Limited spots remain in the WVU Summer Acting and Dance Academies for youth and teens interested in immersive weeklong courses to further their performance skills.
Summer Acting Academy
Led by WVU faculty, the Summer Acting Academy is designed to develop performance skills, spark creativity and build confidence in emerging actors and theatre makers. Classes begin July 6 and run through July 11.
The Teen Acting Academy, for ages 13-17, is Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. A show for friends and family begins at noon Saturday.
In the teen sessions, participants will train across a range of disciplines, including acting and scene work, musical theatre, improvisation, on-camera technique, voice-over and character voice work, accents and vocal techniques and stage combat. Tuition for all classes and activities is $500.
The Youth Acting Academy, for ages 8-12, is Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. A show for friends and family begins at noon Saturday.
In the youth sessions, students will explore acting and scene work, musical theatre, puppetry, on-camera technique and improvisation. Tuition for all classes and activities is $350. Two or more siblings from the same household receive a discounted tuition of $300 each.
Summer Dance Academy
The Teen Dance Academy, designed for teenagers and current college students, is a weeklong in-residence dance program offering a wide variety of classes taught by WVU faculty and past or present members or the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Applicants should have at least three years of dance experience to be eligible for the Teen Academy.
The teen session runs July 12-18, with a student showcase on the last day. Participants can take classes in urban/commercial dance, ballet, modern dance, jazz, contemporary dance, choreography and improvisation, tap dance, yoga, classical Indian dance, dance conditioning and more. A one-on-one performance coaching session will be offered to each student performer.
Tuition for the Teen Dance Academy, including all classes and activities, is $725 ($770 after June 30). Participants who attended the 2025 Summer Dance Academy receive a discounted tuition of $650. Room and board is $227-$461 depending on room occupancy and meal plans.
The Youth Dance Academy is geared toward children 5-11 years old who have little-to-no previous dance experience. Select WVU Dance students and alumni will give participants instruction on ballet, creative movement, jazz, hip-hop, tap dance and more. Mornings will begin with group yoga, and classes will also include arts and crafts activities and plenty of breaks.
The youth session runs July 13-17, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday, with an informal showcase for family and friends at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Tuition for the Youth Dance Academy is $525, and participants who attended the 2025 Summer Dance Academy receive a discounted tuition of $475. Two or more siblings receive a discounted tuition of $375 each.
For more details and to register for the Summer Acting Academy or the Summer Dance Academy, visit https://go.wvu.edu/theatre-dance-academies .