23 Best Winter Ballet and Dance Intensives (2026-27): Dates, Ages and Fees

A winter ballet intensive is a short, full-day block of training, usually three to five days, held over the holiday break or the February school holiday. For pre-professional dancers it fills the gap between Nutcracker and the January audition season. For parents it is a way to see whether a bigger program is a good fit before paying for a full summer.

The catch is that winter programs are much harder to find than summer ones. Most of the famous schools only run summer sessions, and many lists online still show programs that stopped years ago. So we checked every official site we could find in early October 2026. Below are 15 ballet intensives and 8 contemporary, jazz and multi-style intensives with 2026-27 dates, ages, costs and audition rules taken from each program's own page.

The Short Answer

All 23 Winter Intensives at a Glance

This is not a prestige ranking. Prestige depends on the dancer, and a three-day workshop says little about a school's full-time training. We grouped the programs by style and region, then listed each group by start date, because the holiday calendar decides most families' choice. Every program had to show a current or upcoming winter session on its official site to make the list.

Swipe the table sideways on a phone. December dates are 2026 and January and February dates are 2027.

How to Choose a Winter Intensive

A winter intensive is short, so the choice is less about the school's reputation and more about what your dancer needs before spring. Five questions sort most of the list.

• Age and level. Check the minimum age and the date it is counted on. Cary Ballet asks for at least a year on pointe, and Ballet Hispánico asks for two and a half years. Programs open to "6 and up" will teach in groups by level, so ask how many students are in each group.
• Audition. Many programs here take anyone at the stated level, including Joffrey, Ballet Hispánico, Broadway Dance Center and the Royal Ballet School's winter day. Others want a video (Nashville Ballet, NYCDA, Ballet BC) or photos and an online file (the Royal Ballet School's Japan Intensive, Princess Grace Academy, Mosa). Video deadlines come early, often in November.
• Cost. Published tuition for a three-to-five-day program in North America runs from $275 at Academy of Ballet Arts to $1,150 at NYCDA. For anyone travelling, flights and a hotel over the holidays usually cost more than the tuition.
• Housing. Almost every North American program on this list is day-only. Only Mosa and Princess Grace Academy offer their own boarding, and the Australian Ballet School points families to a partner hotel.
• What it leads to. Several intensives double as auditions. That can matter more than the classes themselves.

Ballet Winter Intensives in the United States

None of the largest US company schools list a youth winter intensive this season. We checked the official sites for American Ballet Theatre's JKO School, the Rock School, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet and Ellison Ballet, and found summer programs, showcases or drop-in classes instead. The schools below are where the US winter training happens.

1. Osipova Ballet Academy Winter Intensive, Mountain View, CA

• Dates: Week 1, 21–23 December 2026; Week 2, 28–30 December 2026, about 9:15am to 2pm
• Ages: 9–18 in four levels (Beginner 9–10 up to Advanced 15–18)
• Audition: none stated
• Cost: $600 a week for visiting students ($500 for the academy's own), non-refundable
• Housing: day program

Classes cover technique, pointe and pre-pointe, character, conditioning, repertoire and variations. The academy pitches the week as a way to get variations ready for the competition season, so it suits dancers entering spring competitions.

Best for: Bay Area dancers aged 9 to 18 who want variation work before competitions. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

2. Master Ballet Academy Winter Grand Prix Intensive, Scottsdale, AZ

• Dates: Sunday 27 to Wednesday 30 December
• Ages: 8 to professional, plus a Mini level for ages 5–7
• Audition: none stated
• Cost: $599 (boys $300; Mini $425); partnering and solo-critique add-ons $40 each
• Housing: not mentioned, so plan on a day program

Master Ballet Academy is the official school of Phoenix Ballet. The partnering add-on is only open to girls aged 13 and up with at least a full year on pointe. The page lists 2026 guest faculty but does not print the year next to the dates, so confirm with the school when you register.

