Dance Camps for Teens

Young dancers often look for a place to expand their skills during summer break, when they have the time. Teens have the unique opportunity to work with older students at well renowned programs meant for collegiate level dancers. In the summer time some of the programs open their doors for potential future students. These dancers are exposed to the rigors of the program and the instructors can scout future talent all during a single summer camp.

  1. Decide the Purpose for the Camper

    • In choosing a camp, consider the purpose of the camp overall for your teen. Some camps offer summer programs that can help your teen earn college credit at the same time. If you are trying to expand their horizons by offering travel, or a new surrounding, camps located far from your home might be desirable. If there is a particular type of dance that is the focus of your dancer, look for a school which specializes in that type of dance, or choose a school that helps dancers expand their repertoire, introducing them to different styles.

    Leadership Camps

    • For teens who have already taken part in previous summer dance camp opportunities, there are also camps available which focus on leadership, to aid a young dancer toward becoming an instructor or counselor. This leadership can help with future dance goals but also with teaching leadership skills across the board, helping the student to relate to others and inspire him to accomplish his goals. American Dance Training Camps offers a leadership training program and has camps all over the United States from California to Vermont.

    Career Goals

    • There are a number of careers available to dancers. One of the most popular is becoming a dancer on Broadway and there is a specific camp designed to help prepare teens for Broadway style dancing and training programs. This can help your student to be scouted by casting directors as well as help prepare him for auditions. A large part of getting a job as a dancer is presentation during an audition and practicing for that can be very effective. Broadway Dance Camp is an example of such a camp, which is located in the heart of Broadway in NYC.

    College Goals

    • If your dancer is looking to major in dance on the collegiate level it can be helpful to try out camps offered by universities she is considering attending. This works to introduce the dancer to the program but also to help the teachers know who the dancer is. Programs are quite competitive and knowing a student may be the edge to get accepted into the program your dancer is interested in. You can even allow your student to try different universities so she might make a more educated choice when she is starting the college application process. UCLA runs a camp every summer as well as during other school breaks. The program allows the student to audition for places in the college program, even while she is in high school.