Summer Intensives 2026
Summer Intensives 2026
Our Summer Intensives allow us to bring in choreographers, dancers, and directors with rich and diverse backgrounds who serve as active connections in the dance world, offer new perspectives to technical training, and expand our dancers’ vision by opening up new possibilities for their futures. Summer is a pivotal time in a dancer’s training as it serves as a departure from their typical school schedule and allows for prolonged and consistent hours in the studio to focus, hone their skills, and expand their abilities as they look to the next season!
Registration open in our member portal under “Summer 2026”.
Senior Co Intensives: for Company 4-6
Week 1: May 26-29 (Ballet & Musical Theater) with Robin Dekkers, Mary-Evelyn Kirkland, and Kara Johnson
Week 2: June 1-5 (Ballet & Contemporary Ballet) with Brooke Gilliam, Shannon Alvis, and Nathan Griswold
Week 3: June 8-12 (Ballet & Modern) with Gary Jeter, Shannon Alvis, Jacob Bush, and Jonathon Carter
Week 4: June 15-19 (Contemporary) with Katie Messina & Guests
Week 8: July 20-24 (Ballet, Jazz & Musical Theater)*Co 3-6 with Kara Johnson, Mary-Evelyn Kirkland, and Jonathon Carter
Mid-Level Co Intensives: for Company 2-3
Week 1: May 26-29 (Ballet & Musical Theater) with Robin Dekkers, Mary-Evelyn Kirkland, and Gary Jeter
Week 2: June 1-5 (Ballet, Contemporary Ballet & Jazz) with Brooke Gilliam, Shannon Alvis, Nathan Griswold, and Kara Johnson
Week 3: June 8-12 (Ballet & Contemporary) with Shannon Alvis, Jacob Bush, and Jonathon Carter
Week 4: June 15-19 (Contemporary) with Katie Messina & Guests
Week 7: July 13-17 (Pointe Intensive)* Co 1-3 with Bianca Melidor & Abigrace Diprima
Week 8: July 20-24 (Pointe Intensive)* Co 2 only
Junior Co Intensives: for incoming & current Co 1
Week 1: May 26-29 (Ballet, Hip Hop & Modern)
Week 6: July 6-10 (Multi-Style)
Week 7: July 13-17 (Pointe Intensive)* Co 1-3 with Bianca Melidor & Abigrace Diprima
Diamond Intensives: open to incoming & current Co 1
Week 3: June 8-12 (Ballet, Hip Hop & Musical Theater)
Week 5: June 22-10 (Ballet, Modern & Musical Theater)
Week 7: July 13-17 (Ballet, Modern & Jazz)
Summer 2026 Guest Faculty
Robin Dekkers
Robin Dekkers (they/them) is the Artistic Director of Berkeley Ballet, where they infuse their passion for collaboration into training and performance opportunities for dancers of all ages and levels of experience. Robin was also the founding Artistic Director of Post:ballet, a professional contemporary dance company based in the Bay Area from 2010-2025. With Berkeley Ballet and Post:ballet, Robin facilitated co-productions with organizations including Kronos Quartet, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Berkeley Symphony, Berkeley Art Museum (BAMPFA), and Berkeley Public Library. Robin has also created original works for Atlanta Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and Diablo Ballet, as well as the dance departments at Stanford University, Southern Methodist University, University of Richmond, and San Jose State University. Named “25 To Watch” by DANCE Magazine, Robin has created dozens of works for the stage and screen, and their choreography has been featured at venues including Jacob’s Pillow, SF International Arts Festival, SF Dance Film Festival, 92nd Street Y (NYC), Stanford Live, Dance on Camera (NYC), Yale Schwarzman Center, Film at Lincoln Center, and SF Frameline Film Festival. Robin danced professionally with Ballet Arizona, ODC/Dance, Company C Contemporary Ballet, and Diablo Ballet, where they were nominated for an Isadora Duncan Award for “Outstanding Performance- Individual.” In 2021, Robin choreographed the season finale dance sequence for Starz Network's Blindspotting series in collaboration with Lil Buck, Jon Boogz, and the Post:ballet dancers. Robin is also Director of Choreography for Art Haus, a Playa performance group whose past productions include a reimagined Rite of Spring and Firebird as well as original works including Noble Beast, In C, and We, Human.
Week 1 Sr & Mid-Level Intensives
Mary-Evelyn Kirkland
Week 1 Sr & Mid-Level Intensives, Week 8 Sr IntensiveMary-Evelyn Kirkland (Atlanta, GA) began her dance training at The Georgia Ballet and Powerhouse Dance Company where she extensively studied ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. She graduated with a BA in Mass Communication and a Dance Minor from Georgia College and State University. She danced principal roles including Giselle and the Sugarplum Fairy with the Georgia College Community Dance Program. She went on to obtain her MFA in Choreography from the University of North Carolina Greensboro where she received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Mary-Evelyn was a 2018-2019 ImmerseATL Artist and has danced for many independent choreographers in Atlanta. Her credits also include dancing in the Atlanta Opera’s production, Salome, and choreographing Carmen for the Peach State Opera. She spent 6 seasons as a company member with Kit Modus, a contemporary dance company led by Jillian Mitchell. She was on dance faculty at Clayton State University from 2018-2021, and is currently on dance faculty at Agnes Scott College and Powerhouse Dance Center.
