WHAT HAPPENS AT BALLIBAY DURING THE OFF-SEASON?

April 11, 2022By sarah galante

What happens at Ballibay during the off-season? Well, for one thing, we make movies!

We’re delighted to announce that the new feature film Person Woman Man Camera TV is available to watch now through April 17 at the CINEQUEST Film and Creativity Festival online.

Strange, funny, and a little sad, it’s a quick romp at just 77 minutes - we hope you can watch it. Although produced by a summer camp,  it is personal artistic work and is not necessarily a film for kids - it has adult themes and strong language. Please watch the trailer before deciding to view as a family.

This is the second feature executive produced by the camp, shot and directed by Ballibay’s head of media: award-winning filmmaker Niav Conty. Ballibay director John Jannone produced the film and composed the score.

Person Woman Man Camera TV is a tragicomedy about romance, race, and remembering shot at camp in quarantine in the Fall of 2020. The wonderful Jay Ward and amazing Estelle Bajou enact the first and last days of a couple’s 7-year relationship: meeting during Ebola and Obama, breaking up during Covid and Trump.

Camp dad Mish Hassidim did the color grade, and camp mom Emily Zeitlyn is featured in the soundtrack on several songs with her band Arc Divers. The great bands Operators, Handsome Furs, and Divine Fits are also featured in the soundtrack alongside John’s original score.

Our previous film, Small Time, is available on Amazon PrimeApple TV, and Google Play. Winner of numerous awards internationally, including five awards for Best Feature, Small Time is a dark tale of rural poverty and addiction as seen through the eyes of a young girl  played by Audrey Grace Marshall (The Flight Attendant, The Fairly OddParents).

Small Time is also not necessarily a film for kids - it deals with harsh realities of growing up in the shadow of the opioid crisis. Please watch the trailer before deciding to view as a family.

Small Time was written, shot, and directed by Ballibay’s head of media Niav Conty, produced and with an an original score by camp director John Jannone. Executive producers were Camp Ballibay and Academy Award nominee Oren Moverman. David Edelstein, long time film critic for New York magazine and CBS Sunday Morning, says of Small Time, "every frame carries wonder and dread… [a film] worthy of our finest humanist directors."

RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW.

December 21, 2021By sarah galante

Almost 15 years ago, our managing director Kristin Alexander established an annual residency at Ballibay with Annex Dance Company, her professional modern dance company located in Charleston, South Carolina. Each summer she brings a company member(s) to teach in our dance department and perform alongside the campers in the dance concert. This summer, Ballibay was fortunate enough to have Taylor Bennett, an Annex Dance Company apprentice and College of Charleston student all summer long. Taylor taught modern, jazz and hip-hop, and brought so much creativity, joy, and collaboration to our dance department. We hope we will be fortunate enough to continue to work with her for many summers to come.

Taylor Bennett and Rhianna Lewis, Camp Ballibay Dance Concert 2021. PC: Cydney Blitzer. 

During the second dance intensive, Kristin choreographed a new piece entitled Right Here. Right Now. Kristin, Taylor and the campers performed the piece to a score composed by camp director John Jannone, making it a succinct and lovely Ballibay collaboration for our final dance concert of the 2021 season. About five months after the Ballibay debut, Annex Dance Company premiered Right Here. Right Now. in Charleston. I spoke with Taylor and Kristin to discuss the differences and similarities between the two performances, and how it felt growing alongside a new and expanding piece of choreography.

Sofia Puccio and Kristin Alexander. Camp Ballibay Dance Concert, 2021. PC: Cydney Blitzer. 

How does a piece like Right Here. Right Now. become a part of the Annex Dance Company season?
Kristin: Every summer while the company is in-residence, I either set company repertory or create new work for us to perform with the campers in the dance concert.  When I create new choreography, I bring it back to Charleston to workshop with my company.  This season we had a performance planned in December that I knew would be the perfect concert to premiere Right Here. Right Now. in Charleston. 

