Autumn Adult Ballet Intensive 2025
Focus: Ballet
2 day intensive
Easter Mon 21 April | Anzac Day Fri 25 April
A rare opportunity designed for adult dancers eager to deepen their ballet practice.
Mark your calendars for an enriching experience on 21 April and 25 April, where you'll immerse yourself in the art of ballet alongside fellow enthusiasts.
Stay tuned for exciting announcements:
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Mon 24 Feb - Program overview released
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Mon 3 Mar - Discover the full schedule
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Mon 10 Mar - Meet the intensive teachers
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Mon 17 Mar - Pricing unveiled
Bookings open on Monday 24 March, with an early bird discount available until Monday 7 April.
Don't miss this chance to enrich your ballet journey and connect with a vibrant community of dancers.
Who should attend the intensive?
Previous ballet experience
Our adult dance intensives are designed for dancers with at least some previous ballet experience, generally at least a year.
They are not designed to be a come and try for people interested in trying different dance styles (we'll do something separate for that), but are for those who already have some experience (even if you've had a long break) who want to deepen their connection to ballet, and immerse themselves in a day of doing what they love.
Age range
Adult dancers of all ages are welcome, and we have had a huge range of ages in previous intensives, from as young as 18 up to late 60s and early 70s.
We encourage dancers to adapt movement if needed to suit their bodies, so no matter what age you are, you will have the opportunity for a challenging and fulfilling experience.
Streams
Rather than using fixed level designations, we place participants in the stream that will best support their growth based on the dance experience information you provide during registration.
This allows us to create the most nurturing and challenging environment for everyone.
Emerging wings:
Dancers earlier in their ballet journey
Soaring wings:
Dancers with more extensive ballet experience
Program
Each day of our intensive is thoughtfully crafted to provide a balanced experience of training, learning, and community connection.
Morning Foundation
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Begin with either ballet barre (day 1) or floor barre (day 2) to awaken and prepare your body
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Move into an hour of centre practice to develop technique and artistry
Midday Enrichment
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Join our panel discussions over the lunch period - rest your body while engaging with dance knowledge and insights
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Day 1 is all about caring for your dancing body, and Day 2 is about different ballet systems and methods.
Afternoon Exploration
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Discover the beauty of neoclassical ballet
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Experience character dance and its vital role in ballet traditions
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Learn beloved ballet repertoire. Day 1 you will learn a solo variation and on Day 2 a group variation from well known ballet works.
Daily Integration
Each day concludes with a special closing session where we bring together the day's learnings and celebrate our dance community
Daily Schedule
Day 1 (Monday)
Start Time | Session Name | Duration (min) | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
10.00am | Ballet Barre | 60 | Emerging Wings |
10.00am | Ballet Barre | 60 | Soaring Wings |
11.10am | Centre Practice | 60 | Emerging Wings |
11.10am | Centre Practice | 60 | Soaring Wings |
12.55pm | Panel: Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger | 60 | Everyone |
2.05pm | Character | 75 | Emerging Wings |
2.05pm | Variation (individual) | 75 | Soaring Wings |
3.30pm | Variation (individual) | 75 | Emerging Wings |
3.30pm | Character | 75 | Soaring Wings |
4.45pm | Day 1 wrap up | 30 | Everyone |
Day 2 (Friday)
Start Time | Session Title | Duration (minutes) | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
10.00am | Floor Barre | 60 | Emerging Wings |
10.00am | Floor Barre | 60 | Soaring Wings |
11.10am | Centre Practice | 60 | Emerging Wings |
11.10am | Centre Practice | 60 | Soaring Wings |
12.55pm | The ballet mosaic: different systems of ballet training | 60 | Everyone |
2.05pm | Neoclassical | 75 | Emerging Wings |
2.05pm | Variation (Group) | 75 | Soaring Wings |
3.30pm | Variation (Gropu) | 75 | Emerging Wings |
3.30pm | Neoclassical | 75 | Soaring Wings |
4.45pm | Day 2 wrap up | 30 | Everyone |
Intensive teachers and panelists
Meet your teachers
Guest teachers Anna Rybakova and Nicola Baartse will join Dragonfly Dance teachers Jo McDonald and Owen Gray in teaching the practical classes and workshops.
Anna has a masters degree in choreography from the Ukraine and is trained in classical ballet (Vaganova syllabus) and character dance. She will be take dancers in the Soaring Wings stream for Ballet Barre and Centre Practice on Day 1, and in the afternoon will share her passion for character dance, with two workshops, one for emerging and one for soaring wings.
Nicola has founded several ballet performance groups as well as Ballet Alchemy, an online ballet teaching resource. She holds a Bachelor of Dance and also trained a the London Contemporary Dance School. She will teach the Floor Barre and Centre Practice for the Soaring Wings Stream on Friday, and in the afternoon Neoclassical workshops for both streams.
Jo will teach the Ballet Barre, Floor Barre, and Centre Practice sessions for the Emerging Wings stream on boht days, and teaching a ballet variation for soloists for both streams on Monday afternoon.
Owen will teach a group ballet dance from the classical repertoire on Friday afternoon.
Meet your panellists
The after lunch session on both days will be a discussion panel, which gives you a chance to rest your body while your fee your mind.
Monday panel, Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger, will feature physiotherapist Tessa Walker, exercise physiologist Karlee Naumann, and ballet teacher and qualified personal trainer Millie Garard (another Dragonfly Dance teacher). Karlee and Tessa are both dancers, as well as being experts in how the human body works.
Our Friday panel, The Ballet Mosiac: Different Systems of Ballet, will include Tim Rodgers, and Nicola Barrtse, Chantal Berry. Between them, they'll be able to share their knowledge of several different dance systems, including Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), Cecchetti, Borovansky, and Vaganova. Tim has danced with the Australian Ballet Company, West Australian Ballet, and as a ballet educator has lectured at Edith Cowan University, secondary schools, and TAFE SA. Chantal has been an RAD teacher for nearly 30 years, owns and directs Hills Ballet School, and served as the chair of the SA Regional Panel of the Royal Academy of Dance. Nicola has trained in Cecchetti and Borovansky.
Anna Rybakova
Stephen Watts Photography
just released
Ballet Intensive Merchandise Collection
For the first time ever, we've created a stunning ballet intensive collection!
A graceful dancer, a fiery autumn leaf, and delicate leaves dancing across the background... now imagine it on tees, dresses, bags, and more!
Available for a limited time on RedBubble - customise your colours, styles, and size of artwork. From dance wear to wall clocks, there's something for every ballet lover!
Book your place
2 day bookings open Monday 24 March
(early bird price available for 2 day passes until Monday 7 April
1 day bookings open Tuesday 8 April
(don't worry, we are setting aside some 1 day passes
so you'll still get a chance to book if you can only attend one day)
