7 Days.
60 Hours of Exceptional Training.
6 Stellar Faculty-Mentors.
1 Unforgettable & Life-Changing Experience.

Ballet+ is a comprehensive intensive designed to help students build a solid technical foundation in ballet, modern, and jazz while cultivating a distinct and authentic artistic voice.

We meet each dancer—whether from a competitive or conservatory background—at their current stage of development. Our dedicated faculty journey alongside every student, recognizing their individuality, fostering growth, and challenging them to reach their highest potential.

Often described as a "breath of fresh air" by dancers, parents, teachers, and directors, all Francisco Gella Dance Works programs share one core mission: to transform dedicated young dancers into remarkable human beings and exceptional artists.

We believe in nurturing all dancers, regardless of body type or background; inspiring them to embrace the idea that anything is possible with hard work, purpose, and courage.

Enrollment

We are currently accepting registration with a full or partial payment. If you register by making a 50% deposit, your tuition balance will be due on May 1. Ballet+ staff will contact you with payment information just before the due date. Please note that deposits will require an additional $9.95 processing fee.

The Joan Myers Brown
Equity Dance Scholarship Fund

A limited amount of scholarships are available for especially deserving dancers. Scholarships will be allocated according to the combined consideration of both merit and financial need. Decisions on scholarships will be made about two weeks after each early deadline. Since a  limited amount of scholarship awards will be offered, it is better to apply by the early deadline. Please click below to learn more about this opportunity and to apply.

About Ballet+ (Beyond Technique)

Schedule

To help you prepare for the experience, here is a downloadable PDF of LAST SUMMER’s Ballet+ schedule as an example of what you can expect this year. The 2025 schedule will be shared in the spring, closer to the program launch.

June 8-14 (estimated daily schedule)

Class Size

Every class will have a teaching assistant to work with the teaching artists, properly demonstrating what is being asked for and in making corrections with the students. Up to 50 dancers will be admitted into each class. Classes will be based on age group, although faculty reserve the right to move a student to a different class if it is obvious they will benefit from the change.

Teaching Artists & Mentors

Francisco Gella’s distinguished thirty-year career as a compelling dancer, award-winning choreographer, and widely recognized dance educator, began when he took his first formal dance class during his freshman year at the age of nineteen. His innovative choreography and highly effective teaching methods are sought after by professional companies, universities, arts high schools, ballet conservatories, and studios across North America and around the globe.  

In addition to a successful performance and choreographic career, Francisco is a renowned educator, artistic director, and arts entrepreneur. He is the founding co-artistic director of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre launched in January of 2020. He is also the founding artistic director of NUEVO School of Contemporary Dance and COLABO Youth Dance Collective (2008-2015). As Chief Creative Officer of Francisco Gella Dance Works, he has created numerous influential educational programs; Ballet+ (Beyond Technique) workshops, the Preprofessional Dancer Institute, New Year’s Training Camp, Seattle Dance Advance, the New Century Dance Project (a festival for choreography and performance) and the College Dance and Career Prep program. Additionally, Francisco is the lead ballet and modern faculty member, and adjudicator for the 24 Seven Dance Convention.

Yusha-Marie Sorzano is an Afro-Caribbean immigrant hailing from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She is a relentless, dynamic performing artist, choreographer, director, and educator who has worked in concert dance, theater, opera, television, and film. Ms. Sorzano is an alumna of Armour Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and New World School of the Arts, and she is a Winner in Dance from YoungArts. She graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program, and in her junior year she joined Ailey II on invitation. 

To date, Ms. Sorzano has performed in 8 renowned dance companies, including Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, TU Dance, Morphoses, BODYTRAFFIC, and LA Dance Project. She is currently a member of Camille A. Brown & Dancers, having been an original cast member of both the Bessie-nominated Black Girl: Linguistic Play, and Ink, the 2nd and 3rd installments of Brown’s acclaimed trilogy. Ms. Sorzano is currently co-leading and choreographing a new musical titled We Won’t Sleep, and she is special faculty and a mentor at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in the School of Dance. She will rejoin CalArts in Fall 2022 as Director of the BFA Program in the School of Dance.

Jeffrey Lloyd Smith is currently an Assistant Professor at New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida and teaches modern, contemporary, and filmmaking for dance. In addition to choreographing, he stages works by Paul Taylor and serves as rehearsal director for artists like Ohad Naharin, Mark Morris, and Darshan Singh Bhuller. Prior to his current position, Jeffrey was an Assistant Professor at Tulane University and holds a BFA from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and an MFA from Florida State University. Highlights from his performing career include The Paul Taylor Dance Company, The Martha Graham Ensemble, and Taylor 2.

Courtney Ortiz is a New York City based professional dancer, educator, adjudicator and proud YoungARTS award winner. Her professional dance and teaching career has allowed her to travel the world performing in places such as: Dubai, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Australia, and France. Her career spans from stage to screen with credits including: the Broadway National Tour of Finding Neverland, Lin Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes, and the first ever revival in 30 years of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway at The Muny’s 100th Season! You can also catch Courtney’s feet tap dancing in the hit FX series, “Fosse/Verdon”, where she was the dance double for Young Bob Fosse! One of her favorite and most memorable credits was performing original Jerome Robbins’ choreography throughout Europe on the International Tour of the classic musical West Side Story.

