Professional Dance Intensive August 5 - August 22, 2024
This three-week professional dance intensive for intermediate and advanced students focusses on supporting dancers in their development by providing a unique opportunity to work with hand-picked professional performers, instructors and guest lecturers across a variety of strengthening, wholistic wellness, and dance genres.
This intensive will include ballet barre exercise, pointe instruction, hip hop and jazz, core strength training through Pilates, and wellness instruction. Instructors are professionals in their field (see bios below) with advanced professional performance experience. Each movement instructor will set a piece with the students which they will perform at The Grand in Oshkosh on Thursday, August 22, 2024.
Tuition for this intensive is included in the annual tuition for already enrolled Valley Academy students.
This intensive is open to students not enrolled at Valley Academy for the tuition price listed.
This intensive will include ballet barre exercise, pointe instruction, hip hop and jazz, core strength training through Pilates, and wellness instruction. Instructors are professionals in their field (see bios below) with advanced professional performance experience. Each movement instructor will set a piece with the students which they will perform at The Grand in Oshkosh on Thursday, August 22, 2024.
Tuition for this intensive is included in the annual tuition for already enrolled Valley Academy students.
This intensive is open to students not enrolled at Valley Academy for the tuition price listed.
For Intermediate Students:
For Advanced Students:
Professional Dance Intensive Instructor Bios:
Anne Marie Abderholden is a Dutch/Swiss teacher and choreographer. At age 7, Anne Marie joined the Opera Ballet School in Zurich, Switzerland. She joined the Opera Ballet Zurich as an apprentice. She professionally performed with the Stadt theater Baden, Austria, and toured with the Munich Opera. Anne Marie received an advanced degree in the teaching of classical ballet in the Vaganova-Leningrad method from Musik College in Cologne, Germany. During her teaching career, she taught at the Opera Ballet School in Zurich, the Swiss School for Professional Dancers, and the Theatre Ballet School in Krefeld and Monchengladbach, Germany. In 1991 Anne Marie Brunner-Abderholden moved to Wisconsin, USA, and taught ballet for the Kehl School of Dance, Monona Academy of Dance, and Ballet Madison In 2002, Anne Marie Brunner-Abderholden founded Valley Academy for the Arts - a center for premier arts education - in Neenah, Wisconsin. She is the original dance director of Nutcracker in the Castle for which she facilitates, rehearses, and directs over 2000 shows a season with youth performers aged 7–18. Many of her past and current students attend internationally acclaimed programming and have gone on to professional dance careers.
Katharina Abderholden began dancing at a young age, primarily focusing on ballet technique. Abderholden graduated with a BFA in contemporary dance technique and choreography. She has performed works choreographed by Mark Morris and Arnie Zane, as well as Danceworks Milwaukee (WI), Le Marchepied (CH), Lake Arts Project (MN), Stephen Kowplowitz (USA), and Cie Utilité Publique(CH). Katharina’s recent work is focused on improvisation with collaborative artists and teaching at Renaissance School for the Arts. She looks forward to engaging young artists in the disciplines of creative practice and the lifelong benefits of the arts in our lives.
Jennifer Miller received her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary, as well as at summer intensives at Joffrey Ballet and on scholarship with San Francisco Ballet. She was a trainee with the Milwaukee Ballet and has risen through the ranks to become a leading artist. During her career Ms. Miller has danced a variety of roles in ballets such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Dracula, Romeo & Julliet , The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Giselle. She has also performed in works by Trey McIntyre, Choo San Goh, George Balanchine, Michael Pink, Anthony Tudor and Gerald Arpino among others. Ms. Miller also teaches with the Milwaukee Ballet School, and for the past 13 years with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s summer program. As a choreographer, four of her ballets have adjudicated for the Northeast Regional Dance of America; one of which earned her the Monticello award for emerging female choreographer. In 2005, Ms. Miller danced in the inaugural season of the Trey McIntyre Project, performing in places such as White Oak, Vail International Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Ms. Miller is currently the ballet mistress for Minnesota Ballet.
Jessica Lopez began her professional ballet training in 2014 at Escola de Dança Alice Arja in Brazil, until joining and graduating Miami City Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program in 2016. After her time in Miami she returned to Brazil and joined Cia de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro as a Corps de Ballet member. Jessica returned to the states in 2017 joining the Milwaukee Ballet 2 Program where she spent two seasons training and performing alongside their main company. During her time with Milwaukee’s second company Jessica had the opportunity to perform in ballets such as Michael Pink’s Swan Lake and Dracula, and receiving soloist casting in Milwaukee Ballet’s “Genesis; Choreographic Competition” as well as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. In 2019 Jessica joined American Midwest ballet for three seasons, including a digital series during the lockdown where Mrs. Lopes had the pleasure to perform Frank Chavez's “If Only” with her husband, Isaac. This will be Jessica’s third season with Minnesota Ballet and her second season as a full company dancer.
