Join us in August, 2026 for a retreat to remember as we invite current faculty and alumni from the School of American Ballet (SAB) to get a glimpse into the lineage of George Balanchine, founder of SAB and New York City Ballet.
We gather the evening of August 10th for a Meet & Greet reception with our teachers and fellow dancers.
Join us for daily technique class, Pre-Pointe / Pointe, technique workshops, choreography, and a beautiful dockside warm-up and outdoor performance on our final day.
This retreat is for everyone from beginner with at least a year of ballet experience to intermediate/advanced. Welcome!
The Teachers
Lori Boggan, founder of Ballet Gothenburg, teaches with a love and deep respect for the art. She took a break from dance in her 20s to become a registered nurse, only dancing occasionally between night shifts. Twenty years later, she came back to ballet through teaching. Her passion for nursing influences her work as a teacher in promoting wellness and health through the joy of movement.
Born and raised in the U.S., Lori has had the privilege to study with amazing master teachers throughout the U.S. including Ilya Gaft (Kirov Ballet), Michael Cusumano (Joffrey Ballet), Lynne Charles (4Pointe), and Dena Abergel (School of American Ballet). She trained pre-professionally with the Ailey School, New York City, in American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum and in Inspire, The Royal Ballet School in London’s teacher training.
She understands the joy, uncertainty, and challenges of beginning ballet as an adult as her first ballet class was at the age of 14 in an adult ballet class. It is out of her own journey, her passion for teaching adult beginners began. She loves the passion and intention that her adult ballet students show up with in each and every class. Her mission is seeing them develop and take huge leaps in their ballet journey. Follow her blog here as she asks the professionals the burning questions we all as adult dancers want answered. She also has nearly fourteen years of experience as a registered yoga teacher.
Dena Abergel began taking ballet classes at the age of six with Dorit Koppel at Progressive Dance Studio in Englewood, New Jersey. When she was twelve, she enrolled as a full-time student at the School of American Ballet, where she continued her training until she joined New York City Ballet at the age of eighteen.
During her eighteen years as a member of New York City Ballet, Ms. Abergel performed in numerous works by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. She originated roles in Robbins’s West Side Story Suite; in Peter Martins’s Chichester Psalms, Harmonielehre, Symphonic Dances, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Romeo + Juliet; and in Christopher Wheeldon’s Carnival of the Animals, Variations Serieuses, and An American in Paris.
Ms. Abergel performed featured and soloist roles in a number of works by George Balanchine, including The Nutcracker®, Firebird, Coppélia, Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet.
Upon retiring from performing in 2009, Ms. Abergel joined SAB’s faculty and became NYCB’s Assistant Children’s Repertory Director. She was named Children’s Repertory Director at New York City Ballet in 2012. In her position with the Company, Ms. Abergel casts and rehearses children from SAB in all NYCB productions featuring roles for children, including George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Swan Lake and Coppélia.
Elizabeth Walker is an alumni of School of American Ballet and former ballerina with New York City Ballet. She spent 19 years with the New York City Ballet, during which time she performed multiple principal roles by George Balanchine and Peter Martins, and was a featured dancer/demonstrator in the video series “Balanchine Essays”, a visual catalogue of Balanchine’s teaching points and style. She has spent six years on faculty at the School of American Ballet and is currently on faculty at Ballet Academy East.
The Fees
The fee for the entire workshop is 7500 SEK. The entire month of January there is an early bird discount of 6500 SEK. Fees do not include travel or room and board, but we are collaborating with a hotel just a 5 minute walk from the studios. Refunds are only made under extenuating circumstances.
The Location
The address is Balettakadamien Liberagatan 42, Gothenburg, Sweden. Balettakadamien is located on the Gothenburg island of Hissingen. The studio is surrounded by cafes and restaurants and is steps away from a beautiful riverside walk. There is a grocery store located just down the street.
Accommodation
Accomodation is not included but there are several hotels as well as hostels and Airbnbs in the area. We are collaborating with the Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel, just a 5 minute walk from the studio. Guests here receive a group discount that includes daily entry to their rooftop indoor and outdoor spa. It is also host to our welcome reception.
Sample Daily Schedule
Sunday:
- 18:00-20:00 Meet & Greet Welcoming Reception
Monday to Friday:
- 09:00-10:30 Technique
- 10:45-11:45 Pre-Pointe / Pointe
- 12:00-13:00 Lunch
- 13:00-14:00 Choreography
- 14:15-15:15 Workshop
- 15:30-16:30 Closing of the Day: Myofascial Release, Breathe, Stretch & Relax
Saturday:
- 11:00-12:30 Bridge Ballet Class
- 12:45 Dockside Performance
- Closing Picnic
What to Bring?
- Think sweater weather (Swedish weather is unpredictable)
- Swim suit (for those partaking in spa activities)
- Snacks, water bottle, your personal class necessities
- Two thick towels daily for Breathe & Relax Class each day
- Two small tennis or racquet balls
- Comfortable & supportive walking shoes for Bridge Ballet warm up
- Canvas ballet shoes (washable) to wear outdoor as well as for performance day
- Performance Day attire to be determined
The Levels
What levels will the retreat offer? There is something for everyone from beginner to advanced. Dancers should have at least a year of ballet experience to have learned the fundamentals and join our beginner level. Each student will be carefully placed in their appropriate level to benefit the most when participating.
Bridge Ballet
Bridge Ballet is a Ballet Gothenburg tradition. It is an outdoor class where we gather to take class at the end of each term. We will celebrate our last day together (weather permitting) where we will for warmup in preparation for our final day performance.
Final Day Performance
We finish our week together with a lovely outdoor performance (weather permitting) where we will showcase the Balanchine-inspired choreography we have learned. Find more information about performances here.
Things to Do in Gothenburg
Gothenburg is a beautiful city you can walk, bike, or use easy public transportation to see. Within the city must-sees include the neighborhood Haga for authentic Swedish café culture, shopping, and of course the beloved Swedish fika (afternoon coffee and cake). Visit one of numerous museums, botanical gardens, and public parks throughout the city. Visit the surrounding areas, including one of many car-free islands surrounding Gothenburg. Music lover? Check out Pustervik or Trädgårdsföreningen for concert dates or join the city’s annual music festival Way Out West with artists from around the world. And there are many forest trails for nature lovers to hike.
Adult Ballet Retreat FAQs
Find even more answers on the FAQ page!
Is the Adult Ballet Retreat beginner-friendly?
Absolutely! There is something for everyone from beginner to advanced. Dancers should have at least a year of ballet experience to have learned the fundamentals and join our beginner level.
Do you offer a payment plan for the Adult Ballet Retreat?
Absolutely! Contact us for details!
Are there any other retreats planned?
We hope to plan one retreat per year around Europe and perhaps a winter retreat in Florida in future.
How do I book the Adult Ballet Retreat?
Booking is done through our secure booking site called Bokadirekt.
