Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is pleased to announce the Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive (KBI), from June 23 – August 16, 2025. For more information and to register to audition, visit https://kaatsbaan.org/about-kaatsbaan-ballet-intensive.

KBI is a great opportunity to train with a specially curated group of accomplished international dance artists in group ballet classes. Along with KBI Artistic Director Paloma Herrera, faculty and guest teachers include Kaatsbaan co-founders Martine van Hamel, Kevin McKenzie, along with Beth Ferrell, Luciana Paris, and Adrienne Schulte, as well as returning KBI teacher Lorin Mathis and choreographers Gemma Bond, Calvin Hilpert, Jessica Lang, and Maria Konrad. Each session will also include a Guest Artist. Training will include daily ballet technique classes, and opportunities to fine-tune classical solos and corps de ballet repertoire.

This unique training program is designed for young dancers between the ages of 13 and 18 (who have at least two years of pointe work) to develop exceptional technical skills, artistic refinement, and a sophisticated approach to repertoire, with the ultimate goal of preparing attendees for a career in the arts.

Collegiate Week is for dancers between the ages of 18 and 25. Designed exclusively for college students, this one-week intensive is your opportunity to refine your ballet technique and repertoire. Kaatsbaan Collegiate Week is a process oriented program, where students delve into the heart of ballet through classical repertoire as well as experience a unique chance to explore contemporary choreography through specialized classes and enlightening lectures.

In-Person Auditions to be Held in January 2025

Video Submissions accepted starting December 2024

Auditions will be held in January 2025. There are two options for how to audition:

In-Person

January 17 & 18, 2025 in New York City

Baryshnikov Arts Center (450 W 37th Street, NY, NY 10018)

Three in-person audition sessions led by Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensives’ Artistic Director Paloma Herrera, with Kevin McKenzie and Martine van Hamel in attendance.

January 19, 2025 at Kaatsbaan in Tivoli

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park (120 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583)

Two in-person audition sessions led by Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensives’ Artistic Director Paloma Herrera, with Kevin McKenzie and Martine van Hamel in attendance.

Video Submission

Accepted December 1, 2024 through March 8, 2025.

Dancers have the choice of attending one or up to four two-week sessions, either as a residential student in onsite boarding or as a day student, in the beautiful Hudson Valley in Upstate New York. KBI has a no refund policy. Insurance may be purchased upon registration.

Collegiate Week (1 week)

June 16-21, 2025

Session I (2 weeks)

June 23-July 5, 2025

Session II (2 weeks)

July 7-19, 2025

Session III (2 weeks)

July 21-August 2, 2025

Session IV (2 weeks)

August 4-16, 2025

Tuition Includes:

Daily classes with world-renowned faculty, 6 days per week

All-star faculty

Pianists collaborating with dancers throughout the program

End of session showcase, featuring classical repertoire and KBI dancer material developed under the guidance of Choreography Guest Artist.

A limited-edition leotard or pair of shorts from the Chameleon by April Giangeruso Kaatsbaan collection

Housing and Meal Plan Includes:

Housing at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park’s Dancer’s Inn, fully supervised

Full meal plan (includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

Activities, including on and off-site trips

Laundry & incidentals

Email balletintensive@kaatsbaan.org for all questions.

Paloma Herrera was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and began her training at the age of seven. In January 1991, having just turned 15 years old, she moved to New York and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet. After only six months, she joined the American Ballet Theatre and, in 1995, became the youngest Principal Dancer in American Ballet Theatre history at age 19. She has appeared in ballets ranging from Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake, to Apollo, The Prodigal Son, and Stepping Stones. She has appeared as Guest Artist with great ballet companies around the world, including New York City Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Teatro Colon, and National Ballet of Cuba, to name a few. She retired from American Ballet Theatre at the end of November 2015, right before turning 40. Since that, she moved back to her home, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and continued to teach all over the world.

In 2016, she wrote her autobiography that was presented at Feria del Libro in 2017. That same year, she also launched her own perfume Paloma Herrera, in 2019 her second fragrance Paloma Herrera Passion, and in 2022 her third fragrance Paloma Herrera Fantasy.

In Argentina she received the award: Konex de Platino, Maria Ruanova and distinctions by the Honorable Camara de Diputados de La Nación, Medalla del Bicentenario by the government of the Buenos Aires city, among many others, and since 2012 she is a member of the gallery of popular idols of the Argentine Government House.

In 2017, she became the artistic director of Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon, where the company has grown immensely since she arrived. She resigned in 2022.

About Kaatsbaan Cultural Park

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park continues to deepen its mission to provide an extraordinary environment for cultural innovation and excellence with two annual outdoor festivals, year-round education programs, and creative residencies for artists at all stages of their professional careers. As both an incubator for creativity and presenter for diverse world-class artists in dance, theater, music, film, poetry, culinary, media, and visual arts, Kaatsbaan provides artists with state-of-the-art dance studios, accommodations, an indoor theater, and two outdoor stages. Sitting on 153 Hudson River-adjacent acres, Kaatsbaan is free of urban facilities’ space and time constraints, allowing for exciting levels of artistic exploration, creative action, and achievement – just two hours north of New York City. Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is committed to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts as it aims to present, promote, and embrace programming that accurately reflects its society. We encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to participate in our programs and join our Board and Staff and insist on being inclusive of all peoples regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, physical or mental ability. For more information, please visit www.kaatsbaan.org.

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