Ducon Adult Summer Ballet Intensive 2025 Review

As an adult hobby ballet dancer, the idea of attending a summer intensive is both exciting and intimidating. I associate ballet intensives with teenagers training to become professional dancers, not adults who squeeze ballet classes in between work, family, and everyday life.

So I was intrigued when I learned about the Ducon Adult Summer Ballet Intensive - a program created specifically for dancers like me: adults who love ballet and want to challenge themselves with an immersive week of ballet training.

I took the leap and attended the Ducon intensive in Mountain View, California this summer. In this post, I’ll share my entire experience — from making the decision to go, to what the intensive was actually like, and whether I plan to sign up again next year.

If you’re an adult dancer wondering if the Ducon Adult Summer Ballet Intensive is for you, I hope my experience helps you decide.

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1. Deciding to Attend

The first step was simply saying yes to attending. It seems simple enough, but it actually took me several months and encouragement from others to commit to attending.

I had a lot of questions and doubts: Was I good enough? Would I be able to keep up with the others? Would I have to wear a leotard and tights? Could I justify the cost and time away?

I talked to another dancer who attended Ducon last year in Toronto about her experience. She reassured me that I could handle the level of the intensive and encouraged me to sign up.

I wondered if the intensive would be worth the cost at $1799. My husband just said to me, “You love ballet. You should sign up.”

I wrote to the Ducon organization about class attire and received reassurance that I didn’t have to wear a leotard and tights for class. That was all enough encouragement for me to sign up.

I signed up to attend Ducon California in Mountain View because I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ducon is hosted in multiple locations around the world, but the choice of city was easy for me because I could stay at home and commute to the dance studio every day.

2. Preparing for the Intensive

Once I registered, the countdown to the intensive began — and with it, the question: how do I actually prepare for a week of dancing several hours a day?

Physical Prep

I knew the intensive would be more demanding than my regular ballet classes, so I started exercising more.

I attended my regular ballet classes on the weekend and made sure I did other exercise during the week, mainly swimming, stretching, and just keeping moving. I wanted my body to feel ready to handle long days without breaking down.

Dancewear & Equipment

I purchased some new dancewear and equipment that I knew I would need. It is required to wear a black leotard, pink tights, and black skirt if you are going to dance in the performance at the end of the intensive.

These are a few of my essentials:

Leotard - I bought this sleeved leotard in plain black and with the floral mesh.
Capezio tights - I got the self knit waist ones.
Capezio Georgette wrap skirt - I got this skirt in the size M/L and it was plenty long enough to wrap around well and not too short as well.
Foam roller - I used this to roll out my muscles at home every night.
Compression socks - My classmate recommended compression socks. I started using these partway through the intensive, even driving home in them. I think they helped my recovery.
Asutra cream for sore muscles - I used this nearly every night and the tingling sensation of the menthol felt so good. It definitely helped me recover better.

Accommodations

One of my classmates who lives in San Francisco stayed at an extended stay hotel in Mountain View during the week of the intensive because commuting (easily over an hour each way in traffic) would be too hard on her.

Several of the other dancers traveled here from other states and countries. They stayed at one of the several motels within walking distance of the dance studio. Others stayed at local AirBnBs.

By the time the intensive arrived, I felt fairly ready for it. I wasn’t perfectly conditioned or free of doubt, but I had prepared my body, my bag, and my mindset — and that made stepping into the studio on day one much easier.

3. The Intensive Experience

Daily Schedule & Structure

We had full days from 9 AM to 5 PM on Monday to Friday with a break for lunch. Class times varied a bit depending on when teachers started and ended, but it was mostly like this:

9-11:15 Technique class
11:20-12:00 Pre-pointe/Pointe class
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-3:00 Ensemble/Historical dance
3:00-5:00 Variation class or 1:1 coaching

We were separated into two groups for technique class depending on our level. This was pre-determined based on the information we gave them about our prior experience when we signed up.

Faculty & Teaching Style

One of the highlights of the intensive was taking class with each of four main instructors:

Mr. Du
Ms. Anastacia
Mr. Ricardo
Ms. Osipova

Mr. Du, who founded Ducon, taught two of the intermediate/advanced technique classes that I attended. One of the variations classes was taught by Katya, a graduate of the Vaganova school.

Each teacher brought a unique style to their teaching and choreography, but all taught the Vaganova (Russian) ballet method and were phenomenal. They gave corrections but were encouraging.