Best for: families who want one program that can take siblings of very different ages. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

3. Cary Ballet Conservatory Winter Intensive, Cary, NC

• Dates: 27–29 December 2026, about five hours a day
• Ages: 12 and up, intermediate to advanced, at least one year on pointe
• Audition: acceptance by application only
• Cost: $700 tuition plus a $70 application fee; private coaching extra
• Housing: not mentioned

The schedule packs a lot into three days: technique, pointe, character, conditioning, men's technique, partnering, variations and repertoire. It is led by director Mariaelena Ruiz, with guest artists still to be announced.

Best for: intermediate dancers on the East Coast who want a full classical curriculum in a short week. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

4. Ballet Hispánico Winter Intensive, New York, NY

• Dates: 27–30 December 2026, full attendance required
• Ages: 12–23, intermediate and advanced, at least 2.5 years on pointe
• Audition: none required
• Cost: $520; no financial assistance
• Housing: day program; the school will share possible accommodation by email

Each day combines ballet technique, pointe or men's class, contemporary and conditioning, then nearly two hours of coaching on one solo. Dancers bring a classical variation or contemporary solo they are already working on, or the faculty assigns one.

Best for: a dancer who needs one audition solo cleaned up before January. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

5. Ramon Moreno School of Ballet Winter Intensive, Palo Alto, CA

• Dates: 28–30 December 2026 and 2–3 January 2027
• Ages: 8–10 (mornings) and 11–18 (afternoons); open to the public
• Audition: none stated
• Cost: ages 11–18, $240 for one day up to $895 for all five; ages 8–10, $205 to $625; 5% off if paid in full before 1 November
• Housing: day program

The useful detail here is flexibility. Families can book anywhere from one to five days, which works around holiday travel. The page does not list a detailed class schedule.

Best for: families with holiday plans who can only spare a few days. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

6. Academy of Ballet Arts Winter Ballet Intensive, Murrieta, CA

• Dates: 28–30 December 2026, 10am to 1:30pm
• Levels: three groups, from Level 1A up to intermediate/advanced
• Audition: audition class or video for students from other schools
• Cost: $275 for the program ($150 non-refundable deposit) or $100 for a single day; 10% off if paid in full by 20 November
• Housing: none; the school does not arrange housing, transport or meals

At three and a half hours a day, this is the gentlest program on the list. Classes cover technique, pre-pointe and pointe, and stretch and conditioning.

Best for: younger or newer students trying a first intensive at the lowest cost. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

7. Paris Ballet Magnifique International Winter Ballet Intensive, South Florida

• Dates: 28, 29, 30 and 31 December 2026 and 2 January 2027
• Ages: 6 and up, intermediate and advanced
• Audition: not stated
• Cost: not yet published; check site
• Housing: not mentioned

Despite the name and a line on the page about a program "in Paris", this one takes place in South Florida. It is run by Paris Ballet and Dance with the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and ends in a performance at the Kravis Center. Teaching is in the French style, and the guest faculty includes Charles Jude, a former Paris Opera Ballet étoile.

Best for: Florida dancers who want a performance at the end of the week. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

8. Joffrey NY Ballet Winter Workshop, New York, NY

• Dates: Saturday 2 to Monday 4 January 2027
• Ages: 12–25, intermediate level or above
• Audition: none required
• Cost: $399, or $299 if registered by 14 October 2026
• Housing: day program

Three days of technique, pointe, variations, contemporary, jazz and character in Manhattan. The workshop includes an audition, and every student is considered for Joffrey's 2027 summer intensives and merit scholarships. For many families that alone covers the cost of a separate audition trip.

Best for: dancers aiming at a Joffrey summer program. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

9. Nashville Ballet Form & Focus Winter Intensive, Nashville, TN

• Dates: 2–5 January 2027
• Ages: 15 and up, advanced
• Audition: video audition ($55); due 15 December
• Cost: $500 for two days or $800 for four; private coaching extra
• Housing: not mentioned

The most advanced US program here, built around classical partnering and grand pas de deux from entrance to coda. Participants are considered for Nashville Ballet's year-round divisions and second company, and can attend its summer intensive without a second audition. The age line on the page reads "fifteen no later than January 2, 2026", which looks like a typo for 2027, so confirm it with the school.

