BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 255
Total Reviews: 2239

Oregon Ballet Theatre

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

2
5
3
2
4
2
1

First time at a summer intensive?

14
5

Year of SI

1
4
2
6
6

Weeks available

2
1
1
15

Weeks attended

1
5
1
10
2

Reviewer

7
9
3

Curriculum

Techniques taught

2
1
3
2
12
4

Partnering (based on age)

1
1
17

Dedicated men's program?

3
5
11

# of boys in level

2
17

Other dance genres

1
1
17
18
1
4
6
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
6
2
1
1
1
1
1

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
2
5
6
6
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

14
1
1
1
1
14
5
11
1
2
12

PT offered?

9
8
2

Extra fee for PT?

17
1

Injury rate

6
9
4

Teaching

Who taught?

3
14
2

Guest teachers

2
17

Year-round teachers taught

4
1
6
8

Attention from teachers

Very Little
1
6
7
5
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
2
4
10
3
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

1
1
16
1
1

Studio space

Cramped
2
8
7
2
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
11
7
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

1
2
16

Saturday classes

2
17

Saturday class duration

17
2

Leveling

Leveling

9
10

Leveling type

18
1

Did students move levels?

4
3
12

Leveling fair?

2
17

Students per class

14
5

Performance

Performance?

1
1
15
2

Rehearsals happened

3

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
2
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
1
1
12
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

2
11
6

# of roommates

12

Bathrooms

11
1

Coed bathrooms

12

Air conditioning

6
5

Housing comment

  • "Lots of walking and public transportation"
  • "Located Downtown Portland - Great Central Location - Lots of Opportunities for Exploring the City in the Evenings (both supervised and non-supervised depending on age) - Rooms Could Get Quite Hot - I'd Recommend Bringing a Fan and Extra Cleaning Supplies."
  • "only the halls had AC but the rooms came with a fan."
  • "They provided them an AC unit when it got hot, but my daughter said it wasn't too bad yet. The dorms are VERY nice- big and spacious and even have a small kitchenette in the room. My daughter had a corner room with two large windows."
  • "The RA's were wonderful, and the environment was supper supportive."
  • "RAs are dancers themselves and are very supportive"

Where did they stay?

1
3
1
3

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

12

Curfew reasonable?

12

Room check

1
10

How strict were dorms?

7
3
1

Infraction handling

1
6
4
1

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

11

Laundry free

6
1
4

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
1
7
3
Spotless

Cleaning required

10

Meal Plan

Meal plan

11

Food quality

Gross
6
5
Excellent

Enough food

11

Dietary needs?

9
2

Specific needs

  • "peanut allergy"
  • "dairy"

Dietary options

Limited
1
1
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

1
10

Weekend outings

3
16

Attended weekend outings

5
9
2

Favorite

Repeated Responses:
  • "Zoo" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Hopscotch (interactive art museum)"
  • "Rose gardens"
  • "Rose Garden, Movie Nights, 4th of July Fireworks"
  • "the old spaghetti factory"
  • "Pool time, Chinese garden"
  • "Japanese Rose Garden, Tour of submarine"
  • "The Japanese Gardens"
  • "Japanese garden and Oregon zoo"
  • "OMSI"

Least favorite

  • "Weekend outing is required unless over 18"
  • "Na"
  • "Portland Zoo..."
  • "all outings were payed for with tuition so go to them all"
  • "None"
  • "Liked them all. And best is they were all included, no additional fees."
  • "The Portland art museum"
  • "All outings are good and appropriate"
  • "Game Room"

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
2
1
9
7
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
2
2
8
7
Comprehensive

