"The Preprofessional Dancer Institute is unique for its rigorous, tailored training that bridges the gap between aspiring dancers and the demands of a professional career, fostering both technical mastery and artistic growth. Through the process of striving together toward a shared commitment to excellence, dancers leave PDI with an entire community of other young artists who they will journey with together in the years ahead at auditions, college, and in the professional world."

– Julie Friedrich, Co-Artistic Director

Preprofessional Dancer Institute

August 28 - September 1, 2025 in Santa Fe, New Mexico

For five days every Labor Day weekend, 100 exceptional young dancers-in-training from all over the world descend on Santa Fe, a small city at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northern New Mexico. Known for its dynamic energy, the city has far more artists (musicians, visual artists, designers, writers, songwriters, performing artists – you name it!) than any other comparable in size. Santa Fe manifests a remarkable creative spirit, unlike few other places on Earth.

The young artists accepted into the Preprofessional Dancer Institute (PDI) have the unique opportunity to be swept up by this spirit while they are challenged through rigorous technical and artistic training, as well as being equipped with vital knowledge, tools, and resources for their future careers in dance. The experience of dancing at our Institute in Northern New Mexico is not something you can easily describe (except for the challenge of dancing at an altitude of 7,300 feet above sea level). You just know it is special – unlike any other experience – because you can feel it.

When the fifth and final day arrives, all of our dancers and faculty understand that they have gone through something unique together and have been forever changed. That’s PDI – in good part because of the magic of Santa Fe. It’s been said that Santa Fe “is a city where the wounded come for healing, and seekers come to find.” To be honest, we didn’t set out for PDI to call Santa Fe her home. But, given that many of our graduates have indeed started a process of healing since the institute’s inception in 2017 and discovered a renewed purpose and passion during their stay, it seems a grand plan was in the works from somewhere far beyond the limits of our own thinking and understanding. PDI in its high-desert home has become a sanctuary for young dancers journeying toward their future as professionals.