Best for: advanced teens who need partnering. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

Ballet Winter Intensives Abroad

In the UK and Europe, the winter course usually runs in the February half-term rather than over Christmas. In Australia, January is summer, so the Australian Ballet School's summer school lands in the northern winter break.

10. The Royal Ballet School Japan Intensive, Tokyo

• Dates: 18–20 December 2026 (ages 10–19); 19–20 December, two half-days (ages 8–9)
• Audition: ages 10–19 selected by photographs; ages 8–9 first come, first served
• Cost: £685 plus a £50 application fee (ages 10–19); £220 (ages 8–9)
• Deadline: 30 October 2026 for ages 10–19
• Housing: non-residential

Held at The Tokyo Ballet School. Classes cover classical technique, pointe, solos, repertoire and stagecraft. On 20 December the school also holds auditions for full-time Royal Ballet School training for ages 14–18, with a separate registration that closes on 14 October.

Best for: dancers in Asia, or families travelling there over the holidays. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

11. The Australian Ballet School Summer School, Melbourne

• Dates: Week 1, 3–7 January 2027; Week 2, 9–13 January 2027 (tentative, subject to change)
• Ages: Open Program 8–18; Pre-Professional 14–21 at Advanced level or higher; Boys Program 10–13; Creative Program 6–7
• Audition: not stated; check site
• Cost: not yet published; enrolment "will open shortly"
• Housing: partner rates at a hotel next to the school

Classes are taught by school staff and guest teachers from The Australian Ballet. Ages count on the first day of the chosen program, so a dancer with a birthday in early January should check which group applies.

Best for: pre-professional dancers who want two weeks of training in January. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

12. The Royal Ballet School Winter Intensive, London and Cardiff

• Dates: Cardiff, 13 or 14 February 2027; London, 14 or 15 February 2027 (one day each)
• Ages: London 8–15, Cardiff 8–14, on the day
• Audition: none; non-selective
• Cost: £165 for the day
• Deadline: booking opens 9 November 2026, closes 1 February 2027

Each day is a ballet class plus a focus class: "Exploring Don Quixote" in both cities, or "Developing Technique and Artistry" in London only. It is a one-day workshop, not a full week, but it is the easiest way to spend a day inside the Royal Ballet School's Covent Garden studios.

Best for: younger UK dancers, or a family trip to London in February. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

13. English National Ballet School Spring Intensive, London

• Dates: 16–18 February 2027, 9:30am to 5pm
• Ages: 13–17
• Audition: application with an audition pack; format not stated on the page
• Cost: £350 for three days
• Deadline: 7 February 2027

Named "Spring" but held over the February half-term at the school's Chelsea studios. Classes cover classical ballet, pointe, contemporary and choreography with senior faculty. The school also runs a one-day boys' workshop on 16 January 2027.

Best for: teens who want a pre-professional school's daily routine for three days. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

14. Mosa Ballet School Winter Intensive Course, Liège, Belgium

• Dates: 22–26 February 2027, with an audition day on 27 February
• Ages: 12–20
• Audition: pre-selection required
• Cost: €650 for five days (five classes a day, lunch included)
• Housing: on-site boarding, €360–€480 for the week with breakfast and dinner
• Deadline: 8 February 2027

Visiting dancers train mixed in with Mosa's own students, for whom the course is mandatory. Each day includes ballet, classical repertoire and contemporary, taught mainly in English or French. The week leads straight into the school's audition on the Saturday.

Best for: teens seriously considering full-time training in Europe. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

15. Princess Grace Academy Winter Courses, Monte Carlo, Monaco

• Dates: not yet posted; the page lists winter courses with "upcoming dates"
• Ages: 11–19
• Audition: selection by online file with photos and classical and contemporary video (15 minutes total)
• Cost: €1,200 a week with boarding, or €700 a week without, as listed on the page
• Housing: boarding available

This is the school of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Each one-week course includes classical, contemporary, pointe, men's class, Pilates and music, and dancers can ask to be auditioned for the full-time Academy during the week. Applications are reviewed in the order they arrive, so an early file helps.