Can you tell me what it was like to begin the process of Right Here. Right Now. at Camp Ballibay this summer?
Kristin: I really wanted to collaborate with John, so I was excited he wanted to work on a composition for the piece.  The music definitely influenced the creative direction, especially the movement vocabulary.  

Taylor: Kristin created choreography phrases for us to work with in rehearsal. We tried them as a group, in duets, and even transformed them into moments of connection and partnering.  She had a vision for the piece, but as she always does, allowed the creative process to be authentic and open to new ideas.  

What was it like performing this piece for the second time, this time without camper involvement, but with Annex Dance Company?
Kristin: It is always incredible to me how much we are able to accomplish at camp. Creating a new work and performing it with the campers in less than two weeks is challenging…and very rewarding.  Once back in Charleston we spent over a month working with the choreography, exploring the partnering, and finding new ways to be connected to one another and the music.

Taylor: The biggest difference was the playfulness we found as a company, which may have made it even more inviting for the audience. I love this piece, so I was all smiling the whole time while performing it this time around.

Taylor Bennett and Sydni Shaffer. Right Here. Right Now. The Pearlstine Theatre, Charleston, SC 2021. PC: DJ Connor. 

Was there anything from camp that you took with you into your most recent performance?
Kristin: Even with all the changes, I still felt very connected to the campers as I workshopped the piece and performed it with the company. 

Taylor: I took the joy from camp and used it in the most recent performance. At Camp Ballibay the campers were always having fun and enjoying their craft. I was doing the same while I performed this piece. 

We are so looking forward to the work Annex Dance Company will bring to Camp Ballibay in 2022! If you have a project you started at Ballibay that has continued and transformed during the off-season, please reach out to us! We would love to feature you on our next Balli-blog.
Taylor: The biggest difference was the playfulness we found as a company, which may have made it even more inviting for the audience. I love this piece, so I was all smiling the whole time while performing it this time around.

Tara Rooks and Bethany Willis. Right Here. Right Now. The Pearlstine Theatre, Charleston, SC 2021. PC: DJ Connor. 

WELCOME, 2021 CAMP BALLIBAY STAFF!

May 11, 2021By sarah galante

We are so excited to welcome both new and returning counselors for our 2021 season at Ballibay. The staff who join us every summer are passionate educators and gifted artists who are excited to both learn from and guide Ballibay campers. We’ve cultivated an exceptional team of professional artists, undergraduate, and graduate students who look forward to sharing their unique skills and experiences with every child this summer. I reached out to a few of our amazing staff members this summer to share about what they’ve been working on this year and what they are most looking forward to this summer!

We are highlighting a few of our staff members here, but make sure to head to our Staff Directory on the camp website to learn more about all Camp Ballibay’s 2021 Staff! 

Annie Yamamoto Theater Counselor

Name: Annie Yamamoto
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Location: Chicago, IL
Department: Theater
Position: General theater counselor

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
Though I haven’t been performing nearly as much as I would like to (thanks, Covid), I have been using this time to work on my vocal technique and building my classical repertoire with my voice teacher. Since I do not have the usual added pressure of constantly preparing new material for concerts/showcases/recitals/etc, I have really been able to focus on things that I usually don’t get to spend much time on! I also have been rehearsing with a singing group that I am a part of called The Knights on Broadway. We have been preparing our first Covid friendly, masked, and socially distanced performance! Our show’s theme is focused on overcoming adversity, the importance of kindness, and mental illness. These are very important topics, especially in today’s world, and I am very excited to perform again!

What are you most excited about as a first-year staff member?
I am so excited about being around such talented, motivated, and friendly people! Ballibay has always been my home away from home and I am so excited to go back this time as a member of the staff rather than as a camper.

Andy Morrison Head of Rock

Name: Andrew Morrison
Pronouns:  He/Him/His
Location: Westchester County, NY
Department: Admin/Rock
Position: Head of Rock and Down the Hill Division Head

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
2020: the year of recording!
A collaboration album with Astoria based “Astrogun”.
Untitled solo album.

