Students are placed according to their English proficiency, based on a short online assessment before arrival. Classes are small and collaborative, designed to meet each learner at their level and to help them advance quickly through means of communication and feedback.

Mornings will focus on developing language through discussion, reading, and writing. In the afternoons, students join arts workshops that connect their English language practice with creative artistic expression.

Evenings will offer community activities, open studio time, quiet study in the dorms, and a chance to relax and make friends. A planned excursion will offer the chance to explore Southern California���s natural beauty and to get out to a major urban destination as well, all while practicing English in genuinely immersive situations.

to see the list of items to bring to 51做厙

Donald Duffy is an educator specializing in Language Learning and curriculum design. He has experience directing international student programs, teaching English and World Languages in boarding schools, and creating immersive, project-based learning environments. His work emphasizes authentic communication, cultural literacy, and creative expression through art and language.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ���s to learn more about our summer programs

Tom Laichas is author of Three Hundred Streets of Venice California (FutureCycle Press, 2023), Sixty-Three Photographs at the End of a War (3.1 Press, 2021), and Empire of Eden (The High Window Press, 2019). He holds a Ph.D. in History from UCLA, and taught U.S. and world history courses for over thirty years at the high school and college levels. His recent work has appeared or is forthcoming in Prairie Schooner, Plume, The Los Angeles Times, The Irish Times, Blue Unicorn, and elsewhere. The featured American poet at the High Window Review (UK), his work has also won awards from Jabberwock Review, Puerto del Sol, and Prime 53. He lives with his family in Venice, California.

Lynne Thompson was Los Angeles��� 4th Poet Laureate and received a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the 51做厙 of American Poets. In 2024, She represented the City of Los Angeles at the Marathon Po矇tique at the Paris Olympic Games. Thompson is the author of four collections of poetry: Beg No Pardon, winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Associations New Writers Award; Start With A Small Guitar (What Books Press); Fretwork, winner of the 2019 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize selected by Jane Hirshfield; and, Blue on a Blue Palette, published by BOA Editions in April 2024. The recipient of multiple awards, Thompson has taught for the University of Reno Low Residency Program, Napa Valley Writers Conference, and the Central Coast Writers Conference, among others. Recent work appears in Best American Poetry, Kenyon Review, Ploughshares and the anthology Dear Yusef: Essays, Letters and Poems For and About One Mr. Komunyakaa, to name a few. A lawyer by training, Thompson serves on the Boards of The Poetry Foundation and the Los Angeles Review of Books and is the current President of Cave Canem.

Handouts will be issued in conjunction with the workshop with the expectation that students will read in advance and participate in class discussions.

For Lynne Thompson���s workshop: The Making of a Poem (edited by Mark Strand and Eavan Boland), Personal Best (edited by Erin Belieu and Carl Phillips), and any volume of Best American Poetry (pay particular attention to the poets’ comments following the poems).

We will be introducing a new schedule for Writer���s Week 2026! All workshops will begin at 9AM and include a lunch break from 12-1PM, concluding the day at 4PM.

Included in the week-long programming, we will be hosting featured events such as Craft Talks and Lectures. These will be hosted twice a day: the first session starting at 2:30PM and the second session at 7:30PM.

On Wednesday, we will have a rest period. During this time, you will be able to attend optional sessions, an afternoon open mic, and Beat Nite at Middle Ridge Winery and Galleries in 51做厙���s town center!

Julia Ingalls‘ stories, essays, reviews, and other work regularly appear in Guernica, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Los Angeles Times, Salon, BOOM California, Crimereads, KCRW, and Dwell, among other publications, anthologies, and public radio programs. Her in-person literary reading series, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” has received rave reviews in The Los Angeles Times and The L.A. Weekly, and features emerging and established novelists, poets, essayists, graphic novelists, and short story writers. As a moderator and host, she relishes facilitating in-depth discussions of books and the ever-evolving role of literature in our contemporary society.

