In 1996, Edith D’Addario, Director of the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, made a decision that would impact the lives and careers of talented dancers in ways almost unimaginable at the time.  She decided to bring the intense level of training that was available in New York to the Midwest and the Joffrey Midwest Workshop was born.

This year the Flint Cultural Center Corporation and Flint Institute of Music’s Boards of Directors voted to honor the many years that John Magnus has spent training the next generation of professional dancers by renaming the intensive Magnus Midwest Dance Intensive.

In the past 14 years, hundreds of dancers have spent four weeks each summer on the beautiful campus of the Flint Cultural Center honing their skills, developing their craft and making life-long friends.  Artistic Director John Magnus has shaped the technical and artistic direction of the intensive to reflect not only the Joffrey technique but also his own unique and intense style of bringing out the very best a dancer has to offer.  Mr. Magnus has worked since the inception of the Midwest Intensive to make sure that dancers are prepared to move on to the next step of company apprenticeship, corps de ballet, teaching or college. 

Since 1997, Managing Director Christi Lackey and her Residence Staff have brought the utmost care and organization to the intensive’s daily routine.  Dancer physical, social, medical and emotional needs are tended to with respect and diligence. 

The facilities provided by the Flint Cultural Center are state of the art.  The dance floors are L’Air International Theatre-Touring System portables and the Marley is professional quality.  The Flint Institute of Music has newly renovated dance studios and all buildings are air conditioned and within walking distance of the University of Michigan-Flint Residence Hall where the dancers are housed.  Meals are served cafeteria style with vegetarian and non-vegetarian entrée selections, a full salad bar and a pasta or soup bar at lunch and supper. 

From the facilities to the faculty, from the musicians to the meals, from the classes to the cleaning, from the laundry to the laughter, there is no detail left untended.  Your experience at Magnus Midwest Dance is the ultimate in summer intensive training.