Outside of performing, Courtney is an international dance educator and in-demand dance adjudicator. She has been teaching on faculty with numerous dance conventions for over 10 years. Courtney is on guest faculty at the legendary Steps on Broadway and currently serves as the audition choreographer for RWS Entertainment Group where she travels worldwide to audition dancers for future opportunities on cruise ships. Courtney is also the proud owner of Impact Dance Adjudicators and the host of their popular dance podcast Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast. This season, she will be on tour with The Streetz Dance Convention as their jazz faculty and teacher judge! She absolutely loves sharing her passion for dance with the next generation and encourages all dancers to do what they love and live their dream! Follow her on Instagram @courtney.ortiz and tune in to her dance podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

After taking her first class over 20 years ago, Gretchen instantly became hooked on the body, mind, and spirit connection of the Pilates Method.  In 2008, she obtained her first certification in Mat Pilates under Teri Steele through Dance New Amsterdam in NYC.  She then went on to continue her education and received her Comprehensive Certification on all Pilates Apparatus through Polestar Pilates in Miami in 2010 and eventually became an Educator with Polestar Pilates. Gretchen has taken Advanced Teacher Training courses in Osteoporosis, Scoliosis, Women’s Health (including pre/post natal), Pilates for the Dancer, Pilates for Rotational Sports, and Pilates for Hip and Knee Replacements, as well as Pilates for MS™ & Neurological Conditions.

More faculty to be announced soon!

For the fourth year in a row at Ballet+, selected members and alumni of Francisco and Yusha’s professional company - Zeitgeist Dance Theatre - will join our team as teachers, mentors, and teaching assistants.This unique opportunity gives dancers a chance to engage with ZDT dancers, exploring the possibility of joining as a company member or trainees. We will announce who will be joining us from Zeitgeist Dance Theatre when those decisions have been made!

Program Location

The Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center provides a world-class, multi-disciplinary cultural venue and community gathering place in the southern part of Miami-Dade County. The Center plays a key role in the economic and cultural development of the area and opened on October 1, 2011. 

In addition to providing a diverse range of quality entertainment to people from all backgrounds and ages, the Center’s mission emphasizes educational and outreach activities in partnership with community groups. The Center’s multiple rehearsal and performing spaces also offer accessible state-of-the-art facilities to the Miami-Dade artistic community, presenters, and audiences throughout South Florida.

The Moss Center is located at:
10950 SW 211th St.
Miami, FL 33189

Lodging

The Ballet+ staff will arrange for a limited number of discounted hotel rooms for dancers and families traveling from a distance. Please note that the hotel is about 15-20 minutes from the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center.

We will post booking information here by April 15. You'll want to make your reservations early since there is a limited number of rooms available. If you find the discount block is fully booked, please contact us at Ballet+ and we will see if we can have more rooms released.

Chaperone Service

For dancers aged 15 and older attending Ballet+ without a parent, we offer a convenient chaperone program designed to ensure safety, supervision, and ease of transportation throughout the week. This service helps dancers focus fully on their training while we take care of the logistics.

Key Features of the Chaperone Program

• Transportation: Includes transport between the hotel and dance studios, ensuring dancers can focus on their experience without worrying about daily logistics.
• Staff Supervision: Our program staff provide oversight and support throughout the week, meeting dancers at the hotel upon arrival.
• Meals: While dancers are responsible for their food costs, Ballet+ staff will arrange for lunch and dinner pick-up or delivery, offering a hassle-free dining option.
• Roommate Assistance: While we can’t guarantee roommate availability, we assist in arranging room shares for dancers seeking to split accommodation costs.
• Cost: The service fee for the chaperone program is $245 for the entire duration of Ballet+. This covers the cost of transportation to and from hotel and studios, and staff supervision only. As noted above, the cost of hotel accommodations, transportation to and from airport to hotel, and meals is the responsibility of the student.

For additional questions or to express interest in this program, feel free to email us at balletplus@franciscogelladance.com.

About Miami, Florida

From the sizzling nightlife of South Beach to the authentic Cuban flavors of Little Havana, Miami offers one of the richest cultural experiences of any city in the United States. Its diverse neighborhoods house everything from world-famous street art to world-class restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, and cultural venues. Miami's colorful history is matched only by the vibrancy and verve of the modern global city it's continually blossoming into today.

Miami has attracted the world's most daring and creative minds since its evolution from native Tequesta lands to the promising new frontier of railroad tycoon Henry Flagler in the late 1800s. A developing father of Florida, Flagler expanded his Florida East Coast Railway to Miami in 1896 and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Miami is a destination for lovers of art, design, food, shopping, and even the great outdoors. Read on for Travel + Leisure's ultimate guide to the Magic City, covering everything you need to know to plan the perfect trip.

– Taken from 'Travel+Leisure' magazine, March 2, 2021

Cancellation / Refund Policy

No full refunds or credits will be issued for registered participants. A 50% credit to another program will be issued with cancellations made up to sixty days prior to the start of the program. An exception will be made for documented medical or health reasons due to an unforeseen injury or illness. For dancers with an injury or illness that prevents them from participating, 100% of the tuition will be refunded up to thirty days prior to the start of the program. If the illness or injury reported to the program director is under 30 days, a 50% refund will be issued no more than five business days after the completion of the program and the other 50% may be used as a credit for another program in the next twelve months that is produced and owned by Francisco Gella Dance Works. In the case of any injury or illness, a documented note or letter from a licensed physician on their letterhead must be submitted prior to the start of the program, before a refund will be considered. Injuries or illnesses taking place after the program begins, or that are reported after the program begins, are not eligible for a credit or refund.

Feel free to contact us in the chat box below or email us at balletplus@franciscogelladance.com if you have any questions.