Youth & Teen Art Camps
“I heard that it was the place to go for male training, and that
has been more than true,” he says. “I heard many people go
here and come out as very strong dancers, and I wanted to
become that.”
The academy continues to produce impressive talent: Over
60% of the Houston Ballet’s company dancers come through
the academy. Linzau and Mench have a shot at being part of
that statistic.

Third position: Staying sharp
So, what has it been like to participate in the intensive so far?
Mench and Lanzau say it’s like working a full-time job: Dancers
start technique or conditioning classes, depending on the day, at 9
a.m., but Linzau usually arrives at the studio early to warm up. In
the afternoon, after pointe training, the dancers work on their rep-
ertoire pieces to perform at the end-of-summer showcase.

Houston Ballet’s summer program is unique because of its
emphasis on performance, Sommers says. “You can really focus on
taking your dancing, both as a technician and as an artist, to the next
level,” she explains.

But despite having “intense” in its name, the program ensures its
students are taken care of, whether it’s helping them balance school
work with dance (for the yearlong program Lanzau also partci-
pates in) or providing trainers, mental health services and nutrition
courses through Houston Methodist Hospital.

Houston Ballet Soloist Harper Watters and
students of Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive Program.

18 Washington FAMILY JUNE 2023



For young kids, it’s
sometimes the first time
they’ve been away from
home. For older kids,
it’s the first time they
have to learn to take care
of themselves, getting
to bed at a reasonable
hour and eating healthy
foods to stay fit.

Students auditioning for Houston Ballet Academy
Mench says the summer program has enabled him to apply
the fundamentals of ballet to more challenging choreog-
raphy, and both students agree mental preparation is a big
part of that.

“There’s always a new challenge,” Mench says. “Ballet
is a lot of problem solving using your body in a highly ath-
letic manner.”
Fourth position: Lessons learned
Students auditioning for Houston Ballet Academy
Just as summer camps are more than just learning archery
and arts and crafts, a ballet summer intensive is about more
than just dance.

For young kids, it’s sometimes the first time they’ve been
away from home. For older kids, it’s the first time they have to
learn to take care of themselves, getting to bed at a reasonable
hour and eating healthy foods to stay fit.

The experience has been transformative for Linzau,
making him think about the relationship between ballet
and his outside life: what to bring in and take out of
the studio.

“Being aware of what your actions are going to do to affect
you and also affect your career — if you’re choosing to do this
seriously — these short term, mid-term, long term goals are
really important to have,” he says.

Fifth position: What the future holds
Both Linzau and Mench want to dance professionally as
adults, inspiring audiences just as they were inspired as kids.

As much as they’ve learned, they still recognize there’s a
long way to go.

This summer, they hope to continue to hone their
craft. They know the moves; now it’s time to push
their limits.

“Continue to fail,” Mensch says. “You cannot skip failure
or rush the process.” In addition to the 224 students ages
12-18 who will head to Texas this summer, hundreds of
other students will participate in the academy’s other
offerings, such as the Youth Summer Training Program for
kids age 6 and older, and the Preschool Summer Program for
ages 2 to 6. P
Houston Ballet II Ballet Master Claudio Muñoz and students
of Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive Program
Students of Houston Ballet Academy