variations Intensive, and Company Experience. They start with partnering, an essential skill that many students cannot get in their local schools. Davit and Laura talk about how much partnering really matters in today’s job market, what experience dancers need going in, and how this intensive tackles the challenges students struggle with most. Next, they dive into the Variations Intensive, where dancers...

Durante Verzola on Miami City Ballet's Choreo Workshop

Ballet Help Desk

Durante Verzola, resident choreographer for Miami City Ballet School, breaks down their Summer Choreographic Workshop, a specialized program that simulates professional dancer life for students as young as 14. Unlike traditional summer intensives, this program focuses on preparing dancers for the quick turnaround and varied repertory demands of company life. Durante explains why they created a separate choreographic track, how company artistic staff are involved, and what types of mentors and choreographers work with participants. The conversation covers the balance between new and...

Kansas City Ballet's Summer ChoreoLab for Makers & Movers

Ballet Help Desk

Oliver Till, Artistic Director of Kansas City Ballet School, walks us through ChoreoLab, their unique summer program that pairs aspiring dancers with emerging choreographers. The program runs two tracks: Movers (dancers 17+) and Makers (choreographers 18-24). Instead of traditional technique classes, participants collaborate on original work, learning about lighting, costume design, and tech rehearsals along the way. The focus is on the creative process, not just the final product, with dancers exploring new movement styles they wouldn't encounter in standard training. Oliver explains the...

Colorado Ballet Gets Creative: Two Unique Summer Programs

Ballet Help Desk

Erica Fischbach and Sean Omandam from Colorado Ballet Academy break down two of their specialized summer programs: the Choreographic Workshop and the Young Dancer Intensive. The Choreographic Workshop immerses older students in a professional-style setting where they learn to pick up choreography quickly, work with mentors, and develop their artistic voice. Artist talks expose participants to what life is like as a professional ballet dancer. The location? You'll want to hear where this program takes place -- it's an environment that enhances creativity in a way most studios can't match! The...

Washington School of Ballet's Summer Repertory Programs

Ballet Help Desk

Before you listen, please consider taking our to help us improve what we do: Katie Sopoci Drake and Zoica Tovar from the Washington School of Ballet break down their Junior and Senior Repertory Week programs in this episode. The two programs serve different levels of dancers, and our guests explain how each one works and what participants can expect. They discuss the school's teaching methods, how they work with different learning styles, and what it takes to move from student training to professional dancing. The conversation covers mentorship structures, choreography...

How to Approach Audition Season Like a Pro with Jess Spinner

Ballet Help Desk

Audition season is here again, and we’re revisiting one of our most requested conversations. In this episode, Jess Spinner, founder of The Whole Dancer, breaks down how dancers can create an audition approach that actually works for them. She shares strategies for choosing auditions, tailoring a plan to the type of job you're pursuing, and managing the mental, physical, and emotional pressure that comes with this time of year. Learn more about Jess : Schedule a : Links: Instagram: @ Facebook: TikTok: @

#NoThirds: Bullying In Ballet - What Parents Need To Know (Part 2)

Ballet Help Desk

Before you listen, please consider taking our so we can continue improving the show. Link: In Part 2 of our #NoThirds series on bullying in ballet, we dig deeper into accountability, emotional health, and what it actually looks like to navigate harmful dynamics inside dance environments. Our guests explore how parents, students, and schools can recognize the signs of toxic training, respond to concerning behavior, and create space for honest conversations about what dancers are experiencing. As we address listener questions, we discuss the importance of listening closely to children,...

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Jackie Kopcsak, a founding faculty member and Associate Professor of Practice at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, joins us to unpack what makes USC’s program unique—from its one-of-a-kind curriculum and career planning resources to how students balance ballet, choreography, and cross-disciplinary training. We discuss what the school looks for in applicants, how students launch into professional dance and arts careers, and why USC’s location in Los Angeles opens doors for both training and jobs. Plus, listener questions about applying, balancing multiple interests like musical theater, and whether Kaufman is the right fit for ballet-focused dancers.

Learn more about USC's Dance Program on their website

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Music from #Uppbeat:

https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future

License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI

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