KSD 2024
Pre-Professional Summer Intensive
A highlight of summer for KSD student and beyond, is our pre-professional summer dance intensive. Each year the school welcomes new artists and teachers of different disciplines to give the dance youth of Kingston a taste of professional development beyond YGK.
KSD Summer Intensive 2024
Monday, August 12th – Friday, August 16th, 2024
Advanced Level (Ages 15yrs+)//Minimum of 5 years of dance experience in ballet/ contemporary
Intermediate Level(Ages 12-14 yrs)//Minimum of 3 years of dance experience in ballet/contemporary
$250 per student
Schedule (May be subject to small changes)
Advanced // Senior
9:15-10:45- Ballet - Sylvia Berman
11-12:30 - Contemporary - Haley Dimeck
12:30-1:15 - LUNCH
1:15-2:30 Somatic Conditioning - Amy Booth
2:45-3:45 - Jazz - Alex McChesney
Intermediate // Junior
9:30-10:45- Contemporary Haley Dimek
11:00-12:15 - Ballet- Sylvia Berman
12:15 - 1:00 pm LUNCH
1:00-2:00 pm Jazz - Alex McChesney
2:15-3:30 pm Somatic Conditioning - Amy Booth
Ballet with Sylvia Berman
Sylvia Berman started her pre-professional training at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada. After graduating from QBSC in 2016, Sylvia was accepted into the B.F.A. program at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase and graduated summa cum laude in May 2020. During her training at Purchase, Sylvia studied ballet, contemporary and modern techniques, as well as improvisation and choreographic composition. As a member of the Purchase Dance Company, Sylvia performed works by George Balanchine, Bettijane Sills, Eve Chan, and Norbert De La Cruiz III. For her senior project, she performed a solo entitled “For Sylvia '' by Montreal choreographer, Hélène Blackburn. Since Graduating in 2020, Sylvia has had the pleasure of working with Brittney Canda, Cai Glover, Tableau D'Hôte Theatre and Jera Wolfe. Currently, Sylvia is a company dancer with Ballet Ouest de Montréal and tours the Tchaikovsky Candle Light Ballet with Fever Company.
Contemporary with Haley Dimek
Haley Dimeck is passionate about actively learning from a range of different experiences, which constantly informs her teaching. Originally from the KW area, she graduated from Dance Arts Institute in 2020, where she extensively studied Martha Graham technique, among other styles. Enhancing her training, she has participated in numerous intensives and has worked with renowned choreographers. A few highlighted performances include works by Charles Moulton (Fall for Dance North), Peggy Baker (dance: made in canada/fait au canada Festival) and James O'Hara (TransFormation Danse).
Haley choreographed and presented her first full-length work, The Hidden Revealed, in 2019 for Unwrap Theatre. She choreographed, directed and edited her first dance film as 2020 co-recipient of The Winchester Prize, and her second for Unwrap Theatre in 2021. In 2022, Haley hosted the online film festival event, Movement Offerings, in which she presented a new dance film created with the support of Pat The Dog Theatre Creation. She has also worked with Portal Dance, Nicole Decsey Dance Projects, and performed in multiple works with the Guelph Dance Festival.
As a creator, Haley is often inspired by movement in nature and following innate impulses. She is also a professional abstract painter and loves exploring the intersections between moving paint on a canvas and movement in the body. She recently presented Dreaming in Colour, with Unwrap Theatre, which delved into this concept.
Haley loves to share her passion for dance through teaching, along with her belief in continuously pursuing curiosity. She feels it is a true gift to inspire and be inspired by young dancers.
Jazz with Alex McChesney
Alexandra began dancing in Kingston, Ontario at the age of three, training and competing in ballet, jazz and contemporary. She has completed her RAD Advanced Two with Distinction and received supplementary training through intensives such as Boston Ballet school and the Alberta Ballet School. Finding a love of movement has led her to Toronto where she will soon be entering her final year at Toronto Metropolitain Universitie’s (TMU) BFA Performance Dance Program where she the trains in a variety of styles from modern to house. In recent years she has had the opportunity to work with Alysa Pires, Jera Wolfe, Hanna Kiel, and Esie Mensah in their processes and performances.