What are you most looking forward to as a returning staff member?
Honest answer? Thunderstorms at Ballibay hit differently. Something about them makes me very happy. I am especially looking forward to having an offline community.

ABBIE GARRISON stage manager

Name: Abbie Garrison
Pronouns: she/her
Location: Lorain, OH
Department: Technical Theater
Position: Stage Manager 

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
This past year I have been working closely with Sparks Theatre 4 Youth. Typically we take our shows on the road and perform during school assemblies, but with COVID guidelines we have to change it up. So instead of traveling, we filmed our shows and sent them out to different schools. In my free time I’ve been doing a lot of water coloring and sewing! 

What are you most looking forward to as a returning staff member?
After a year of isolation, I’m super excited to create alongside the campers and counselors.

Jack Thornley - Film and Media Counselor

Name: Jack Thornley
Pronouns: they/them
Location: York, PA
Department: Film & Media
Position: Film Counselor 

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
So far this year, I’ve worked freelance and volunteered on many independent projects. Recently, my editing team just finished post-production on a play our university virtually performed, and I’ve also helped other students animate or edit their own finals and personal videos. In my free time, I develop and write scripts for a potential TV series with my partner.

What are you most excited about as a first-year staff member?
After a year of quarantining and isolation, what sounds better than a summer filled with fresh air surrounded by fellow artists? I’m most excited about the overall experience to be had at Camp Ballibay, and to see all the unique and individual art everyone will create! Working in Film & Media, I’m eager to return to a backstage setting and to supervise campers in multi-camera live productions.

Jeremiah Rodgers Music Counselor

Name: Jeremiah Rodgers
Pronouns: he/him
Location: State College, PA
Department: Music and Administration
Position: Brass Counselor and Events Coordinator 

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
Due to limited close-quarter playing opportunities this past year much of my collaboration with other artists and musicians have been pre-recorded at home and presented virtually. I purchased various pieces of audio equipment for the purpose of recording and familiarized myself with different DAWs. I haven’t created any projects of my own, but I’ve been part of other recording projects for online release which included a few brass ensembles, a trombone quartet, a piece with former teachers and colleagues of mine with the DC Youth Orchestra, and a few others.

What are you most excited about as a first-year staff member?
I am most excited to explore the camp sight. I love nature and I love traveling so any opportunity I have to learn about an area I’m visiting for the very first time is one that I appreciate.

Jana Flynn Art Counselor

Name: Jana Flynn
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Department: Visual Arts
Position: Visiting Artist Ceramics Instructor 

What artistic projects have you been working on this year?
Oh jeez, was this a tough year to continue making art but I launched a new ceramic line where the proceeds are donated to supporting non-profits and activist groups advocating for BLM, human rights, and protecting our planet.

What are you most excited about as a first-year staff member?
So many things!! Getting my hands dirty as much as possible, looking for shooting stars and fireflies, checking out the weaving studio, but most importantly collaborating with all the brilliant minds coming together at Ballibay

The entire Ballibay staff is so looking forward to collaborating with and caring for your children this summer! Please feel free to take a look at our Staff Directory to get to know a bit about our counselors and visiting artists in 2021.

THE SONG INSIDE

March 29, 2021By sarah galante

As we have officially hit the one-year mark of the pandemic, I am continually amazed by the inventiveness and creativity within the Ballibay community. This month’s Balliblog is all about one of Ballibay’s music directors and camp moms Deidre Struck. I had the opportunity to speak with Deidre this week to talk to her about her new music business: The Song Inside. As a professional musician, educator, and songwriter, Deidre has begun this business to show musicians and novices alike, that they too can write the song they always dreamed of. Deidre teaches songwriting, voice, and piano at Ballibay and is a music director for some of our musicals each summer. 

The Song Inside will include private coaching sessions with Deidre to work closely to create your own original song, group sessions to collaborate with other songwriters, and an online community for support and connection. Whether you are an experienced lyricist or musician 

struggling to work past writer’s block, or a beginner with a desire to write your very first song - Deidre is here to guide you through your songwriting journey. Deidre’s goals within her sessions are to bring joy and depth of emotion into the writing process, and to, ultimately, bring more original songs into the world!

Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do? 

Hi! I'm a Brooklyn-based pianist/singer/songwriter and Mom of two Ballibay kids. I'm originally from Idaho and moved to NYC to play keyboards for The Big Apple Circus in 1997. I never left! Since then, I've played a zillion gigs, released three jazz CDs on the Sunnyside Label, and spent a lot of time as a Teaching Artist for Carnegie Hall, specifically for The Lullaby Project. The Lullaby Project provides moms and dads in shelters, prisons, and hospitals a chance to partner with us to write lullabies for their kids. We then record the lullabies and have celebration concerts. It's ridiculously fun and rewarding. 

How did you come to know (and love) Ballibay? 

I learned about Ballilbay a few years ago through one of my piano students. That same summer, a friend of mine was a parent artist at Ballibay and told me what a great opportunity it was. Last summer was my first summer at Ballibay and I immediately knew: this place is exactly what I need, and what my kids need. It's like a family, but with art and meadows and shows! I played and coached for musicals, wrote the music and performed with the kids, and generally enjoyed life! 

What inspired you to begin The Song Inside? 

Since covid hit, I've thought a lot about what I think my calling is in the world. This deep dive inspired me to launch my dream business, The Song Inside! 

The Song Inside draws on my many years at Carnegie helping people tap into their inner songwriter. Most people don't believe they even have an inner songwriter, but I know differently!

I help individuals and groups write songs from the heart which were always there, but needed some coaxing to come out into light. 

What do you expect the process to look like? 

Eventually, The Song Inside will consist of four parts: one-on-one coaching to A) help songwriters break through blocks they have around current songs or B) start from scratch to create a new song, group workshops for collaboration, an online community, and a membership for support and fellowship, and a longer songwriting course. What makes it different from other songwriting coaching businesses is that I'm coming at it from a soul-centered perspective. I want people to find the joy, beauty, and healing that comes from creating original songs! 

What does it mean to you to express yourself through music? 

If there's one thing I've learned over my life, it's that music really is the universal language, and it's one that we all have inside us. Sometimes music can express things when words fail. Sometimes, words put with music make the words that much better. I look forward to my second magical summer at Ballibay. Who knows what music and songs this summer will bring? 

While speaking with Deidre and continuing to write these Balliblogs each month, I never cease to be absolutely blown away by my coworkers. Amidst my peers, there is a constant urge to create with innovation, openness, and collaboration - and while that is so clearly seen during our time at Ballibay it has been such a unique joy to explore it during this past year. You can learn more about Deidre, listen to some of her music (including one of my favorites written during the height of the pandemic Hug You), and contact her by visiting her website: www.pianogoddess.com

SHARED SPACES/SEPARATE PLACES: COLLABORATION THROUGH THE YEARS AT BALLIBAY

February 16, 2021By sarah galante

As artists, this strange year has brought about innumerable challenges. New and complicated questions are constantly arising as we attempt to create work in 2020-2021. Questions like, how do we continue to showcase our work when venues and galleries are closed to the public? How do we transition to virtual artmaking? And most importantly, how do we continue to be collaborative – a facet of art-making and of creativity that is essential to its growth and survival – when we are forced to be in isolation?  Camp director Kristin Alexander is no stranger to collaborative art-making. While not at camp she is the artistic director of Annex Dance Company – a professional modern dance company dedicated to performance, collaboration, and education rooted in her home, Charleston, South Carolina. Kristin and her company have worked in new and imaginative ways throughout their 2020-2021 season to not only bring dance to their community (and beyond) but to stay true to their philosophies of performance, collaboration, and education. 

A new series presented by Annex this year is entitled, Shared Spaces/Separate Places, pairing company members up with dance artists from around the country for a shared improvisation. Kristin immediately wanted to reach out to dancer and former Camp Ballibay camper, Lisa Kwak!

