AFD: SUMMER INTENSIVE
Every dancer who attendED The AFD INTENSIVE
describes the experience as transformative— In ways they didn’t even know were possible.
AFD: SUMMER INTENSIVE
feeling stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to fully express.
For dancers ready to move beyond
Santa Barbara, CA—AUGUST 15-16, 2026
SUMMER SESSION
A focused, high-impact training designed to help dancers build real confidence, emotional depth, and presence in their performance.
This is where you learn how to stop forcing…
and start connecting.
This is where dancers begin to experience what it actually feels like to be fully present in their work.
What we train
Inside this two-day intensive (August 15–16), we focus on the core skills that allow dancers to move from hesitation into full, embodied performance.
Each session builds on the next—so you’re not just exploring, you’re actually integrating the work.
Grounding & Nervous System Work
Learn how to come back into your body before you perform—so you’re not operating from tension, pressure, or overthinking.
Emotional Access
Develop the ability to access real, layered emotion using specific tools—so your performance feels honest, not forced.
Story Development
Understand how to build a clear beginning, middle, and end—so your performance actually communicates something.
Commitment & Presence
Train the ability to fully commit in the moment—because hesitation reads, and commitment transforms everything.
Through grounding practices, emotional access tools, and guided improvisation, dancers develop the ability to access emotion, build a clear story, and fully commit in performance.
And as these tools begin to integrate…
something shifts. You begin to come through and what you feel actually begins to translate to the audience.
How We Work
This Intensive blends structured acting training with guided exploration—creating a space where dancers can both learn and apply in real time.
Inside the experience, dancers will move through:
Applied acting technique for movement and performance
Guided improvisation and contemporary movement exploration
Mindfulness and breathwork practices for performers
Story-based exercises and “poetry of the body” work
Individualized feedback, coached runs, and personal reflection.
What DANcers leave with
Acting For Dancers Theatre Lab is a two-day immersive training designed to help you perform with authenticity, confidence, and connection.
Through movement, storytelling, and emotional intelligence practices, you’ll learn to express from truth — not from habit — and rediscover the freedom that comes from being fully present in your experience as a dance artist.
Over the course of the lab, dancers will train in the areas of:
Acting technique
Applied Acting Technique for Movement + Performance
Improvisation
Mindfulness and Breathwork
Poetry of the Body
Contemporary and Choreographic exploration
Guided reflections, coached runs, and individual feedback sessions
Every element is designed to help the dance artist dissolve self-doubt, find clarity in their choices, and bring honesty to their performance — on stage, on camera, and in life.
Dancers leave with tangible tools, renewed confidence, and a deeper sense of certainty in who you are as an artist.
Who It’s For
Advanced teens (pre-professional), college, and professional dancers
Artists ready to strengthen their performance quality, storytelling, and emotional connection
Dancers interested in future SMP Dance Company residencies or creative projects (Theatre Lab is the primary entry point)
Schedule
Saturday–Sunday • 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
A full weekend of training designed to build from foundation into application—moving from emotional connection and acting technique into storytelling through movement.
Optional 1:1 coaching sessions available following group hours (limited).
Tuition & Registration
2-Day Intensive:Early Bird Rate: $485 ($575 after June 14th)
Payment plans available on request.
Email: info@actingfordancers.com
Spots are limited to maintain an intimate and personalized environment.
What to Bring
All-black or neutral rehearsal wear (layers recommended)
We will have a short lunch break so please do bring your lunch each day.
Water bottle, journal, pen
“Sarah creates such a safe, inspiring space. I discovered layers of artistry and honesty in my movement I didn’t even know were there.”
- AFD Mentee + Student
About the Instructor
Led by Sarah Marie Picard—Founder of Acting for Dancers and Director of SMP Dance Company. Sarah has taught internationally for over a decade, with credits including So You Think You Can Dance, ABC’s Once Upon A Time, and students continuing on to Juilliard, Broadway, and beyond. Read her full bio here.