Blistering feet, sore legs and dancing for countless hours a day is how more than 30 girls describe summer fun.

The Jordan Academy of Dance Summer Intensive program gives serious dancers ages 11 to 18 a chance to drastically improve their classical ballet, jazz and contemporary ballet skills.

North Central senior Carly Phelps, 17, has taken lessons at Butler for 11 years.

“It’s like a home to me,” Phelps said. “It might be a long day, but I’m having fun and doing what I love. My friends think I’m crazy.”

Fellow dancers Alyssa Goggan, 16, Carmel; Samantha Toney, 14, Franklin Township; and Corey Mathews, 16, Brownsburg, agree that their friends question the choice to spend the summer on their toes, but dancing is what they want to be doing.

“I’ve been going to a lot of different studios,” said Mathews who has suffered multiple injuries. “Coming here is a big step for me. It’s getting me strong. I hope to be a modern dancer.”

“This is my fifth year doing this in the summer,” Toney said. “You get so much attention and excel so much at what you’re doing.”

Students auditioned in one of three cities, said Nataly Lowder, program founder and director.

“Not everybody makes it,” Lowder said. “We try to take the kids who are muscularly and mentally prepared for a rigorous program. They don’t have to be perfect. That’s why they’re here.”

Learning a variety of techniques drew Goggan to the Butler program.

“Every day we start with ballet in the morning,” Goggan said. “It’s a base for all your dancing, and in the afternoon we learn all types of dance.”

Lowder founded the summer intensive five years ago.

Some spend five weeks at the Butler program, others three. The five-week students will perform six dances during an hourlong program July 23-24. Each student is in one classical ballet and one jazz or contemporary piece. Most advanced students will perform in three dances.

“We like to offer a performing component because it’s a performing art,” Lowder said.