Lisa Kwak

Kristin Alexander

Kristin Alexander

Lisa, a Dance Intensive camper at Ballibay from 2009-2011, is now a professional dancer living in Seattle, Washington. She works with Dani Tirrell and the Congregation, The Guild Dance Company, and PRICEArts N.E.W. When not in rehearsal or taking dance classes, Lisa works at the University of Washington’s Department of Dance as their Operations and Media Specialist. 

When asked about the inspiration for the improvisation with former camper Lisa, Kristin said:

We chose REMINISCE and NOSTALGIA as our prompts.  Having a place like Ballibay as our connection reminded us of physical places like the studios, the hillside, the theatre as well as people and experiences over the summers we shared. After we improvised, we talked about the similarity of our experience in being present in our own space, aware of our shared virtual space and each other’s environment, and feeling connected to spaces at Ballibay.”

I got a chance to speak with Kristin and Lisa about the improvisation, their collaboration, and their shared experience at Ballibay. After so many years apart, (and this last year apart from regular social and collaborative connection) it was clear that Lisa and Kristin really enjoyed this time together. In speaking about her experience at Ballibay many summers ago, Lisa said: 

“When I was collaborating with Kristin I felt reminded of the feelings and sounds, scents-- sensations that I felt at Ballibay, more than specific memories. At the same time, I felt pulled into the 15-inch computer screen where Kristin was dancing, while also being aware of my current physical surroundings and body.  So, it was sort of a bizarre mix of being present with myself, being present in Zoom with Kristin and also accessing some forgotten crumbs of memories that you can feel but not quite envision - all at the same time.” 

It was clearly a special moment for Kristin, as well. Lisa had collaborated with Annex Dance company as a camper, and those special moments of collaboration and strong feelings of reminiscing clearly fueled their latest socially distanced duet. 

“It was amazing to feel a connection with someone after so many years with so many miles between us.  The last Annex Dance Company piece Lisa performed as a camper started with a solo that I had originally performed.  Even though the work has been performed a few times since then, I don't think anyone besides the two of us have danced that solo.  For me, the feelings of that piece rushed back when Lisa's smiling face popped up on Zoom.”

Those special moments were not forgotten by Lisa either. She continued to speak of her experiences as a camper at Ballibay saying,

 “I think more than anything Ballibay gave me confidence in myself and in my art. That was one of the first places I can remember where adults didn’t talk down to me, and where I felt really seen and respected and supported as a growing human being. I think that was huge for me as a teenager. And I don’t think that I would have had the guts to pursue dance again in college had I not had those formative experiences at Ballibay.” 

Collaborating on this piece was also a reminder of the important work created at Ballibay by Kristin every summer. An important reminder that camp holds such a special place in her heart, not just as a camp director, but as an artist. 

My summers at Ballibay fuel my creative and collaborative spirit.  So much happens day-to-day as a camp director, but I also walk away with meaningful moments shared with campers and staff in the studio and on the stage.  I love the creative process, and each summer I either start new work on the campers that eventually becomes a part of the company repertory or take a piece of existing repertory and set it on the campers.  Either way, new doors of possibility are opening up and informing my choreographic voice.  

You can watch Kristin and Lisa’s performance of Shared Spaces/Separate Places, here. After a long year of being apart, it is so immensely inspirational to watch members of the Ballibay community find new and innovative ways to collaborate alongside one another. It is proof, that even in these trying times, our community is resilient, dedicated, and innovative. Watching this gorgeous duet makes me not only excited for the inevitability of more collaborative pieces to arise in Summer 2021, but incredibly proud of the staff and alumni that I have the privilege of continuing to watch perform, create, and grow.

THE JOY IS IN THE JOURNEY (NOT THE DESTINATION!)

