SALINAS VALLEY — After three weeks of intensive training, dancers from across the Salinas Valley and surrounding communities took the stage last month to celebrate their progress and artistic development through Monterey County Dance Theatre’s annual summer program.
The summer intensive brought together students from Salinas, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, Lockwood and Paso Robles for an accelerated course of daily dance instruction. The program concluded with a performance celebrating the dancers’ dedication and growth.
The Aug. 2 event also included the announcement of the featured roles for the dance school’s 2026 production of “The Nutcracker Ballet,” presented in partnership with the Monterey County Dance Foundation.
Celeste Guillen of Soledad was selected to portray Clara, the young girl who receives a nutcracker doll for Christmas and embarks on a magical adventure that forms the heart of the ballet. Her parents are Robert and Yadira Guillen.
Madeline Maxwell of King City, the daughter of Tim and Denise Maxwell, was chosen as Clara’s mischievous brother, Fritz.
The roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier will be performed by dancers Sara Godinez of King City and Zeke Brown of Lockwood, respectively.
Godinez, whose parents are Diego and Betsy Godinez, recently completed a five-week summer intensive with American Ballet Theatre in New York. Brown, the son of Tom and Mitzi Brown, also completed a summer intensive with Ballet West in Utah.
Based in King City, Monterey County Dance Theatre’s summer program is an important part of the training offered by the school, which operates under the artistic direction of Janette Harkness.
Currently, the rural dance school offers a 10-month program for students ages 3-1/2 through young adults. Classes are held six days a week from August through May, with approximately 140 students enrolled.
Harkness, who is celebrating her 48th anniversary as a classical ballet dance teacher, developed the summer intensive to model the training programs offered by professional dance company schools in larger cities.
“One of the most important aspects of our school is the annual summer intensive program held in July. During this time, students participate in an accelerated study program designed to promote their technique, skill, stamina and artistic development. Students who take this three to four week daily program excel,” Harkness said.
During the intensive, dancers attend classes six days a week for three to four hours or more each day. Instruction includes ballet technique, contemporary dance, pointe, variations, jazz and character dance.
Specialized classes in flexibility, turns and jumps are also offered during the summer program.
For Harkness, the intensive represents an opportunity to help dancers develop their abilities while demonstrating that students from rural communities can pursue opportunities in the professional dance world.
“Through these 48 years, it has been my pleasure to watch students of the arts excel, especially from our small rural school,” she said. “The adage, ‘It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish,’ is so important. Students from our school have gained placement with some of the best professional dance company schools, such as American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. I love what I do and am so very blessed.”
As the dancers begin preparing for this year’s “Nutcracker” production in December, Harkness said the school is celebrating the accomplishments of the entire summer intensive class and the support of the surrounding community.
“We are proud of every dancer and grateful for amazing community support,” she said.
