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Summer Intensive 2022
FAA Summer Intensive Tracks
Studio Art: Painting & Drawing
Acting
Acting & Improv
Students will participate in rigorous acting, voice and speech, movement, and scene study classes to learn the art of acting for the stage. Students will also explore improvisation and learn techniques through coaching and warm-up exercises that will build confidence and improve theatrical performance skills.
Comic Illustration
My World of Comics
My World of Comics is a weeklong comic making class where you will explore a few basic comic skills. Each day you will focus on one to two fundamental elements of the craft: writing, drawing, inking, coloring, lettering, prepress, and printing. This will be an exciting class for all skill levels. We will also have guest speakers. Let’s have fun making comics together.
Dance Intensive
African, Ballet, Hip-Hop & Modern Dance
In this track, teens will join the faculty and students of one of the strongest and oldest dance programs in the country. Students will be immersed in intense technical training in various styles and forms including modern dance, ballet, African dance, and hip-hop.
Fashion
Fashion Design
Ever wondered what the steps are between a fashion designer having an idea for a creation and it finding its way to a shopping center near you? In Fashion Design, you will take on the role of fashion designer, learning the basics of design, construction, and sewing to make your very own one-of-a-kind avant garde ensemble using existing clothing as raw material. Make it work, and create a runway-worthy fit!
Graphic Design
Description coming soon! This track will include special programming by Japan House.
Photography
Photography is a primary form of communication. In this course students will explore fundamental facets including technical dimensions like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO; aesthetic dimensions like composition, color theory, and lighting; and conceptual dimensions like narrative strategies, emotional affect, and critical analysis. Each day we will work with a different photographic process through individual projects, discussions, viewings, and field trips. Students will be encouraged to apply the skills worked on in the course to their personal projects beyond the course.
Studio Art: Painting & Drawing
Students will create a series of works on paper based on individualized themes, inspired by contemporary artists and art making. Repetition of subject matter and media will lead to a final series of explorations that consider compositional emphasis and layering of materials. Students will be exposed to and encouraged to explore a variety of media—watercolor, ink, acrylic, charcoal, and graphite—to experiment with scale, interpretation, grouping, and presentation. This track will include special programming by Japan House.
Theatre Tech & Design
Stage Management, Scenic Design, Lighting Design & Props Design
Experience Illinois Theatre backstage! Students will explore what it means to work behind the scenes in theatre. Discover the skills and techniques you need to successfully put up a show. Gain hands-on experience in a variety of backstage jobs such as lighting design, scenic design, props design, and stage management.
Please note: Course descriptions are subject to change. Courses may have an additional course fee or required supplies.
Other Features
Portfolio Counseling
Students are encouraged to bring their portfolios for informal feedback from Summer Intensive instructors and FAA faculty members.
Audition and Portfolio Tips
Faculty and staff members from the School of Art and Design, Dance at Illinois, and Illinois Theatre will offer sessions focused on portfolio tips and audition preparation.
Instruction
Current FAA faculty members and graduate students will teach all the tracks. These enthusiastic artists and educators are dedicated to providing a profoundly satisfying experience that represents what it’s like to live, work, and study at FAA.
Housing and Meals
Students staying on campus during the FAA Summer Intensive will spend the week in shared rooms in University of Illinois residence halls. Each room is furnished with beds, desks, and dressers. Students must provide their own linens and will have access to laundry facilities. Housing is staffed and supervised by resident advisors and FAA Summer Intensive counselors. The FAA Summer Intensive has a 10:1 student-to-counselor ratio in the residence halls. Resident advisors are currently enrolled University of Illinois students trained in community building, problem solving, and emergency procedures.
Those staying in the residence halls are automatically enrolled in a plan that includes three meals per day served in the dining halls. Commuter students are automatically enrolled in a meal plan that includes Sunday dinner and lunch and dinner only Monday–Friday.
A nightly room check of 10 p.m. is strictly enforced.
Fees
Program deposit with application: $50 (nonrefundable)
Residential program fee: $800 (includes instruction, housing, and meals)
Commuter program fee: $500 (includes instruction plus lunch and dinner Monday–Friday)
Additional Expenses
Course Supplies
Upon acceptance, students may receive a course supply list. Supply costs range from $20 to $60 and vary by course.
Spending Money
Although it’s not required, a student may appreciate having access to $50 in spending money for the week on campus. Teens especially enjoy shopping at the Illini Union Bookstore for Illinois attire.
Scholarships
Several scholarships will be awarded during the Discover FAA High School Competition.
Applying
Eligibility
Students must have completed their freshman, sophomore, or junior year of high school by summer 2024. Teens at all ability levels are invited to apply.
Placement
Early application to the program is encouraged, as students are placed in specific tracks on a first-come, first-served basis. Although every effort will be made to assign applicants to their first or second choices, placements cannot be guaranteed.
Application Process
- The application deadline is April 1, 2024. Applications will be accepted after April 1 if space is available. The $50 application fee must accompany the application to secure space in classes.
- International students must prove competency in the English language at the time of application by submitting TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS scores or a supporting letter from a school counselor or English teacher.
- Applicants will be notified of their admission status on a rolling basis beginning in April 2024 and will be assigned to their track on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Submit the program fee no later than May 15, 2024, unless otherwise approved. Any accepted student who has not paid the program fee by May 15 will be dropped from all courses. Contact Brenda Williams-Cannon at wllmscn2@illinois.edu to create a payment plan.
The application opens on February 1, 2024.
Apply Today!
COVID-19 Policy
All University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign summer programs must adhere to COVID-19 operating and safety protocols.
Refund Policy
All withdrawals must be requested in writing. The postmark date or email date will be honored as the withdrawal date.
- Withdrawal before May 20, 2024: 100 percent refund minus $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Withdrawal after May 20, 2024: 50 percent refund minus $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Withdrawal after June 1, 2024: No refund
If a student is asked to leave the program for violations of school policies or regulations, no refund will be issued.