Transportation

1
1
1
10
1
3
1
1

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
5
10
4
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
1
3
5
9
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • "Really enjoyed the smaller size and excellent guest faculty as well as OBT AD and faculty."
  • "The amount of contemporary training alongside classical."
  • "Having a two-week option makes it a little more affordable. High acceptance rate."
  • "The chaperones were OBT2 members and were like mentors. It was special getting to spend time with them and hearing about their experiences. The faculty was very encouraging and helpful. Also the dance they learned during repertoire was just two students at a time which my student loved doing. The location was amazing - we were at the PSU campus which was beautiful and meant we could walk to and from our downtown location."
  • "I really benefitted from the emphasis on foundational technique and musicality. Quality and placement were emphasized over amount of turns, height of leg, etc... which helped me improve a lot. Teachers (most of them!) were very supportive and patient and ALL of them had so much wisdom to share not just about how to be a better dancer, but a better learner, artist, and co-worker as a professional. Dorm life was also great! Strong sense of community, fun outings, and the RAs were incredible! If you were ever having a hard day the RAs were always there for you."
  • "location, nice variety of dance classes"
  • "2 hours of pointe a day. Variety of classes. Fun atmosphere"
  • "This particular week of jr intensive was focused on beginning and pre pointe skills. Every day had technique class, conditioning/stretching/strengthening, and pre-pointe/pointe or variations. So basically an entirely classical focus, which my dancer enjoyed this time."
  • "Caring teachers"
  • "Teachers were all very positive, approachable and encouraging."
  • "lots of variety and great people"
  • "Having a good balance of lots of time during the day for dance classes and social time with new friends"
  • "To me this was the best value. The cost per week was the most affordable and the training was exceptional. My daughter really enjoyed it and felt she learned a lot. Portland is a great city in the summer, cooler than most parts of the US. My daughter had a public transportation card (provided) and they could go wherever they wanted in small groups. She explored the city on her Saturday afternoons off and had a great time. The dorms are really convenient and nice."
  • "How amazing everyone was to each other. The community was just so nice and welcoming."
  • "My son learned variations and repetory that he had not learned before, and even though there were only 3 boys in Level 2, they did differeniate between girls' and boys' technique for the variations and rep taught. He also loved learning the pantomime."
  • "We learned full Moyna and Zulma variations along side their duets. The location was very nice - with a view of the Willamette River. I loved working with Dani Rowe."
  • "The best aspects of the program was the individual attention that the teachers gave. Teachers were very understanding about injuries. Also, if you wanted to take a men’s class or change your class to accommodate your injury. They were very understanding and allowed that."
  • "The high-quality training. My daughter’s technique improved dramatically in just four weeks."
  • "The teachers"

Least liked about program

  • "Very strict dress code for a summer intensive."
  • "Very large class sizes and only 1-2 hours of pointe work a day."
  • "For the 12 to 14-year olds: audition and placement classes were so simple that dancers advanced for their age weren't able to show what they were capable of. The level of instruction was on par with my daughter's home studio classes from 3 years ago!"
  • "One of the teachers was a bit odd and gave unusual instruction e.g. drew on the kids' backs with dry-erase markers. The studios at the PSU campus were really cold and the kids weren't allowed to wear warm-ups in class."
  • "The schedule could be odd at times in term of order of classes. My level often had pointe as our last class of the day after our style class (hiphop, contemporary, character, etc..). But this will really depend on your level."
  • "there were only a few boys and they got a lot of attention. The main instructor seemed to not like my daughter (I heard this from others, not my daughter)"
  • "Daughter's level had too many students (27 students). Other levels had smaller sizes."
  • "Communication from the program was really slow and unhelpful - just getting registered was a do. Also, the program was set up to cater to year round students, and although there were many kids from other schools, there wasn't an orientation or any introduction type activities."
  • "A lot of freedom for young kids"
  • "Very disappointed and surprised that level 5 was not offered any pas-de-deux. However, both level 4 and 6 had partnering a few times per week."
  • "it was very large/ lots of year round kids"
  • "Liked everything"
  • "Nothing"
  • "That the trainee auditions were so stressful. The director made auditioning and level placement very stressful. People were getting moved around all the time, and nobody felt like they could relax. They also made it seem like there were several spots open for a trainee position, when really there maybe were 2."
  • "I think that the Level 2 program was very good. He came back excited every day and his skill improved a lot. I do wish there were more boys, but he did meet new boys and they had a male teacher come to help with the male technique."
  • "No partnering despite being told at audition there would be partnering offered. Sometimes throughout the intensive it felt disorganized. One of the teachers could be kinder and more instructive vs. punitive. Also, please add a warm up class BEFORE technique on pointe (first thing in the morning) because it led to some people having to sit out."
  • "Classes can move very slow, and it’s possible to have the same teacher, the majority of the technique classes with the exception of having a guest technique teacher about twice a week. They were very big on dress code and dress coded people about very small things and didn’t update the dress code until the very last minute."
  • "It would have been nice to see some photos or videos posted!"
  • "The environment and year round students"

Suggested changes to program

  • "Maybe having the guest faculty for more than a week because they were so great. But overall hard to find something to change."
  • "Smaller classes, partnering, and more pointe classes"
  • "Offer *challenging* auditions and placement classes to see what students of all ages are capable. Make classes more challenging. Enroll boys. Have more variety with teachers - there were some days when the same OBT teacher taught 3 classes in a row - and Level 3 did not get guest teachers like the older levels."
  • "Warmer studios at PSU (or being allowed to wear warm-ups) and make it easier to navigate the campus building - posters on the walls or markings on the floor, not just marking the room's door itself."
  • "more boys and partnering! partnering was available for the highest level, but only once a week and most girls had to share a partner."
  • "Have a performance at the end. There was a zoom opportunity to observe the last class, which was something but it was hard to see everyone."
  • "Limit the class sizes more at the lower level."
  • "Make it two weeks of the late summer programming! The early summer option was longer, but August session was just one week. My child would have liked time to learn another variation and more chances to get to know the rotating faculty members."
  • "Nothing"
  • "Pas-de-Deux for all senior levels (even if it's only once or twice a week). Also there was some complaints about back to back conditioning classes like 2 hours of Yoga followed by 1 hour of Pilates... the classes were great, but too much for 1 day."
  • "Checkout time after the last classes instead of before"
  • "Maybe have a performance for the 4 week students as well. Although I think my daughter will want to attend six weeks next summer."
  • "That the director Katerina didn't make her decisions on placement based on seeing people for 2 mins during the middle of technique class. Maybe a few more guest teachers."
  • "Specific boys' classes for each level. According to my son, there was an instructor who was part of the company and, although she was a wonderful dancer, she was not a great teacher."
  • "Add partnering. Switch up the classes more - it felt routine and I was only there two weeks! More time with Dani Rowe would be awesome. Offer solos/variations/duets to other dancers, not just Level 6 in the end showcase at BodyVox theater."
  • "Wish there were more partnering classes and pointe classes"
  • "I would have loved to observe a technique class on the final day in addition to the variations/rep we got to watch."
  • "More even attention to summer-only students"

