SUMMER INTENSIVE: Maria Youskevitch is among the faculty at the Summer Intensive Dance Experience 2020 being held by the Martin Center for Dance in Lawrence Township.

The recently opened Martin Center for Dance is holding “Summer Intensive Dance Experience 2020” this summer at its studios on Princess Road in Lawrence Township. Directors Douglas Martin and Mary Barton will headline the faculty.

Advanced dancers, age 12 and above, will have the opportunity to study daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Martin, Barton, and master teachers Maria Youskevitch and Kirk Peterson. In addition to advanced level classical ballet, pointe, partnering, and men’s class, the team will offer frequent small-group coaching sessions.

Classes in Cunningham-style modern dance and dancer-oriented kinesiology will be offered by Mary Pat Robertson. Jazz classes with guest teachers will also be a part of the workshop. Two three-week sessions will be offered: June 29-July 17, and July 20-August 7. The sessions can be taken individually or sequentially.

Dancers age 10 and over are eligible for the Youth Division, which will be offered only during the June 29-July 17 session. Robertson will lead the ballet classes, kinesiology workshop, and modern dance classes, with the rest of the faculty teaching the men’s class, pointe, and coaching sessions.

Maria Youskevitch, daughter of Igor Youskevitch, one of the iconic dancers of the 20th century, has taught at numerous schools, including the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of American Ballet Theatre, David Howard Center for Dance, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Her professional performance career was as a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, Maryland Ballet, and Ballet Romantique, as well as in summer stock musical theatre.

Kirk Peterson was a principal dancer, choreographer, ballet master, principal character artist, and master teaching associate with American Ballet Theatre, and served as artistic director of ABT II. Additionally, he was a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Harkness Ballet, National Ballet of Washington, and London’s Festival Ballet.  He was artistic director of Hartford Ballet for five years, and resident choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet for six. His choreography has also been presented by American Ballet Theatre, Alberta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Washington Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and BalletMet in addition to The Royal Ballet School (London) and School of American Ballet in New York.

Visit www.martinbartonarts.com for more information. Enrollment is limited, and interested students are invited to attend class to determine level, in lieu of an audition.