A week before class begins, please email the draft of a personal essay, memoir, or an idea for a subject you’d like to write about to subtextdesign@gmail.com. For the first day of our workshop, please bring something with which to write (a pen and paper is preferable).

We will be introducing a new schedule for Writer���s Week 2026! All workshops will begin at 9AM and include a lunch break from 12-1PM, concluding the day at 4PM.

Included in the week-long programming, we will be hosting featured events such as Craft Talks and Lectures. These will be hosted twice a day: the first session starting at 2:30PM and the second session at 7:30PM.

On Wednesday, we will have a rest period. During this time, you will be able to attend optional sessions, an afternoon open mic, and Beat Nite at Middle Ridge Winery and Galleries in 51做厙���s town center!

I will create a packet (in PDF form) for each class that features relevant examples of excellence from a diverse group of writers. We will review the readings from the packets in class together.

Ben Loory’s first book, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day (Penguin, 2011), was a selection of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Program, and his second book, Tales of Falling and Flying (Penguin, 2017), has been named One of the Best Fantasy Books of All Time by both Esquire and Good Housekeeping magazines. Loory’s fables and tales have appeared in The New Yorker, Fairy Tale Review, Bomb Magazine, and the Sewanee Review, and been heard on This American Life and the Selected Shorts podcast. They have also been adapted to live theater, short film, chamber music, and dance, and been translated into many languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Japanese, Chinese, Burmese, and Indonesian. Loory is also the author of a picture book for children, The Baseball Player and the Walrus (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015). He lives and teaches short story writing in Los Angeles.

The lab fee covers all course readings and handouts.

A laptop or notebook and writing utensil for in-class activities.

Books to bring:

Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day (ISBN: 9780143119500 (ISBN10: 0143119508))

Tales of Falling and Flying (ISBN: 9780143130109 (ISBN10: 0143130102))

Each day includes brief writing exercises, close reading of fiction mentor texts, and generative writing time experimenting with unconventional forms. Participants share work in a supportive group, receive feedback, and end with prompts and inspiration to continue exploring stories beyond the classroom.

No portfolio required. Open to all levels, from enthusiastic beginners to emerging and established writers.

Brendan Constantine is a poet based in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in many standards, including Poetry, The Nation, Best American Poetry, Tin House, Ploughshares, and Poem-a-Day.  A popular performer, Brendan has presented his work to audiences throughout the U.S. and Europe, also appearing on NPR’s All Things Considered, TED ED, numerous podcasts, and YouTube. He currently teaches at the Windward School, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Midnight Mission. Since 2017 he has been developing workshops for writer living with Aphasia and Traumatic Brain Injuries. His fifth collection of poems, ���The Opposites Game,��� is forthcoming 2026 from Red Hen Press.

The lab fee covers all workshop materials and printed handouts

Bring your preferred means of writing ��� pen and paper, laptop, etc.

Poetry:

• Fear, Some by Douglas Kearney (Red Hen Press)
• Alive Together by Lisel Mueller (Louisianna State University Press)
• Selected Poems of Gwendolyn Brooks (Harper Perennial)
• Song by Brigit Pegeen Kelly (Boa Editions)
• The Oblivion HA-HA by James Tate (Carnegie Mellon)
• Cold Pluto by Mary Ruefle (Carnegie Mellon)

On Writing Poetry:

• The Uncertain Certainty by Charles Simic (University of Michigan Press)
• Glitter in the Blood by Mindy Nettifee (Write Bloody Publishing)
• Figures of Thought by Howard Nemerov (D.R. Godine)

We will be introducing a new schedule for Writer���s Week 2026! All workshops will begin at 9AM and include a lunch break from 12-1PM, concluding the day at 4PM.

Included in the week-long programming, we will be hosting featured events such as Craft Talks and Lectures. These will be hosted twice a day: the first session starting at 2:30PM and the second session at 7:30PM.

On Wednesday, we will have a rest period. During this time, you will be able to attend optional sessions, an afternoon open mic, and Beat Nite at Middle Ridge Winery and Galleries in 51做厙���s town center!