November 12, 2018By Kerin

Not to spread too much shade, but American culture just loves “cash and prizes.” That is, we are a meritocracy: results are what matters. Winners are “winners;” losers are “losers.” This philosophy underlies the basic “rating and ranking” system of large corporations, which is used to determine who gets promoted and who gets a raise. Somebody rises to the very top of the pile; somebody must also sink to the very bottom. It is foundational to competitive television shows such as “Dancing With The Stars” and “America’s Got Talent.” Out of thousands, only one single “winner” can emerge, survive, and go on to great things. Or so we like to believe.

While this Darwinist philosophy might drive business success (although we have our doubts about even that), we believe that in the realms of creative art and personal growth (maturation), this philosophy results in something approaching disaster. The arts – of all kinds – are avenues of unrestricted creativity, exploration and personal expression, not arenas of gladiatorial combat.

We believe that American culture’s heavy focus on “results” (with attendant “success” and “failure”) leads to perfectionism and a claustrophobic focus on “getting it absolutely correct.” Paradoxically, this attitude does NOT stimulate greater creativity, experimentation and learning. In fact, it achieves the exact opposite: a life-choking constriction (narrowing) of focus, and jettisoning of experimentation, exploration and learning, in the utterly futile effort to create that one, single, absolutely-perfect in-every-conceivable-way outcome. Here at Camp Ballibay, we believe that learning MEANS, by definition, doing something “not-quite-right,” over and over and over again, in a very long, slow process of gradually doing it better and better, WITHOUT any end-point.

There is a funny but true story in this regard. The alto saxophone jazz master Sonny Fortune, who is in his late 70’s, and who has been performing for over 50 years, said in a recent interview something along the lines of “Someday I’m going to learn this horn!” ‘Nuff said. Apparently, he is still exploring, still learning, still opening up new avenues of personal expression.

The ”cash and prizes” attitude also fosters a competitive spirit, which while it may be useful in a business endeavor, spells disaster for creative arts and human development. Suddenly, instead of being about an unending, free-flowing stream of individual expression and experimentation and creativity, which are internal processes that are unique to each and every individual, the focus suddenly gets shifted toward working to meet an externally-defined outcome that generally has nothing to do with the individual, and nothing to do with expression and creativity. No – suddenly the atmosphere becomes more akin to a series of production lines, where each individual is following all the rules to create roughly the same outcome as their peer, but “a little bit better” than them. So they can win. This is the complete opposite of internally generated motivation. Instead, it shifts toward external motivation and the death of personal expression.

The actual “doing” (i.e. the process) of artistic creation is the true reward of art – not the outcome. Experimentation, expression, creativity and learning (and fun) happen during the process of creation. The ultimate product, while nice to have, isn’t really the point of art. Particularly for the performing arts, once the performance happens, it disappears! It no longer exists. In the performing arts, the art lies quite literally, in the PROCESS! We regard the creative arts as continual, unbroken, unending “rehearsal.” The arts are simply an ongoing, unending process of expression, experimentation, creativity and learning. There is no end-point, and no such thing as “mastery.”

Make Room for Creative, Messy (and Fun!) Self Expression

September 26, 2018By Kerin

You may or may not have noticed this, but our increasingly technological society and culture are focusing ever narrower and narrower on STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This is certainly true of jobs and education. Middle and high schools are cutting back more and more on music, visual arts, creative writing, and other so-called irrelevant or “useless pastimes.” In an ever-more competitive world, children are slotted and prepped from birth for entry into the hallowed halls of Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Wharton and several other “prestige” (technology and business-focused) colleges and universities. We are taught now that the only way to get ahead in life is to learn coding – as in computer programs and mobile apps. 

Parallel to this trend and supporting it is a growing tendency to limit the definition of excellence in communication to a narrow, succinctly articulable message – as though every document were a technical manual for assembling or operating a machine. This is STEM-driven communication. Precision, specificity, particularity, linearity and logic are what’s now defined as “good”. There is one – and only one – single, precise meaning or interpretation behind this kind of communication.

You get the picture. Here at Ballibay arts camp, we see things a little differently. We fully understand the overarching importance of STEM to education, careers and communication. Yes, they are extremely important. We get it.

