Pas de Deux
Intensive
Build the connection, precision, and stamina that strong partnering demands.
Work directly with Lauren King from the School of American Ballet, Julianna Rubio Slager, and Sarah Clarke.
Partnering is a skill you develop together.
Balance, timing, communication, and trust come together in pas de deux. This intensive gives advanced dancers focused time to develop those connections.
Work through classical and contemporary partnering with direct coaching, repetition, and attention to the details that make movement feel clear and coordinated.
Technical precision
Refine supported balances, promenades, turns, and lifts as appropriate to your preparation and the work being studied.
Shared musicality
Learn to coordinate timing, respond to your partner, and make choices that serve the movement and the music.
Performance confidence
Connect technical work with expression, presence, and the responsibility of performing together.
Three perspectives.
Close attention to your work.
Participants work directly with Lauren King, Julianna Rubio Slager, and Sarah Clarke.
Lauren King
School of American Ballet
Work directly with Lauren through focused instruction and personal feedback as you develop your partnering technique.
Julianna Rubio Slager
Artistic Director & Resident Choreographer
Explore the relationship between partnering, choreographic intention, and storytelling with Ballet Five Eight’s artistic director.
Sarah Clarke
Associate Artistic Director
Connect technical preparation with clear, expressive performance through direct coaching and individual attention.
Arrive actively training and ready for the rigor.
This program is for advanced dancers ages 16 and older who are prepared for physically demanding days of partnering.
Required before attending
Participants must have completed Ballet Five Eight’s three-week Summer Intensive or a comparable intensive session before beginning the Pas de Deux Intensive.
Dancers must also be actively training and prepared for sustained pointe work and/or the demands of supporting a partner.
For dancers working en pointe
Arrive with the strength, technique, and stamina for long days en pointe. Current, consistent training is essential preparation for the workload.
For dancers supporting a partner
Arrive prepared for sustained physical work, repeated partnering practice, and the strength and attentiveness required to support another dancer.
If you plan to complete your preparatory intensive at another school, describe that training in your application. Contact the School office with questions about whether your preparation meets the prerequisite.
Make the technique serve the dancing.
Study classical and contemporary pas de deux, connecting partnering mechanics with phrasing, expression, and performance preparation.
Coaching emphasizes coordinated movement, clear communication, and an understanding of each partner’s responsibilities.
An end-of-week showcase gives participants an opportunity to share their work with family and peers.
Apply for Pas de Deux consideration.
August 2–6, 2027
The final week of Ballet Five Eight’s Summer Intensive.
Tuition: $750
Optional housing: $750
Tuition + housing: $1,500
Begin with the School of Ballet Five Eight application in DanceApply. Indicate your interest in the Pas de Deux Intensive and provide information about your current training and preparation.
Audition & application
Apply through the School application, using an in-person audition or video submission as directed in DanceApply.
Admission considers technical readiness and preparation for the program’s demands.
Plan your stay
Training takes place at Ballet Five Eight Studios in Orland Park, Illinois.
The housing package for this intensive is $750, separate from tuition. Contact the School office for eligibility, arrival arrangements, and availability.
11545 183rd Place, Suite 101
Orland Park, IL 60467
Pas de Deux questions
What are the dates and cost?
The Pas de Deux Intensive runs August 2–6, 2027. Tuition is $750. Optional housing is an additional $750, for a combined total of $1,500.
Who is eligible?
Advanced dancers ages 16 and older who are actively training and prepared for long days en pointe and/or supporting a partner. Participants must also complete the preparatory intensive requirement.
What training must I complete beforehand?
Complete Ballet Five Eight’s three-week Summer Intensive or a comparable intensive session before attending. Include your planned or completed preparation in your application.
Can I attend if my preparatory intensive is at another school?
Yes, a comparable intensive may meet the prerequisite. Share the program and your training details with the School office so faculty can assess your preparation.
Is this an introductory partnering program?
This is an advanced intensive with a demanding workload. Applicants should describe their current technique, pointe or supporting preparation, and partnering experience so faculty can assess readiness.
Who will teach?
Participants will work directly with Lauren King from the School of American Ballet, Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager, and Associate Artistic Director Sarah Clarke.
Will we study classical and contemporary partnering?
Yes. The program includes classical and contemporary pas de deux, with coaching that connects technique, musicality, communication, and expression.
Will there be a showing?
An end-of-week showcase gives participants an opportunity to present their work for family and peers.
Is housing included in tuition?
No. Housing is separate. The housing package is $750 for the intensive. Contact the School office to discuss eligibility, availability, and travel arrangements.
Which application should I use?
Use the School of Ballet Five Eight DanceApply application and indicate your interest in the Pas de Deux Intensive.
Who can answer questions about readiness or logistics?
Email schooloffice@ballet58.org or call 708-329-8773.
Bring your preparation.
Develop your partnership.
Focused work. Direct coaching. A deeper understanding of dancing together.
Ages 16+ · Advanced dancers
Ballet Five Eight Studios
11545 183rd Place, Suite 101
Orland Park, IL 60467