Kara Johnson
Week 1 Sr Intensive, Week 2 Mid-Level Intensive
Brooke Gilliam
Brooke Gilliam is from Boulder, Colorado, and began her training at the Colorado Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Julia Wilkinson Manley. At 16, after attending the summer intensive, she was offered a merit scholarship to the Conservatory Program at Atlanta Ballet. From there, Gilliam was a part of Atlanta Ballet 2 for two seasons before her promotion to the main company in 2018. Since joining, some of her most noteworthy performances include The Sacrifice in Claudia Schreier’s The Rite of Spring; Catch by Liam Scarlett; The Shadow in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Coco Chanel: The Life of a Fashion Icon; Orange Woman in Lar Lubovitch’ Elemental Brubeck; Russian Girls in George Balanchine’s Serenade; Dawn and War and Discord Principal in George Balanchine’s Coppelia; Garrett Smith's Corridors; Alexander Ekman’s Cacti; and Juliano Nunes' Yellow. One of her most memorable moments with Atlanta Ballet has been touring and performing The Nutcracker at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This is Gilliam’s eighth season with Atlanta Ballet.
Week 2 Sr & Mid-Level Intensives
Shannon Alvis
Originally from Greenwood, Indiana, Shannon had her professional performance career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nederlands Dance Theater, and the Lyric Opera Chicago. During this time she toured internationally and danced works by choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, Lou Conte, Susan Stroman, and Rob Ashford. She completed an MFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in 2021, with a curiosity and commitment to the ever revealing power of dance as a language that reconnects us to nature and transcends the tangible. She has choreographed work for companies including Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Ballet Des Moines, Ballet West, and was a recipient of the Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Work’s Choreographic Competition. Shannon Is currently on faculty as a Visiting Professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University.
Week 2 & 3 Sr & Mid-Level Intensives
Nathan Griswold
Nathan Griswold (he/him) hails from the northwest coast of the United States. Submerged in music and performance from a young age, he developed a deep appreciation for the arts. As a teenager, he gravitated towards ballet, completing his formal dance training at the Ben Stevenson Academy in Houston, Texas, in 2002. His professional career includes tenures with prestigious companies such as the Houston Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballett Augsburg, and Nationaltheater Mannheim.
In 2014, Nathan co-founded Fly on a Wall in Atlanta, GA, a contemporary arts platform dedicated to supporting team members' work and helping local artists present their creations. Over the past 12 years, Fly on a Wall has produced numerous original performances, installations, and collaborative projects with various artists and organizations.
Beyond his work with Fly on a Wall, Nathan is a father, freelance creator, and teacher. His choreographic works have been performed by Ballett Augsburg, Atlanta Ballet, Stadt Theater Ulm, at the Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, and in the National Theater Festival in Bucharest, Romania. Additionally, he has appeared in several independent films and on the TBS sitcom "The Detour." Nathan teaches dance at a professional level nationally and currently leads ballet training at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Week 2 Sr & Mid-Level Intensives
Gary Jeter
Week 1 Mid-Level Intensive, Week 3 Sr Intensive Gary began dancing in 1997 at Pebble Brook High School for the Performing Arts in Mableton, Georgia, where he graduated in 1999. Upon graduating Gary attended the Ailey fellowship summer program and was a member of Eleone Dance Theater. He received a full director's scholarship to the University of the Arts where he graduated in 2003 with a BFA degree. After graduation he was asked to join Philadanco (Philadelphia Dance Company) where he danced from 2003-2007. During this time Gary was an original member of Waheed Works under the direction of Tommie Waheed Evens. Gary moved on to dance with Complexions Contemporary Ballet from 2007-2014, and in November of 2013 premiered his first ballet for the company titled “You Do What You Can” at the Joyce Theatre. In addition Gary has restaged Complexions repertory at The University of the Arts, Point Park University and Complexions. He has assisted Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson on choreographic projects nationally and internationally. In 2012 Gary was awarded the National Choreographic Award in Montreal at the National Festival for his work “Broken Dolls”. Gary joined BalletX in July of 2014, where he danced until 2018. In 2016 Gary produced and choreographed his first production titled “Pillars”. He has choreographed works for Eleone Dance Theater, Danco 2, BalletX, The University of the Arts, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Philadelphia Dance Theatre, Complexions summer program, Philadelphia Ballet 2, Bennington College and the Come Together Festival amongst others. In 2018 Gary transitioned from BalletX to join the faculty of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he was Assistant Professor until 2024. In the summer of 2020 Gary graduated from the University of the Arts graduate program receiving his MFA in dance. Gary has served as Visiting Faculty at Temple University and Bennington college. He is presently on faculty at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. His style/method of moving and sharing is influenced and inspired by many years of dancing in diverse and extended ways and working with a plethora of inspiring artists. A merge of everything he has found beneficial and enjoyable translated through his specific lens.
Jacob Bush
Week 3 Mid-Level & Sr IntensivesJacob Bush received his early ballet training with Minnesota Dance Theatre under Lise Houlton, Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education under Sharon Story, San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet, and School of American Ballet in New York City.
Joining Atlanta Ballet in 2005, Jacob has danced a wide range or repertoire spanning from classics such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty to neo classical/contemporary works from George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Helen Pickett, Yuri Possokhov, Wayne McGregor, and Ohad Naharin to name a few.
He joined Stadttheatre Augsburg in Germany as a soloist from 2012-2014 performing works by William Forsythe, Itzik Galili, Christian Spuck, and Edward Clug. In 2014 he returned to Atlanta Ballet dancing many Principal roles until his retirement from the stage in December of 2022.
Bush's career now expands into teaching and coaching the next generation of dancers.
