RESEARCH  AND   TRAINING 

 VIM VIGOR DANCE COMPANY

SUMMER INTENSIVE 2026

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 

 THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 

 August 3-7, 2026 

 MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:30am-4:30pm 

 ONE WEEK - $600 

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 EARLY BIRD APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BEFORE 

April 1, 2026

 $50 OFF 1 week ​

 

VIM VIGOR's SUMMER INTENSIVE provides immersive training and research in contemporary dance-theater in the US. The program is anchored in VIM VIGOR's anatomically sound approach to contemporary floorwork and soft acrobatics in combination with our pioneering dance theater methodology, inviting participants to dive into adaptive and reactive physical pathways, to explore the physical and emotional lines of complex partner work, and to engage narrative devices as an additional resource for improvisational and compositional approaches.

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VIM's program is focused on professional development with daily contemporary floorwork classes that improve dancers' athleticism to move with efficiency and healthy alignment, into and out of the floor, as well as their artistry to work with context, emotional impulse and the ensemble. Afternoons are dedicated to workshops focused on improvisation, contact partnering and momentum based mechanics, dance theater exploration, acting, creative practice with the company, and roundtable community discussions. Additionally each day begins and ends with different forms of bodywork - we find these shared moments of healing and reflection allow the efforts and questions of the day to merge with the body's cycles of breath and recovery.

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We are committed to nurturing professional dancers alongside artists seeking to expand the range of their technical and performance capability. And though we categorize this as an advanced program, we find that positive encouragement in tandem with creative modifications allow all to pursue their practice fully.  Personal growth, communal investment, and evolving cutting edge practices are at the core of our shared work.

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As active artists at the University of Michigan, the company is thrilled to welcome you into a state of the art facility in beautiful Ann Arbor, where we will train and research in a wide open studio theater, with access to communal eating area, changing rooms and bathrooms for all genders. Additionally in solidarity with VIM's commitment to improving access to the arts we will offer two 50% scholarships for BIPOC movers interested in joining us. 

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APPLICATION:

We ask that you fill out our online google form application HERE, which will request your resume and a video link of you moving. There is no in-person audition for this program, so please share footage that best represents you. Please note, that dancers must be at least 18 years old, but that there is no age limit. All participants should be advised that this is advanced professional training alongside immersive research, and while we accept and value a range of experience, expect to be challenged every day.​

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* If you are interested in applying for one of our two available BIPOC scholarships, please be prepared to submit a letter of recommendation along with a personal statement as why you feel this program will benefit your artistic growth in addition to materials listed above.

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Additional questions? Feel free to reach out to us: info@vimvigordance.com, with SUMMER 2026 APPLICANT in the subject line.

 

TUITION:

Once you have been accepted, you will receive a personal invoice for the program's $600 tuition sent to your email from PayPal. This invoice is personal to you and will hold all payments received and balances due. There is a one time $25 processing fee to cover administrative costs. Once your tuition is processed, you will be sent a confirmation email.

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LOCATION:

The University of Michigan's Dance Department will host VIM VIGOR's educational programming in their state of the art facilities. The local address is: 1000 Baits Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 

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​No meals, housing, or transportation are included in tuition. Housing arrangements and travel arrangements are at the discretion of each student. We do however happily connect accepted participants looking for housing, so that they might find accommodations together. We generally advocate for Airbnb listings or valid Craigslist posts as they are reliable and affordable in Ann Arbor and surrounding area.