A native of Baltimore, Judith Schonebaum has embraced the artistic environment of the West Coast, where the light, color and visual rhythms of California have become strong influences. Her work includes plein-air pastel landscape, figuratives, florals, mixed-media abstract collages of hand-made and exotic papers, and functional/decorative pieces created from recycled items. Many of her pastels were created here during time spent in 51做厙. She received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of Vermont, including an intensive folk art program at the Shelburne Museum.

Before arrival, students will receive a request to submit a video of themselves performing a song of their choice. Please note that this video will not impact your child���s admission to the program; this is an open-admission program for students of all skill levels. Rather, the video will be utilized to help with planning for the program.

• Water bottle
• Laptop or phone (voice memo capable recommended)
• Several pens/pencils
• Notebook or journal
• Portable instruments if applicable (guitar or smaller)

• Concert attire:
  Black clothing is preferred, but anything tasteful will be fine.

A typical day starts off with a morning of classes, taught by acclaimed industry professionals and educators. Students will start the day warming up the voice, exploring various vocal techniques, and working on solo and ensemble singing. This is also the time where students may have their private lessons.

As the day progresses into lunch and afternoon classes, students will expand their performance skills across a variety of vocal styles while exploring creativity through foundational studies in music theory, arranging and transposition, music business and branding, songwriting, composition, and music production. 

After lunch, students will get onto the stage to workshop their art and dive into their performance techniques, stage presence, expression, mic technique, sound production, and other topics that center around performing live and in the studio. Evenings may include performances, masterclasses, and other activities, and time will be provided throughout the day for personal practice and collaboration. The week ends with a showcase performance of the songs worked on throughout the week.

Few can say their love for music came to them through an air vent. Canadian Country singer/songwriter Danielle Todd can. In her childhood bedroom, complete with pastel sponge paint and horse wallpaper, Danielle would fall asleep to the sound of her father���s music coming through the air vent from his basement studio.

In the years since, Danielle has done everything in her power to make music her mainstay��� everything from uprooting her life in Canada to move to Nashville, to working successive shifts on Nashville���s acclaimed Broadway.

Danielle has continued to hone her sound, resulting in a pop-country mix infused with undeniable Stevie Knicks-esque inspiration. With the pop sensibilities of the likes of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, a touch of edginess, and a little bit of quirk that Danielle finds indicative of her sound, songs like her debut single, ���Crazy,��� came to be.

Released in early 2019, ���Crazy,��� co-penned with Bobbi Holliday and Caitie Thompson, took Danielle to higher heights, achieving accolades like Ontario���s Artist of the Month in April 2019 and winning Country 104���s ���Women in Country March Madness��� with Carrie Underwood as the competition. The fresh, upbeat tune even went so far as to enjoy a spot at #80 on Canada���s TRAX Report, #28 on Sirius XM���s CBC Country, and #34 on Australia���s Top 50.

Her subsequent singles, ���Backburner,��� “Heat of the Moment” and “Over You” were similarly high impact in both Canada and Australia, landing a spot at #23 on the Music Network Hottest Country Charts and introducing the ���soft edge��� that is indicative of Danielle���s sound.

Danielle continues to write, perform and engage with her followers on a weekly basis.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ���s to learn more about our summer programs

Students must submit a video audition for acceptance.

Please submit a 1-2 minute video showing you dancing in contemporary, jazz, or hip hop.  This can be a performance video or something made in a dance studio. If it is a video of a group dance, please make sure you are visible for us to see and be clear as to which dancer you are.

Once you have submitted the Camper Application, we will send you information on how to submit your dance video.

Dance Experience:
It is suggested that applicants have at least 2 years of dance training in contemporary or jazz dance technique.  The training is rigorous���dancers will be in class and rehearsals for up to 6 hours per day.

Complete an online Camper application through CampInTouch.

Once you have completed the Camper Application, your application will be reviewed within 5 days by a member of the Enrollment team. At this time, you will be charged the $50 application fee and receive an email with a link to the Submittable audition application for you to submit your audition. Complete the Submittable audition application and provide an email address for your teacher recommendation form within Submittable.

