Theatre Camp for Kids on Summer Vacation
It’s summertime and the kids are rolling into two months of recess! Summer camps are kicking off and the Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts is one of the places being occupied by children while they are out of the classrooms. Kids ages three to fourteen are currently engaged in three weeks of theater activities. With a focus on dance, drama and music, a final production will be presented at the end by the young artists. Sabreena Daly tells us more in this week’s look on the bright side.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Eagerness and joy are displayed on the faces of our kids this year as we roll into what feels like the first year of normalcy after a lockdown, learning from home and worrying about catching a deadly virus. But for the kids at theater camp this year, their only worry is learning their lines, catching the beat and reading sheet music. It’s a breath of fresh air and the instructors for this year’s summer camp at the Bliss are equally excited.
Kim Vasquez
Kim Vasquez, Program Officer
“We are offering two summer camps. A theater camp in the morning where the children do dance, music and drama and we work towards a musical production at the end. In the afternoon, we’re doing steel pan and wind.”
Approximately seventy-five students are enrolled at Theater Camp, this year. It offers an outlet of expression and an avenue to explore and build confidence through art genres.
Jaylan Craig
Jaylan Craig, Dance Instructor
“It’s been an incredible opportunity. You get to meet different dancers, different students who probably didn’t even know they could dance. So, allowing them to experiment in this space, this very open and creative and safe space, they can see themselves in the mirror, identify who they are, who they want to be and that’s where self-confidence and self-esteem grows.”
Crysel Gabourel
Crysel Gabourel, Singing instructor
“Working with little ones is always more challenging than working with the older students. So, three age groups, the babies especially, learning lyrics, even though the songs are catchy, it’s still a feat for them because they don’t all have proper speech as yet and so they may fumble on some words but it’s about getting them accustomed to that spotlight.”
The camp will piece together a final production that incorporates all genres learnt in the time span. It’s a three-week opportunity to find a hidden passion in one or all the fields of art expression. And the best part, families will be invited to see a final display of their children on the big stage.
Kim Vasquez, Program Officer
“It was always my dream to have a summer arts program that was wholistic in the theater arts, where children would get a bit of singing, and music theater if you will; they would have dance music and drama. But we also teach them stage craft. They learn about the different parts of the stage; they learn vocabulary; they learn theater etiquette and they also work on designing their own little props and their own little costumes. The little finishing touches to their costumes. We like to do story theater because its closer to Belizean culture. So, that means that we employ a story telling technique in the three different age group. And they are all working towards a final production that we have here at the bliss. It’s a recital, we invite the parents but the wider public are also invited as well.”
In the afternoon, students can also be a part of a separate camp that incorporates musical instruments. Music Coordinator, John Raeburn says, music can shape one’s life.
John Raeburn
John Raeburn, Music Camp Coordinator
“Music is life. Without music we are dead. Everybody, somewhere along the line, enjoys music. For me, I see it as a way to get the children involved in something other than just the regular thing that you do and use music as a stepping stone for better things. They can conquer the world with music.”
Kim Vasquez, Program Officer
“Music has always been a part of what we offer here at the Bliss as well. Currently we do not have an active youth orchestra, we are in the process to rebuild that, but this is our jumpstart. This music camp is a way to jump start that process.”
And where the camps are taking place simultaneously, help is near. And expression is no new feat for the help on hand.
Briheda Haylock
Briheda Haylock,
“I don’t restrict myself. I love to extend myself to my artist community and give a helping hand wherever I can because at the end of the day we need to support each other. I love working with kids. I like seeing their little personalities. I like watching them be proud of themselves and learn.”
Olajuwon Cadl
Olajuwon Cadle, Assistant Dance Instructor
“I just started making videos because I enjoyed the concept of creating storylines and bringing it to life. I started posting it on the internet and people reacted well to it. So, as they did, I started making more and it’s blown up to the point where it is now and I’m very happy and grateful for it. They’re very energetic. They have a lot of energy but it looks like they’re enjoying it as well and that’s the main part. Once they’re enjoying it.”
While it may be too late to sign up for this year’s theater camp, there’s always next year. Kim Vasquez shared you can start calling to secure a space for your child as soon as the end of June.
Kim Vasquez, Program Officer
“A lot of our students are actually returning students and this is something that we really appreciate. We love seeing them return. Some of them have actually grown out of the camp over the years. Its something that we do every year so you can always come around when school is closing, like a round the end of June, parents would start reaching out to us and that’s totally fine. We would take down their name and hold that spot for the child. It costs seventy-five dollars for the entire three weeks and twenty-five dollars for the music camp, for the entire three weeks. I also want to say though that we do have a scholarship program attached to it. There’s a scholarship form. We do not want cost to be a barrier for children to experience the performing arts. So we encourage anybody, if you feel that you want your child to be enrolled in this program, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at the bliss.”
Look on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.