They treated us like professional dancers or at least serious students, not just hobbyists, and you could feel their excitement about watching us improve throughout the week.

The Dancers
The dancers came from all over the US and the world from as far away as Brazil, Chile, and Hong Kong. We were different ages from early 20s to maybe 50s and 60s and at different stages in our ballet journeys.

Some dancers had only a few years of dance experience, while I think one woman in my group had over 30 years of experience.

We were divided into two groups for the technique class in the morning based on experience level. We then mixed together during the afternoon sessions.

Highlights

There were several moments that stood out during the intensive.

Mr. Du always had great insight into ballet and his approach to teaching. He was very encouraging, saying that you have to tell students when they are doing things right.
Otherwise they will not know. He would give corrections like to quiet the body when trying to balance. He shared that the classes he gave us are the same ones he would give to professionals.
Ms. Anastacia gave us an Italian style adagio in the center, which was fun and unusual.
Mr. Ricardo taught us historical dances such as Pas de Grace and Pas de Polonaise. These are steps and dances I had never learned before and would otherwise never have the chance to learn.
Ms. Osipova broke down variations into sections and reviewed the arms and legs of each in a manner that made them easy to learn. I surprised myself by learning a few variations (ballet pieces) in just one or two classes.
She reviewed a Giselle variation and taught us the Fairy of Tenderness and Fairy of Generosity variations from Sleeping Beauty in just two sessions.

Those moments reminded me why I signed up: to enjoy ballet while still pushing and surprising myself.

Challenges Along the Way

The biggest challenge by far was soreness and fatigue. I actually danced on Sunday before the intensive started so I was already a bit tired going into it. I was sore by day two of the intensive even with self-care like stretching and soaking with epsom salt at night.

It was hard to get through the afternoon sessions by day two. My back and my feet hurt by the afternoon. Commuting to and from the intensive didn’t help either because my back tightened during my time driving in the car.

The soreness left by Wednesday, but I was still tired overall and that continued the rest of the week. I fell asleep in the car (as a passenger) on the way home after the performance on Saturday and couldn’t help but nap for an hour or two as soon as I got home. I was just so tired from the events of the week.

Some dancers smartly did not attend a class or two or sat out parts of the afternoon sessions during the week because they needed a break here and there.

4. Reflection & Takeaways

Looking back, the intensive was exciting, valuable, and memorable. These are are a few of my reflections and takeaways.

A Unique Experience

I’m fortunate that I attend a dance studio that teaches the Vaganova method and that I get instruction on variations basically like coaching. So in those aspects, the intensive was similar to my regular ballet experience.

The biggest difference for me was being a part of a large ensemble or group piece. I normally work on individual variations, so I don’t get the experience of working with a group of dancers having to figure out timing, spacing, and actually dancing together.

I really enjoyed the experience of developing a group piece and rehearsing it together everyday.

I also learned historical dances such as the Pas de Grace and Pas de Polonaise as I mentioned above. I wouldn’t have been able to learn those anywhere else but at the intensive.

Technique & Corrections

I learned more about the Vaganova technique or reinforced what I already know, things like

Arms in place before legs

Emboites require slight developes
Soutenu turns should stay up at the end
And so many other technical points (hard for me to describe here in French terms I don’t know how to spell)

Ballet is also about corrections in attempting to perfect what is imperfectable. I got some good corrections and perspectives about dancing:

I got corrections that I often get - straighten the knee, keep the shoulder blades down and flat, and relax the neck and chin.
I overuse some muscles and underuse others. It’s not that noticeable when I take 1-2 classes at a time, but is noticeable after dancing a full day 5 days in a row while tired.
Mr. Du talked about how every dancer works on tendus their entire life

I love dancing, but…

I’ll stay a hobbyist dancer. The intensive was exhausting! I’m not cut out to dance 7 hours a day 5 days a week. I’m happy taking 1-2 classes at a time a few days a week.

5. Will I Attend Again Next Year?

So, would I do it all over again next year? The short answer is that I’m not sure…but not for the reasons you might expect.

Pros:

The faculty is top-notch and genuinely supportive of adult dancers. All the Ducon instructors know the Vaganova method. If that’s what you want to learn, you’ll be immersed in it during the intensive.

