Training for Life Onstage, in Wings

The Ballet Pacifica Conservatory is preparing future dancers for the real world.

The Conservatory’s Summer Intensive Program 2000 is an intense, four-week workshop in which aspiring dancers ages 10 to 18 train with professionals.

The sessions, which run July 31 to Aug. 26, give dancers a feel for real-life dance with daylong rehearsals. The dancers will train in ballet technique, pointe, variations, pas de deux and technique analysis.

Conservatory director Gillian Finley said the program is geared to prepare young dancers for an industry that has become more demanding, requiring dancers to have broad knowledge of other dance styles such as jazz, modern and character.

Dancers also get a chance to learn about alternative career choices in the dance industry, including dance medicine, nutrition and cross-training conditioning for a healthier, more stable career, Finley said.

The program’s primary focus is on pairing dancers with industry professionals.

Ninety-five of the 102 students are from Orange County. Faculty members include Ballet Pacifica’s artistic director Molly Lynch; David Allan, formerly with the National Ballet of Canada and now at UC Irvine and Ballet Pacifica Conservatory; and Ann Marie DeAngelo, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet.

The program is tuition-based. The cost is $375 for the junior level and $800 for advanced levels. The program offers partial to full scholarships and a work-study program.

The program will end with a showcase of the student dancers performing original choreography by the faculty and a classical repertory piece, “La Bayadere.”

The performance will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Information: (949) 851-9930.