Best for: advanced teens who want a course and an audition in one trip. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

What About Canada?

This is the part most lists leave out. We checked Canada's National Ballet School, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, the School of Alberta Ballet, Goh Ballet, Quinte Ballet School and Arts Umbrella in October 2026 and found no youth ballet winter intensive listed. Canadian schools tend to use winter for full-time auditions and run their short courses in March Break and summer. Canadian dancers have three realistic choices: Ballet BC's contemporary intensive in Vancouver (below), a US program, or a March Break course.

Two March options worth knowing: the National Ballet of Canada's March Break Dance Intensive in Toronto for ages 7–12 ($450 early bird, $550 from 1 December; 2027 dates not yet posted), and the Vancouver Ballet Society's Spring Seminar, 14–20 March 2027, for ages 11–18, with an audition on 17 January and registration closing 30 November 2026. For year-round options, see our list of top dance schools in Canada.

How to Prepare for a Winter Intensive

A three-day intensive goes fast. Teachers see a new dancer for a few hours, so the dancer who arrives warm, strong and familiar with the vocabulary gets the most corrections. Most of the preparation happens in the four to six weeks before.

• Keep class going through Nutcracker. Performance weeks are hard on technique. One or two full classes a week through December keeps the barre ready for a 9am start.
• Build ankle and foot strength. Many programs above add pointe, variations or partnering every day. Slow relevés, held balances in passé and arabesque, and rises on one foot build the stamina for that.
• Prepare a solo. Ballet Hispánico, Osipova and several others coach variations. Bringing one you already know means the time goes on detail, not learning steps.
• Plan for the floor. Contemporary programs are often barefoot. Bring warm layers and kneepads if floor work is listed.
• Keep moving over the break. Holiday travel and days off are where strength fades. Ten minutes of balance work a day keeps the ankles ready.

A spring balance board is one way to do that at home. Our spring balance boards move under the foot on three springs, so every held relevé or passé has to be controlled, not just placed. The Bellenae Mini is a single-foot board, and the 10-inch size fits in a dance bag for a hotel room or a relative's house over the holidays. It is not a replacement for class or for a teacher's corrections. Handcrafted in Canada by five sisters who danced their entire lives.

Contemporary, Jazz and Multi-Style Winter Intensives

Outside ballet, New York has almost the whole winter market. Most of these programs still start the day with a ballet class.

16. Joffrey NY Jazz & Contemporary Winter Workshop

• Dates: 18–20 December 2026 (Friday evening to Sunday)
• Ages: 10–25, intermediate or above; no audition
• Cost: $399

Ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, improvisation and theatre dance in Manhattan. The weekend includes an audition for Joffrey's 2027 jazz and contemporary summer intensives and its trainee program. Best for: versatile dancers who want a summer audition before Christmas. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

17. Ballet BC Winter Intensive, Vancouver

• Dates: 19–22 December 2026
• Ages: 15–22; video audition of your own improvisation, no fee
• Cost: CA$875 plus GST, tuition only; day program

A contemporary company program: repertoire from Ballet BC works, improvisation and floor work. New this year, dancers build a solo they can reuse in audition videos. Applications closed on 9 October 2026, so note it for next year if you missed it. Best for: Canadian contemporary dancers aged 15 and up. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

18. NYCDA Winter Contemporary and Pre-Professional Intensives

• Dates: Pre-Professional, 27–30 December 2026 (ages 14–18); Contemporary, 27–31 December 2026 (ages 16–21)
• Audition: video only; deadline 4 November 2026
• Cost: $1,100 (Pre-Professional) or $1,150 (Contemporary), no refunds; day program

