Adult Ballet Classes
Adult Ballet Intensive
13100 Tech City Circle, Ste 400 Building C, Alachua
13100 Tech City Circle, Ste 400 Building C, Alachua
- July 17-18th
- Pre register for $150
Elevate Your Training This Summer
Join us for an immersive weekend of ballet training designed specifically for adult dancers. Whether you are returning to ballet after time away, currently taking regular classes, or seeking focused technical development, this intensive offers a supportive and challenging environment to deepen your artistry and technique.
Date & Location
Dates: Friday, July 17 – Saturday, July 18
Location: Momentum Dance Arts, 13100 Tech City Cir Suite 400, Building C, Alachua, FL 32615
Who Should Attend?
This intensive is designed for:
Faculty
Jen Staples
As a Gainesville, Florida native, Jennifer has dedicated her life to the performing arts. She earned her BFA in Dance Performance from Dominican University of California through the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA Program in San Francisco, where she trained with world-renowned coaches and choreographers, including Alonzo King, Sidra Bell, and Amy Seiwert. Jennifer performed professionally with Dance Alive National Ballet and Oakland Ballet before retiring from her performing career in late 2015. She then joined the administrative staff at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California, later relocating to Houston to work with the artistic staff at Houston Ballet under Stanton Welch. While at Houston Ballet, she led and organized the company’s first women’s choreographic workshop, elle émerge, which served as a launchpad for emerging female choreographers. Shifting her focus to arts leadership and development, Jennifer became Special Events Manager at the Houston Symphony while simultaneously earning her Master of Arts in Arts Leadership at the University of Houston. Building on her experience in performance, administration, and community engagement, Jennifer founded Gainesville Movement Studio, a space where adults can explore dance styles ranging from ballet to K-Pop.
Tracy Julias Shields is a ballet educator, somatic movement specialist, and certified Pilates instructor with more than 25 years of teaching experience and a distinguished professional performing career. Trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary, Tracy danced professionally with numerous companies throughout the United States, most notably the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, where she earned recognition for her performances in George Balanchine’s Square Dance and Tarantella at the Kennedy Center. She was also featured by The New York Times as an emerging artist to watch.
At sixteen, Tracy was introduced to classical Pilates through Paul Mejia, an experience that profoundly influenced her approach to movement and teaching. Today, she blends ballet technique, Pilates principles, and somatic practices to help dancers develop greater body awareness, dynamic alignment, strength, artistry, and sustainable technique.
Currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance, Tracy teaches ballet, somatics, and Pilates for dancers. Her classes encourage students to move with intelligence, efficiency, and confidence while deepening their connection to both artistry and physical well-being.
Schedule
Friday Evening
5:30 PM – Check-In & Welcome
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Combined Ballet Technique Class (Tracy & Jen)
Saturday
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Q&A, Reflection, and Closing
What to Bring
Frequently Asked Questions
Join us for an immersive weekend of ballet training designed specifically for adult dancers. Whether you are returning to ballet after time away, currently taking regular classes, or seeking focused technical development, this intensive offers a supportive and challenging environment to deepen your artistry and technique.
Date & Location
Dates: Friday, July 17 – Saturday, July 18
Location: Momentum Dance Arts, 13100 Tech City Cir Suite 400, Building C, Alachua, FL 32615
Who Should Attend?
This intensive is designed for:
- Adult dancers ages 18+
- Current adult ballet students / Former dancers returning to training
- Beginner to advanced adult dancers seeking concentrated study. Attendees should have at least 6 months to 1 year of ballet experience.
Faculty
Jen Staples
As a Gainesville, Florida native, Jennifer has dedicated her life to the performing arts. She earned her BFA in Dance Performance from Dominican University of California through the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA Program in San Francisco, where she trained with world-renowned coaches and choreographers, including Alonzo King, Sidra Bell, and Amy Seiwert. Jennifer performed professionally with Dance Alive National Ballet and Oakland Ballet before retiring from her performing career in late 2015. She then joined the administrative staff at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California, later relocating to Houston to work with the artistic staff at Houston Ballet under Stanton Welch. While at Houston Ballet, she led and organized the company’s first women’s choreographic workshop, elle émerge, which served as a launchpad for emerging female choreographers. Shifting her focus to arts leadership and development, Jennifer became Special Events Manager at the Houston Symphony while simultaneously earning her Master of Arts in Arts Leadership at the University of Houston. Building on her experience in performance, administration, and community engagement, Jennifer founded Gainesville Movement Studio, a space where adults can explore dance styles ranging from ballet to K-Pop.
Tracy Julias Shields is a ballet educator, somatic movement specialist, and certified Pilates instructor with more than 25 years of teaching experience and a distinguished professional performing career. Trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary, Tracy danced professionally with numerous companies throughout the United States, most notably the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, where she earned recognition for her performances in George Balanchine’s Square Dance and Tarantella at the Kennedy Center. She was also featured by The New York Times as an emerging artist to watch.
At sixteen, Tracy was introduced to classical Pilates through Paul Mejia, an experience that profoundly influenced her approach to movement and teaching. Today, she blends ballet technique, Pilates principles, and somatic practices to help dancers develop greater body awareness, dynamic alignment, strength, artistry, and sustainable technique.
Currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance, Tracy teaches ballet, somatics, and Pilates for dancers. Her classes encourage students to move with intelligence, efficiency, and confidence while deepening their connection to both artistry and physical well-being.
Schedule
Friday Evening
5:30 PM – Check-In & Welcome
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Combined Ballet Technique Class (Tracy & Jen)
Saturday
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
- Combined Pilates Mat (Tracy)
- Ballet Technique Group A (Beginner) - Jen
- Ballet Technique Group B (Intermediate/Advanced) - Tracy
- Lunch Break (Brown Bag Lunch & Learn with Special Guest)
- Pointe Group A (Tracy)
- Ballet Conditioning Group B (Jen)
- Stretch / Mobility / Recovery (Jen & Tracy)
Q&A, Reflection, and Closing
What to Bring
- Ballet attire (Extra leotard or change of clothes)
- Flat ballet shoes
- Pointe shoes (if applicable)
- Water bottle and sweat towel
- Yoga or Pilates Mat
- Brown Bag Lunch and snacks
- Notebook for corrections and notes
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need previous ballet experience? Yes. This intensive is intended for adults with prior ballet training or current participation in ballet classes. We ask that adults have at least 6 months to 1 year minimum experience.
- Is pointe work required? No. Pointe classes and workshops are optional and alternatives will be provided.
- What level is this intensive? Beginner to advanced adult dancers, with modifications offered as needed.
- Will there be individual corrections? Yes. Faculty will provide individualized feedback throughout the weekend. Please let the instructor know of any injuries or preferences for receiving corrections. Instructors use hands-on corrections to help with alignment and placement.