Isaac Sharratt began his ballet training in Tucson, Arizona, training first at Tucson Regional Ballet and then moving to Ballet Tucson in 2004. Mr. Sharratt rose from Ballet Tucson’s academy into the company at the age of 16, where he spent three more years. He moved from Ballet Tucson in 2008 to join the Milwaukee Ballet II program, spending only one year in the program before being asked into the company. During his ten years with Milwaukee Ballet, Mr. Sharratt was cast in several world premiere full-length ballets by Michael Pink, doing lead roles in many and playing the title role in Michael Pink’s Beauty and the Beast. Most recently Mr. Sharratt danced with American Midwest Ballet from its 2019-2022 seasons. Mr. Sharratt is an aspiring choreographer, having set many pieces on Milwaukee Ballet’s second and main companies. He was given the opportunity to choreograph on the main company most recently in 2018, as well as having choreographed on Ballet Minnesota in 2017, and various solos for both domestic and international competition use.
Katharina Abderholden began dancing at a young age, primarily focusing on ballet technique. Abderholden graduated with a BFA in contemporary dance technique and choreography. She has performed works choreographed by Mark Morris and Arnie Zane, as well as Danceworks Milwaukee (WI), Le Marchepied (CH), Lake Arts Project (MN), Stephen Kowplowitz (USA), and Cie Utilité Publique(CH). Katharina’s recent work is focused on improvisation with collaborative artists and teaching at Renaissance School for the Arts. She looks forward to engaging young artists in the disciplines of creative practice and the lifelong benefits of the arts in our lives.
Jennifer Miller received her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary, as well as at summer intensives at Joffrey Ballet and on scholarship with San Francisco Ballet. She was a trainee with the Milwaukee Ballet and has risen through the ranks to become a leading artist. During her career Ms. Miller has danced a variety of roles in ballets such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Dracula, Romeo & Julliet , The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Giselle. She has also performed in works by Trey McIntyre, Choo San Goh, George Balanchine, Michael Pink, Anthony Tudor and Gerald Arpino among others. Ms. Miller also teaches with the Milwaukee Ballet School, and for the past 13 years with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s summer program. As a choreographer, four of her ballets have adjudicated for the Northeast Regional Dance of America; one of which earned her the Monticello award for emerging female choreographer. In 2005, Ms. Miller danced in the inaugural season of the Trey McIntyre Project, performing in places such as White Oak, Vail International Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Ms. Miller is currently the ballet mistress for Minnesota Ballet.
Jessica Lopez began her professional ballet training in 2014 at Escola de Dança Alice Arja in Brazil, until joining and graduating Miami City Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program in 2016. After her time in Miami she returned to Brazil and joined Cia de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro as a Corps de Ballet member. Jessica returned to the states in 2017 joining the Milwaukee Ballet 2 Program where she spent two seasons training and performing alongside their main company. During her time with Milwaukee’s second company Jessica had the opportunity to perform in ballets such as Michael Pink’s Swan Lake and Dracula, and receiving soloist casting in Milwaukee Ballet’s “Genesis; Choreographic Competition” as well as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. In 2019 Jessica joined American Midwest ballet for three seasons, including a digital series during the lockdown where Mrs. Lopes had the pleasure to perform Frank Chavez's “If Only” with her husband, Isaac. This will be Jessica’s third season with Minnesota Ballet and her second season as a full company dancer.
Isaac Sharratt began his ballet training in Tucson, Arizona, training first at Tucson Regional Ballet and then moving to Ballet Tucson in 2004. Mr. Sharratt rose from Ballet Tucson’s academy into the company at the age of 16, where he spent three more years. He moved from Ballet Tucson in 2008 to join the Milwaukee Ballet II program, spending only one year in the program before being asked into the company. During his ten years with Milwaukee Ballet, Mr. Sharratt was cast in several world premiere full-length ballets by Michael Pink, doing lead roles in many and playing the title role in Michael Pink’s Beauty and the Beast. Most recently Mr. Sharratt danced with American Midwest Ballet from its 2019-2022 seasons. Mr. Sharratt is an aspiring choreographer, having set many pieces on Milwaukee Ballet’s second and main companies. He was given the opportunity to choreograph on the main company most recently in 2018, as well as having choreographed on Ballet Minnesota in 2017, and various solos for both domestic and international competition use.