Run by New York City Dance Alliance and hosted at The Juilliard School (venue subject to change), with the final showcase at Steps on Broadway and a livestream. The contemporary track is led by Alexandra Damiani, artistic director of Ballets Jazz Montréal. Best for: competition dancers ready for a pre-professional room. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

19. Complexions Contemporary Ballet Winter Intensive

• Dates: New York, 27–30 December 2026; a Pittsburgh session is to be announced
• Ages: 13–26; audition required, live in some cities or by video
• Cost: not shown on the official page; check site

Contemporary ballet in the Complexions style, with an optional contemporary pointe class and a non-pointe track. Audition submissions close two weeks before the program starts. Best for: ballet dancers moving toward contemporary companies. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

20. Taylor Winter Workshop

• Dates: 27–31 December 2026, 9am to 2pm
• Ages: 17+, intermediate/advanced
• Cost: $600

Taylor modern technique and Paul Taylor repertory, with each day starting with wellness coaching or conditioning, and a studio showing on the last day. The page links a list of housing options. Best for: older dancers curious about modern dance. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

21. Broadway Dance Center Winter Intensive

• Dates: 28 December (contemporary, hip hop, street styles) and 29 December 2026 (musical theatre, jazz, jumps and turns)
• Ages: 13–21, plus a junior program for 9–12; at least five years of training in the style; no audition
• Cost: $375 for one day, $700 for two ($649 early bird)

Closed classes with BDC faculty and guests, an informal showcase each day, and a one- or two-day option. Best for: competition and commercial dancers who want New York teachers without a week away. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

22. Martha Graham School Winter Intensive

• Dates: 28 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, one to three weeks
• Ages: 18+; placed by level, no audition
• Cost: priced by class track, from $200 a week for Graham technique

The longest program here: Graham technique and repertory, ballet, contemporary, composition and partnering, ending with a studio showing on 15 January. Best for: college-age dancers who can stay in New York for the whole break. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

23. Gibney NYC Winter Study

• Dates: Session I, 7–18 December 2026; Session II, 4–15 January 2027
• Ages: 18+; application only, 20 places per session
• Cost: $950; deadline 25 October 2026

Each dancer picks 30 classes over two weeks from Gibney's open schedule, from ballet to Gaga to street styles. Tuition includes performance tickets and an injury-prevention workshop with NYU Langone's Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. Best for: young adults starting a professional career. Official page, checked 6 Oct 2026.

One more for early December: the Limón Winter Intensive in Harlem runs 7–11 December 2026 for ages 15 and up, with no audition and $590 if paid by 15 October.

Winter Intensives and the Summer Audition Tour

Winter is also audition season for next summer. The School of American Ballet auditions on weekends in January, with registration opening in early November. American Ballet Theatre's 2026 tour ran from 3 January to 8 February across 22 cities, and ABT also accepted video auditions for all programs. 2027 tour dates were not published when we checked.

That timing is why several programs on this list work as auditions too. Joffrey's two winter workshops include an audition for its 2027 summer intensives. Nashville Ballet considers participants for its year-round and summer programs. Mosa and Princess Grace Academy can lead to full-time places. A winter intensive the week before an audition also gives a dancer a week of daily class after the holiday break. For the summer side of the calendar, see our guide to the best dance summer intensives.

The Bottom Line

Winter intensives are short, mostly day-only and cheaper than summer, which makes them a good first step for a dancer who has never trained away from home. Pick by what the dancer needs before spring: a coached solo, partnering, a first look at a school, or an audition built into the week. Check the deadlines above now, because the video and early-bird dates fall between mid-October and early November. If two programs fit, choose the one with the clearer next step, such as a summer audition or a year-round placement, and ask each school what the last day includes. A showing, a written evaluation or a scholarship decision tells you more about the week than the class list does. For the full-time schools many of these programs feed into, see our list of the best ballet schools in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best winter ballet intensives for 2026-27?