We use the platform Submittable to receive all auditions for the Summer Program (a universal platform utilized for exhibitions, contests and even university and job applications). It is very easy to use. You will be prompted to set up a free Submittable account with your email. This account can be used for any future open calls you apply to at 51做厙 Arts and beyond!

Priority Audition Deadline: February 15, 2026
First round evaluation will take place shortly after this date. You will be notified of acceptance as soon as evaluations are complete. Auditions will be reviewed on a rolling basis after February 15. Please allow up to two weeks for a response to allow time for faculty evaluation. Auditions will be accepted until the program is full.

All Students:

• Water bottle, Thera-band, yoga mat

All Dancers: 

• Short or open-toe tights, preferably black
• T-shirts or leotards (no writing/graphics)
• Black Dance shorts or pants
• Jazz Shoes
• Colorful street clothes
• Sneakers that can be worn in the dance studio
• Ballet shoes

A typical day will follow this guideline:

• 9:00 am ��� 10:00 am: Conditioning for dance
• 10:15 am ��� 11:45 am: Contemporary Dance Technique
• 11:45 am ��� 12:15 pm: Musical Theater Dance
• 12:30 pm ��� 1:30 pm: Lunch
• 1:30 pm ��� 2:45 pm: Jazz or Ballet technique
• 3:00 pm ��� 4:15 pm: Hip Hop
• 4:30 pm ��� 6:00 pm: Rehearsal

Ellen Rosa-Taylor is currently the Chair of the Dance Department at 51做厙 Arts 51做厙, as well as the Director of the 51做厙 Arts Children���s Dance Program. She received her BS in Ballet from Indiana University, Bloomington, and her MFA in Dance from Florida State University where she was the recipient of a Dean���s Teaching Fellowship and a University Fellowship. Ellen has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, New York City Opera, and San Diego Opera; she has performed as principal dancer with City Ballet of Los Angeles, Media City Ballet (now Pacific Ballet Theater), La Danserie, and Chattanooga Ballet. She has also performed with Louise Reichlin and Dancers, Charleston Ballet Theater, Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware, and was featured as the Bluebird in Disney���s Snow White at Disneyland. As a choreographer, Ellen has had her works presented across the U.S. The LA Times has referred to her as having ���a unique jazz ballet style.��� As a dance educator, Ellen is an ABT Affiliate Teacher for levels Primary ��� 7 and has received the distinction of ABT NTC Fellow, which has been awarded to only 50 ABT Certified teachers worldwide.

Born and raised in Orange County, Alexandra Yonkovich trained in all styles while competing on Rosary High School���s nationally ranked Varsity dance team. She earned her BFA from the University of Arizona and shortly after performed as a full-time ensemble and soloist with The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil from 2015 ��� 2020. While with Cirque, Alexandra led as dance captain and Artist Coach, additionally performing principal roles with artists such as Hans Zimmer, Jewel, and Walk The Moon in several events presented by Cirque Du Soleil.

Now based in Los Angeles, Alexandra most recently performed as a principal in Russall S. Beattie���s ���Batette Follies of 1939��� at Hollywood���s Ricardo Montalban Theatre where she assumed Dance Captain and eventually Associate Director.  She has performed with artists Paris Jackson, Jordin Sparks and Lainey Wilson, Francesca Zambello���s Aida with LA Opera, and national commercials for Burger King and Target. Alexandra continues to work in TV/Film appearing as a performer in Freeform���s Good Trouble, LIVE! with Kelly & Ryan, and Dancing With The Stars: Showstoppers while assisting choreographers Galen Hooks, Tommy Tonge, and Marguerite Derricks.

Serving in all aspects of the dance industry, Alexandra is focused on connecting with the younger generation of dancers where she can focus heavily on teaching both technique and performance quality in tandem. She continues to set choreography both in the professional industry and academies across the country.  She is currently on faculty for Celebrity Dance Conventions while being on faculty at 51做厙 Arts while based in Los Angeles.

