The word cabaret brings to mind images of singers in nightclubs, or maybe Liza Minnelli performing years ago in the movie "Cabaret."

What the word does not bring to mind is college dormitories, dining halls and early morning classes. But for the past eight summers, hopeful singers have come to the International Cabaret Conference at Yale University.

Think of it as a cabaret training camp in New Haven, Connecticut.

The artistic director is Erv Raible, a club owner in New York City. He says cabaret is a deeply emotional experience for a singer.

ERV RAIBLE: "The intimacy of it, I think, is the most important part. The fact that, unlike any other genre in the entertainment world, you actually go into a room where you go out of there feeling like you know the person. You know something about them. They have touched your heart."