The Ballet Hispánico School, marking its 55th anniversary, has announced its 2026 Pro-Up Intensive, a two-week professional development program for emerging dancers that will be led by acclaimed choreographer Rena Butler.
The intensive will run June 16–27, 2026, and is open to dancers ages 18 to 23. Designed as an immersive laboratory for choreography and dance-making, the Pro-Up Intensive combines daily technique classes with guided creative exploration, encouraging participants to develop original work while strengthening their technical foundation.
Dancers in the program will take classes in ballet, contemporary technique, improvisation and movement invention. The curriculum also includes individual dance-on-film studies, coaching in Ballet Hispánico repertory by the organization’s artistic team, and a culminating showcase featuring both repertory and newly created works. Informal showings throughout the session will highlight the choreographic process as well as performance.
Each year, the Pro-Up Intensive brings in a world-renowned choreographer to mentor participants. In 2026, Butler — a recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Choreography — will guide dancers through the creation of new work. Scholarships are available, and interested dancers may register for audition slots through the Ballet Hispánico School.
Additional components of the program include professional development forums on topics such as injury prevention, financial planning, networking and personal branding, along with mentorship and feedback from leaders in the dance field.
Butler, who hails from Chicago, is a widely honored choreographer whose work has been commissioned by major ballet and dance companies in the United States and abroad, including the National Ballet of Canada, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, San Francisco Opera and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater II. Her accolades include the 2024 Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography and the 2025 Ferradini Grander Award from Danza in Arte a Pietrasanta and Italy’s Ministry of Culture. She was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine in November 2021.
In addition to her choreographic career, Butler is known for her commitment to mentorship and education, having taught and led workshops at institutions such as The Juilliard School, Jacob’s Pillow and L’École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille.
Founded in 1970, the Ballet Hispánico School is a leading dance education institution dedicated to celebrating and advancing dance rooted in Hispanic and Latin American cultures while preparing the next generation of professional artists.
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