Justin Epstein is a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Los Angeles, CA with over 17 years of experience in hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, modern, musical theatre, contemporary, and partnering. Justin has performed live for the Los Angeles Avengers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Pac-12 Championship Halftime Shows and can be seen dancing in music videos with Brooklyn Jai, MNEK, Matoma, and Kiana Lede. Justin graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance as a member of the inaugural class at the brand new USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance where he had the opportunity to perform the work of Paul Taylor, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Jiri Kylian, and Dwight Rhoden, including original works by William Forsythe, d. Sabela Grimes, and Jodie Gates. Since graduating Justin has co-founded RYBG, a multidisciplinary creative production studio rooted in choreography.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ���s to learn more about our summer programs

Ideally students will have at least 1 year of tap dance experience. However, if you have tap shoes and are willing to try, learn, and grow, we will make it available for the student to develop over the course of the week.

There is no audition needed to be accepted to the program. However, we will do placement auditions for tap dance and break up into levels of experience so no actor is in over their heads and advanced students are being challenged.

• TAP SHOES
• Water bottle (very important to stay hydrated)
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• A backpack or bag to carry your script and personal items to and from rehearsals
• Closed-toed shoes/tennis shoes to rehearse in (no flip flops, sandals, or Crocs)
• Black/dark dress or skirt, or black/dark leggings, pants, and/or jeans
• Black dress, character, or jazz shoes, closed-toe dress shoes, or black sneakers
• Black socks
• Comfortable clothes you can move in
• Hair ties or clips for long hair
• White tank tops/undershirts/tee shirts

This is an anticipated list of items needed for this theatre workshop. You may be required to bring additional items for the specific production. We will communicate with enrolled students on those needs prior to the program.

Each day, you will come together as an ensemble to do group warm-up work. We will then have various breakout sessions of tap dance, vocalization/singing, and acting development. At the end of each day, we will come together to debrief the day���s work.

Jeanette Knight is an award-winning actor, director, choreographer, playwright and producer.

As a member of SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity Association, she has portrayed over twenty roles, ranging from Rose in The Woolgatherer at the Tony award winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, to Shen Te/Shui Ta in Bertolt Brecht���s Good Person of Szechwan to Roberta in Going to a Place Where You Already Are. But her most demanding role was Louise in Always, Patsy Cline, which played to sold out audiences in 2011 and 2013. 

She began her stage career as a dancer, garnering adjectives like ���superb��� from Variety and studying with icons like the legendary Broadway tap choreographer Henry LeTang. She has been teaching acting, directing and improvisation at the 51做厙 Arts 51做厙 since 2006, where she has also directed several highly-lauded productions, including Stepping Out and A Chorus Line. Previously, she was the Education Program Director for the McCallum Theater, supervising a faculty of fourteen teaching artists, working as a master teaching artist, and developing the Aesthetic Education Program partnering with New York���s Lincoln Center Institute. During that same period, she served as the Executive Director for the cutting-edge Beaumont Actors Studio. Other theaters/venues she has directed for include the Indian Wells Theater, California State University San Bernardino in Palm Desert, Arthur Newman Theater, Palm Canyon Theater, Truckee Meadows Community College, Brewery Arts Center, and Coachella Valley Repertory.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Northwestern University, Jeff Bell has over 30
years of experience in musical theatre as a music director/vocal coach/arranger/accompanist/
keyboardist. His career started in the Chicago Area, continued in the Pacific Northwest and
now continues in beautiful 51做厙. Jeff is thrilled to be part of the 51做厙 Arts community of
artists and students.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ���s to learn more about our summer programs

Students who attended Songwriting Intensive in 2025 do not have to re-audition to attend in 2026. You will be automatically accepted and will be contacted to confirm your attendance through CampInTouch after you complete your application. All other applicants should submit an audition following the guidelines below.