Culture of program

  • "High quality training, smaller sized, friendly and supportive group of dancers."
  • "The culture was average. No teacher was overly harsh or rude. Lots of favoritism towards year round students."
  • "Teachers are nice, but the experience for the younger students is far from rigorous."
  • "The kids were really nice and not competitive. The teachers showed some favoritism toward their school-year students but overall the school community was warm and friendly. The school year students were very welcoming to the visiting summer students."
  • "Supportive, friendly, hard working, inclusive, focused"
  • "fun, lots of freedom"
  • "The program offers a strong ballet focus with a good mix of other dance types. The atmosphere is very supportive and fun. My dancer did not want it to end."
  • "Calm, focused, not cozy but pleasant"
  • "Work hard and be supported to be better."
  • "Inclusive - Positive - Professional"
  • "very positive"
  • "Fun and hardworking"
  • "Very encouraging, warm, yet dedicated students that pushed themselves."
  • "Very nice and supportive!"
  • "The culture of the intensive was positive overall."
  • "Non-competitive - the dancers were kind and encouraging. Some of the teachers could be kinder and more encouraging/instructive."
  • "All the dancers were very nice and very supportive. Giving teachers feedback and asking questions was encouraged. If there were any dancers who were not being kind, teachers would do something about it only if they were notified by other dancers."
  • "Positive, friendly, challenging"
  • "Toxic under an overtly positive face"

Other comments

  • "Loved it and enjoyed Portland"
  • "While level 5 is eligible to be considered for trainee, they are not seriously considered for a spot."
  • "We don't recommend this program for dancers between ages 12 to 14 who are advanced and/or desire a challenging intensive. Overall a disappointing experience, especially considering the cost involved."
  • "I didn't perform in the end-of summer show because I was only there for the two-week program but I was so impressed by the performance especially the Blake Works pieces which gave me chills every time. I would love to return."
  • "None"
  • "There were some issues with the top level students who were auditioning for OB2. Some bullying behavior and eating issues but they were addressed by the program and mostly straightened out. My daughter chose not to return this year because of the favoritism toward year round students."
  • "This review is for some of the jr. intensive programming. There were multiple weeks- some at the start of summer, and then a one week session in August with a pointework/pre-pointe focus. I understand the main SI does have housing and full day schedules including other dance forms, but this jr one does not, so my review is about that particular experience. Also since this was a pointe focus, there were no boys enrolled this week."
  • "Teachers were very kind and supportive. They did tend to favor full year and potential OBT2 students. Also some drama with full time students bullying and intimidating - mostly the 15 to 17 age range - However, the quality of the training was excellent and overall the dancers attending were all hardworking and supportive of each other."
  • "great people and a great dorm environment"
  • "Wonderful and plan to audition again next year"
  • "I was very impressed with the communication, value, and overall professionalism of OBT and this SI."
  • "The director Katerina is the only issue with the intensive. Everything else is great. She is so fake, and makes everyone very stressed. She is a good teacher, but not a good director. Also the teachers can be very hard sometimes, but for the most part they were great!"
  • "OBT school is our home studio. This year, compared to the Level 1 from last year, seemed a lot more organized. There was a cohesive schedule, and they did not try to squeeze in too many different styles of dance. Last year in Level 1, I do not remember my son learning any stage acting or pantomime, and the schedule was different each day. This year, there was rep every day, ballet every day, variations 4 out of the 5 days, pirouette class 3x/week, and character and contemporary 2x/week. My son's technique improved in these 5 days alone, and he wil be taking OBT's Level 2 intensive for a second week. Even though there were only 3 boys in his level, the focus on male-identifying technique made a huge difference for him."
  • "Overall Portland was great, the location is really nice and safe. OBT is a great school and I learned a lot and had fun."
  • "The breaks during the day were minimal. They made really good use of the students’ time!"
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Attended 2026
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Age: 17
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Age: 13
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Age: 14
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Attended 2025, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 15
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Age: 10
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Age: 15
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Attended 2025
3 out of 5 rating