However, here at Camp Ballibay, we take issue with what we believe is the total myopia of the belief that STEM is the beginning and the end of all things twenty-first century. Everything discussed so far is “left-brain” stuff: linear, logical, analytical, precise. Mechanistic. And creativity and authentic self-expression are roughly “right-brain” stuff that picks up where left-brain stuff ends: creativity, self-expression, play, non-linearity, illogical, emotional, relational, symbolic. Even in the world of business, which is largely left-brain oriented, executives, leadership consultants and academic types are realizing that innovation, which has become the modern “holy grail”, rests largely upon the foundation of right-brained, creative capabilities.

And THAT is where Ballibay Arts Camp comes into play and succeeds. We value and support and LOVE the right-brain! We strongly support and encourage fun, relationships, self-expression, creativity in all their glorious imprecision, symbolism, multiple meanings and interpretations, open-endedness, and plain old fun!

It seems important to encourage both of these very human impulses – the impulse towards linearity and focus, and the impulse to play and explore freely. Without the latter, would we have a Picasso, a Van Gogh, a Beethoven, the Beatles, or Simon & Garfunkel? Would we have Shakespeare, Chaucer, or James Joyce? With schools turning increasingly towards STEM, we need another time and space in the year to encourage the non-linear approach to life. Camp can offer this. At Ballibay we create a safe and welcoming summer space that allows a flavor of freedom that kids are not getting in the schools, but within structure and order that kids need to feel cared for.

FOUR VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN AT BALLIBAY ARTS CAMP

August 31, 2018By Kerin

When your child goes to a sleepaway arts camp, they will come home with more than just fun stories; they will return home with valuable life skills. We may not realize it straight away, but the skills our children can learn while at sleepaway camp — and at our arts camp — are ones that we can appreciate for years to come. Sleepaway camps foster friendships, independence, communication, problem-solving, and responsibility, just to name a few, while arts camp adds to those skills, with creativity, confidence, focus and much more. The safe, fun, and creative environment at an arts camp allow these skills to grow through many conversations, individual decisions, explorations, art programs, activities, and free time.

Communication

Without parents around to “help,” young campers learn how to communicate for themselves. They develop the confidence to explore, take initiative, and communicate with those around them, including both adults and children. Especially in theater, music and rock camp, children learn to engage with others through multiple conversations and through the process of learning and enacting their jointly-created art. our child’s confidence and communication skills will improve so much that they will learn how to resolve issues, effectively communicate needs, and create better relationships with those around them.

Confidence

Theater camp and music or rock camp are amazing for building confidence. Through learning, practicing and playing on a daily basis and learning how to communicate with their peers, teachers and counselors, campers step out of their comfort zones, learn from mistakes, and adapt and grow into confident young adults. Developing the confidence to perform in front of others can translate into multiple aspects of life, whether in the performing arts or giving presentations for school.

Creative Expression

Creative expression is the very foundation of the arts, and Ballibay Arts Camp is designed to foster creative expression in our campers. We allow our campers to explore and express their creativity and work in any way they choose; we do not place any limits on them; rather we learn about their interests, support their decisions, and work with them to develop the skills they need to see a project through. We allow our campers to be unconstrained by anyone else’s categories, definitions, constraints, or prohibitions. Campers develop and create their own personal artistic expression, however they see fit to do it. See our blog about embracing children who are “different” thinkers.

Problem-solving & Critical Thinking

When young artists have a vision or an idea, they are faced with the practical problem of translating that vision into objective reality, whether that is a song, musical composition, painting, sculpture, video, movie, play, or something else. This “translation” process combines continuous problem-solving with ongoing, unfolding creativity. And this is generally done in a highly individual way, with little outside guidance or support. This ability to combine creativity with practical problem-solving (which includes critical thinking) is central to the life of an artist, but also is an immensely important life lesson for all of us.

Sleepaway camp and arts camps provide the perfect spaces for any child or young adult to grow and develop as an artist and person, developing important skills each and every day. These young campers will develop these skills more and more as they progress through life, shaping them into well-rounded individuals.