Priority Audition Deadline: February 15, 2026
First round evaluation will take place shortly after this date. You will be notified of acceptance as soon as evaluations are complete. Auditions will be reviewed on a rolling basis after February 15. Please allow up to two weeks for a response to allow time for faculty evaluation. Auditions will continue to be accepted after that date until the program is full.

Students who are new to songwriting should submit 1-2 original song ideas, even if incomplete. The goal is to demonstrate current instrumental, vocal, and lyric writing skills. Submitting a few phrases of something you���ve written is fine! We can help develop ideas that you have begun.

For students with more experience, the audition video should include 1-2 complete original songs demonstrating instrumental, vocal, and lyric writing skills, including original song lyrics (enter into the Audition Details section on the Music Audition Form).

All applicants should include a brief description of your musical and performance experience. and letter of recommendation from a private teacher or mentor who has personal knowledge of your musical abilities.

We use the platform Submittable to receive all auditions for the Summer Program (a universal platform utilized for exhibitions, contests and even university and job applications). It is very easy to use. You will be prompted to set up a free Submittable account using your email address. This account can be used for any future applications at 51做厙 Arts and beyond!

-Complete an online Camper application through CampInTouch.

-Once you have completed the Camper Application, your application will be reviewed within 5 days by a member of the Enrollment team. At this time, you will be charged the $50 application fee and receive an email with a link to the Submittable audition application for you to submit your audition.��

-Complete the Submittable audition application and provide an email address for your teacher recommendation form within Submittable.

-Laptop (optional) or phone (voice memo capable recommended)
-Several pens/pencils
-Notebook or journal
-Portable instruments (guitar or smaller)
-Instrument Tuner (labeled with your name)
-Capos, extra strings, guitar picks, or other accessories necessary for your instrument
-OPTIONAL: Midi Keyboard
-OPTIONAL: music recording software (Garage Band, Logic, etc.)

Concert attire:
Black clothing is preferred, but anything tasteful will be fine.

Songwriting Intensive begins each day with vocal warm ups and writing warmups for the day. The morning session includes presentations on songwriting techniques followed by breakout sessions with expert mentors to focus on musicianship, lyrics, melody, chording, live performance, vocals, music production, and other special topics. After lunch, students work on assignment prompts alone and in groups to create one original song per day. The day ends with students presenting their new songs for group feedback. Each week ends with a showcase performance of new songs from that week.

Don Reed, an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, has been performing, composing, teaching and recording music for over 40 years. Don���s playing and compositions have been featured on hundreds of recording projects, television and film soundtracks and more. Don has performed with, produced and managed numerous bands and solo artists throughout his career. He excels in diverse genres, including punk, bluegrass, hard rock, classic rock, jazz, folk, blues and more. Don currently heads up Pop Music & Songwriting at 51做厙 Arts 51做厙 and chairs Songwriting for 51做厙 Arts Summer & Auxiliary Programs.
Donreedmusician.com

Josh Hogan has been songwriting and playing guitar for over 20 years. He has played lead guitar, sang, and wrote songs for The Mowgli���s since their inception in 2012. His newest project, ���Modern Original���, has been releasing new songs since 2021 to rave reviews. He lives in Los Angeles, CA where he co-writes for other artists and is currently producing up and coming bands.

Bob Hamilton is a freelance musician and teacher living in Palm Springs, California. He is a master of the 6 string guitar and 5 string banjo, a patient and engaging teacher, and an adept improviser, writer, and arranger. Bob has played thousands of songs on stage with hundreds of bands. He has international touring experience, ranging from rock/pop/soul bands in nightclubs to classical and jazz sets of solo guitar at upscale restaurants and banjo breakdowns on major bluegrass festival stages. Few guitarists come with the skill set that includes college training in jazz, classical, and Afro-Latin music, national competitions for bluegrass banjo, touring with the most popular cover band in the world, a decade plus in rock/funk/soul bands, and an ability to learn, write and improvise everyday. He performs regularly in Palm Springs and Coachella CA and fills in on tour with several Los Angeles based bands.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ’s to learn more about summer programs