Ballet Tennessee’s nationally competitive Summer Intensive is a three-week dance intensive featuring a comprehensive program including ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, improvisations, classical variations, partnering, student choreography, and guest/faculty choreography.
The BTSI continues its 19-year history of bringing acclaimed national and regional guest artists to Chattanooga. The 2016 guest faculty includes Samantha Shelton, Marlayna Locklear, Mark Burns, Brian Gephart, and Fredrick Davis.
Ms. Shelton is the ballet professor at Grand Valley State University, in Grand Rapids, Mi. She is certified through the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Program and in August of 2014, co-taught the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum with Harriet Clark, at the Detroit Opera House.
Ms. Locklear is in her eighth season with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. She teaches and choreographs at universities around the nation and is the Summer Intensive director for Jeraldyne School of the Dance as well as the resident choreographer at Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II. She also serves as the company jazz and contemporary instructor at DCDC and is the founder and director of Indurance Dance Intensive.
Mr. Burns, Jr. works with Collage Dance Collective, Roswell Dance Theater, and is a master instructor at the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance in Georgia. Mr. Burns has danced as a principal artist with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has also danced professionally with Rambert Ballet, Complexions, and NY Ballet Theatre.
Mr. Gephart returns to Chattanooga for his fourth summer as a guest artist for Ballet Tennessee's Summer Intensive. His work "Papillions," which he created in the 2013 Summer Intensive, is a featured piece in the company's repertory. Mr. Gephart currently resides in New York City as a professional dancer.
Mr. Davis began his training at 11 years old with the VanCura Ballet Conservatory and Ballet Tennessee through the Dance Alive Program. He has danced professionally with the Roxey Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble. In September 2015 Chattanooga’s PBS station, WTCI completed and aired a documentary on Mr. Davis, From the Streets to the Stage.
Ballet Tennessee invites community dancers to attend evening classes taught by these guest artists. Call Ballet Tennessee at 423-821-2055 for reservations and fees.