Marin Conservatory of Dance Summer Programs

Marin Conservatory of Dance Summer Programs include Tiny Tutu Summer Camp, Ballet Summer Camp, several levels of Summer Intensives, and an Adult Ballet Wellness Experience called The Artistry & Alignment Ballet Retreat. Depending on the program, students take ballet class, pre-ballet, stretch class, conditioning, ballet history lessons, demi-pointe class, pointe work, and variations/choreography, and some programs include Reformer Pilates training, classical repertoire, crafts, ballet story time, and a virtual tour of MCD Studios. Several camps and intensives culminate with a showing on Friday.

• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: One- and two-week sessions in July with Monday–Friday options in morning, midday, and full-day formats, plus a single-day adult retreat in March
• Price: Tiny Tutu Summer Camp $450 ($750 with after care); Ballet Summer Camp $600 ($900 with after care); Children’s Summer Intensive Level 1C $650 for 1 week ($950 with after care); Youth Summer Intensive Level 2A $700 (plus $125 with after care); Youth Summer Intensive Level 2C $1300 for 2 weeks (plus $795 with after care); Pre-Teen Summer Intensive Level 3 $1350 for 2 weeks; MCD Summer Intensive Levels 4/5/6 $1600 for 2-week sessions

The summer programs state that they are designed to build technique, confidence, and creativity in a joyful and supportive environment, with class sizes limited to support quality training and personal corrections. Youth Summer Intensive Level 2C, the Teen Summer Intensive (Pre-Teen Summer Intensive, ages 11+), and the MCD Summer Intensive (ages 13+) require a minimum of two weeks of participation, and one week is required for advancement in the fall for the Children’s Summer Intensive and Youth Summer Intensive Level 2A. Both weeks are required for advancement and role placement for Nutcracker in the fall for the Pre-Teen Summer Intensive and MCD Summer Intensive, and weekly guest teachers and Reformer Pilates training are included in the MCD Summer Intensive. No audition is required for the Youth Summer Intensive, Pre-Teen Summer Intensive, or MCD Summer Intensive, and a placement class is optional.

Director and Owner Melinda Neal is a Bay Area native and former soloist who began her early ballet training under Yanina Cwyinska, who trained at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, and continued her studies with Ronn Guidi, founder of the Oakland Ballet Academy and Company. She earned a BA in Performing Arts through St. Mary’s College of California’s LEAP program for professional dancers and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Dance at St. Mary’s College of California, and she is a certified Pilates Instructor. Melinda danced professionally for 16 years with Oakland Ballet Company, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Napoles Ballet Theatre, Bay Pointe Ballet, California Youth Ballet, and Milissa Payne Project, co-owned The Dance Network for nine years, and served as Artistic Director for its non-profit youth ballet company. She has held leadership roles as Children’s Ballet Mistress for State Street Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and Bay Pointe Ballet, and has over 27 years of teaching experience throughout the Bay Area at organizations including Alonzo King LINES Dance Center, Alameda Civic Ballet, ODC Dance, SF Arts Education Project, Peninsula Ballet Conservatory, Bay Pointe Ballet, and as Ballet Director at Roco Dance in Mill Valley. The leadership team lists Melinda Neal as Director/Owner and names Melinda and Leilani Neal in the contact section.

Marin Conservatory of Dance is described as Southern Marin’s only Classical Ballet Conservatory and notes that it has the largest studios in town with Rosco Sprung Flooring and Harlequin Marley. The organization has been featured in Enjoy Mill Valley, the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Marin Magazine’s article about mother-daughter businesses in Marin, and states, “We love the Marin Community!”

Last updated March 16, 2026.