The intensive is well-structured with technique class, pre-pointe/pointe class, ensemble work, and variations class each day. We had one historical dance class as well.
My classmate who had attended the intensive in Toronto in 2024 had character class while she was there. Character class wasn’t offered this year.

Cons/Considerations:

It’s an investment — both financially and in terms of time. The intensive was absolutely worth the cost to me, but $1799 is not a small amount to spend on a hobby, so it’s something I’m considering as I debate signing up for next year.
Also, the week of the intensive I didn’t do much at home other than eat, sleep, recover, and prepare for the next day. The rest of my life was on pause for the week.

The physical toll is real. My main hesitation is actually not being sure if I can handle it again physically. My lower back is still tight from dancing all day and then driving home at night.
That physical discomfort gives me pause when thinking about signing up again. I can probably do it if I prepare better next time around.
If you plan to do the intensive, prepare in the weeks and months leading up to it, pace yourself during the intensive, and plan your recovery.

Conclusion

Attending the Ducon Adult Summer Ballet Intensive was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done as a dancer. It challenged me mentally and physically and reminded me why I love ballet in the first place. I’ll keep my memories of this intensive long after my muscles recover.

If you are on the fence about attending, my advice is simple: say yes. Try it at least once. You don’t need to be the best dancer or even an advanced dancer.

Just bring your experience, love of ballet, and openness to a new experience, and you’ll have a great time while there.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Am I good enough to attend?

The Ducon website asks dancers to do a self-assessment and provides a video of a class that you should be able to follow before signing up. In my opinion, you should have knowledge of basic ballet terminology/steps and be able to complete a beginner class comfortably (not an introductory class).

That would involve being able to follow the standard exercises at the barre (e.g., plies, tendus, frappes, battements), complete center work, and do exercises across the floor as you would in a beginner level class. You don’t need to be perfect but have enough knowledge of ballet fundamentals to get through the intensive.

2. Will I be able to keep up physically?

The days are intense, but the teachers understand that we are mostly hobby dancers and get sore and tired from so much dancing. You’re encouraged to listen to your body — it’s okay to sit out for a class or take a break if you need to. Take the time to take care of your body before and after classes as well. I think most dancers were capable of keeping up throughout the week.

3. Do I have to be on pointe?
No, pointe class can be taken on pointe or in flat shoes. All of the dancers in my class (intermediate/advanced) wore their pointe shoes during that class each day, but my friend in the beginner class told me some dancers had not been on pointe at all before. They could take the class on flat or try pointe shoes for the first time. There’s no pressure to do pointe — you choose what’s right for you.

4. Should I come with a variation already chosen?

Dancers have the choice of coming to the intensive with a variation (ballet piece) already chosen or attending the variations class to learn one. If you come with a variation, you will be given some time for 1:1 coaching each day with one of the teachers. The teachers rotate daily so you are eventually coached by all of them.

You should come already knowing the choreography of your piece, as the coaching sessions will focus on improving it, not teaching it. During the variations sessions, you’ll be watching or resting or doing other things when it’s not your turn for coaching.

If you come without a variation, you’ll take the variations class where you will learn a few. I did not come with a variation, so attended the class and learned three pieces: one from Giselle and two of the fairies from Sleeping Beauty over the five days.

My friend and I preferred to come without variation so that we could spend the entire variations session each day dancing and learn more pieces overall.

I think the group was fairly evenly split between those that came with a variation already chosen and those that attended the variations class. Most of the intermediate/advanced dancers came with their own variations to perform.

5. Do I have to perform?

You don’t have to perform in the performance on the last day. I performed in the large ensemble piece but decided not to do an individual or small-group variation.

If you dance in the large group pieces, you’ll need a standard ballet uniform of a black leotard, black skirt, and pink tights. Smaller group variations and individual solos have more liberty with their outfits. Some dancers brought full performance outfits with flat pancake tutus, hair pieces, and other accessories.

6. Is it worth the cost?
Attending Ducon is definitely a financial commitment, especially once you add in travel and accommodations. But for me, the combination of world-class teachers, focused time to dance, and the community of adult dancers made it 100% worth it.

7. Will I have time to enjoy the city?
Mountain View is a smaller city, but there are still things nearby to see and do. Depending on where you stay and your access to transportation, you can have time for dinners, exploring a little, and connecting with others. If you’re looking to do more in the Bay Area, I would add on an extra day or two before or after the intensive.

Let me know if you have more questions about the Ducon experience by emailing me or leaving a comment below!