Belize’s Artistic Future on Display at ICA Summer Camp
The annual Creative Arts Camp organized by the Institute of Creative Arts culminated today with a routine showcase of what the young performers have learned at the camp. Over the past three weeks, primary and preschool students practiced the various techniques in dance, drama and song and today, the parents got to see the routines they’ve been working on. News Five’s Duane Moody was there and files this report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Over one hundred and thirty primary and preschool children from across Belize City participated in the 2017 Creative Arts Camp hosted at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. The annual event brings together various stakeholders within the industry and provides children with the basic techniques in dance, song and drama. Over the past three weeks, they’ve been rehearsing and learning unique routines, songs and plays which were featured in today’s showcase inside the auditorium in the presence of proud parents.
Kim Vasquez
Kim Vasquez, Youth Development Officer, ICA
“We have two camps, a preschool camp and a primary school camp and if I am not mistaken we host the only actually preschool camp in the city. And what happens is that the ones in preschool get an exposure to everything. They do arts and crafts, drama, dance, music and what happens is that the older ones get to select one. They do crotchet or arts and craft or drama and dance. And we have a very large crowd. This year, we have a hundred and thirty-five students total; we have forty-five in the preschool alone.”
A number of teachers with early childhood development backgrounds worked along with the program this year. It also featured members of the artist community stepping in as facilitators of the various styles of creative arts. For Jaylan Craig, who taught dance to the preschoolers, she is studying the creative arts in the U.S. and the summer camp is helping her with her professional development.
Jaylan Craig
Jaylan Craig, Preschool Dance Facilitator
“I’ve done one year of training at Martha Graham School in New York and I am back for the summer and Miss Kim and Miss Karen asked me if I could teach the little kids, ages three to six. For the past three weeks, we’ve been teaching them three dances from Monday to Friday all morning, from eight to eleven. The kids are excited, they are happy…all of them are able to participate which is always exciting. We basically focused more on the rhythm, learning to clap…clap with the music, don’t just clap when you are ready. So we focused on the rhythm and four basic movements that they can remember for themselves.”
…and it was indeed a spectacle as the children danced, sung and acted away on stage. Backstage they were energetic and excited having learned more about what they can do in the creative arts.
Burnel Jones
Burnel Jones, Drama Student
“Drama and acting and more stuffs.”
Duane Moody
“Have you always liked doing drama and acting?”
Burnel Jones
“Kinda.”
Arayah Tate
Arayah Tate, Dance Student
“I learned about how to dance and how to sing and do other stuff. We know how to like…Miss Dawn, everyday she made us exercise first before we go and dance. And I learn all about to share with others and to be a friend.”
Duane Moody
“Now you had several performances on stage, which one dah your favorite and why?”
Arayah Tate
“Well I like the second one first because it is…I noh even know weh fi say…lone bout like Creole dance with soca mix; that’s what I like about it.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