For North American dancers, the strongest options with published 2026-27 dates are the Joffrey NY Ballet Winter Workshop (2-4 January, no audition), Ballet Hispánico's Winter Intensive (27-30 December, solo coaching) and Nashville Ballet's Form & Focus (2-5 January, ages 15 and up, partnering). Abroad, the Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School and Mosa Ballet School run February courses. The best choice depends on age, level and whether the dancer needs an audition built into the week.

Do winter ballet intensives require an audition?

Many do not. Joffrey, Ballet Hispánico, Broadway Dance Center and the Royal Ballet School's one-day winter intensive take any dancer who meets the age and level rules. Others ask for a video, such as Nashville Ballet, NYCDA and Ballet BC, or for photos and an online file, such as Mosa and Princess Grace Academy. Video deadlines often fall in November, weeks before the program starts, so check each page early.

How much does a winter dance intensive cost?

Published tuition for the North American programs on our list runs from $275 for three half-days at Academy of Ballet Arts to $1,150 for five days at NYCDA. Most three-to-four-day ballet programs cost $400 to $900. Almost all are day programs, so families travelling should add flights, a hotel and meals over the holidays, which often cost more than the tuition itself. Several programs offer early-bird prices that end in October or November.

When do winter dance intensives take place?

In North America, almost all winter intensives run between 18 December and early January, after Nutcracker and before school starts again. A few run in early December or into mid-January, such as Gibney and the Martha Graham School. In the UK and Europe, winter courses usually fall in the February half-term. The Australian Ballet School's summer school runs in January because seasons are reversed in Australia.

Are there winter ballet intensives in Canada?

We found no youth ballet winter intensive at the major Canadian schools we checked in October 2026, including Canada's National Ballet School, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, the School of Alberta Ballet and Goh Ballet. Ballet BC runs a contemporary winter intensive in Vancouver for ages 15 to 22. Many Canadian dancers travel to a US program over the holidays or choose a March Break course, such as the National Ballet of Canada's in Toronto.

Sources

Official pages, checked 6 October 2026. Dates and fees change; confirm on each site before you register.

1. www.osipovaballetacademy.com/winter-intensive
2. www.masterballetacademy.com/grandprixintensive
3. caryballet.com/winter-intensive
4. www.ballethispanico.org/school/summer-programs/winter-intensive
5. www.ramonmorenoballet.com/winter-intensive
6. academyofballetart.org/winter-ballet-intensive
7. parisballetdance.com/summer-%26-winter-intensive
8. www.joffreyballetschool.com/workshops/summer-sampler/joffrey-ny-ballet-winter-workshop
9. www.nashvilleballet.com/winter-intensive
10. www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/intensive-courses/japan-intensive
11. www.australianballetschool.com.au/pages/abs-summer-school
12. www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/intensive-courses/winter-intensive
13. www.enbschool.org.uk/intensives/spring
14. www.mosaballetschool.eu/event/winter-intensive-course-12-20-ans-2027-263/register
15. www.balletsdemontecarlo.com/en/princess-grace-academy/admission-short-courses
16. national.ballet.ca/classes/in-studio/workshops-and-intensives/march-break-dance-intensive
17. vancouverballetsociety.com/spring-seminar
18. www.joffreyballetschool.com/workshops/summer-sampler/joffrey-ny-jazz-contemporary-winter-workshop
19. balletbc.com/winter-intensive
20. www.nycdance.com/intensives/winter-pre-professional-intensive
21. www.complexionsacademy.com/winter-intensives
22. paultaylordance.org/center-dance-education/intensives
23. broadwaydancecenter.com/workshop/winter-intensive
24. marthagraham.edu/intensive
25. gibneydance.org/center/training/nyc-summer-and-winter-study
26. www.limon.nyc/winter-intensive
27. sab.org/summer-auditions-admission
28. www.abt.org/2026-american-ballet-theatre-summer-intensive-national-audition-tour-announced
29. www.nycdance.com/intensives/winter-contemporary-intensive
30. www.complexionsacademy.com/faq
31. balletbc.com/winter-intensive-faq
32. www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/intensive-courses
33. www.enbschool.org.uk/intensives