“Putting a show together with 30 kids in five days is almost impossible, but we did it, and they brought down the house,” says local actor, photographer, and now summer camp director, Erika Rosenbaum.
As the founder of the Valley Centre for the Arts – an umbrella organization under which different arts programs may develop – Rosenbaum organized a performing-arts summer camp for Valley youth that took place over two weeks from July into August.
Designed to foster a love for the arts while promoting young participants’ personal growth and confidence, the two-week run was exciting but exhausting, says Rosenbaum.
The camp took place at MacDougall Hall in Ormstown during a stifling heat wave, which meant lots of breaks, countless popsicles, and plenty of opportunities for enthusiastic campers (and their teenaged counsellors) to get in touch with their silly side.
Each week started with a skeleton script and the goal of creating a show by Friday. “The kids ran with it,” says Rosenbaum. “Each show was made up of a little story, so some scenes, some character acting, and then a few songs and dances that we would weave all together,” she explains.
Rosenbaum was able to borrow some sound and stage equipment from Sasha Geukjian and Lynn Harper for the camp. “We had portable mics, and kids sang and spoke into the microphone, and so their voice was amplified, and we talked about being seen and heard,” she says.
“Everyone was very present and very busy and physical and looking at each other and holding hands,” says Rosenbaum, noting there was even a camp handshake. “It was beautiful,” she admits, while suggesting that learning these types of skills is good for kids no matter what they choose to do in life.
“My daughter was the youngest kid during the first week of camp, but that didn’t stop the amazing camp counsellors from making her feel like she belonged there,” says Nadya Kovacs. She suggests the camp filled a void and opened a door for children to find their place while exploring the various arts.
Rosenbaum says she did not have any set agenda for the arts camp. “I just wanted to share a little bit of what I got as a kid in the Valley,” she adds, noting opportunities to dance on stage and participate in arts camps helped her to find her passion. The summer camp took place with the help of several artists, including dancers from the École de danse Neva Shelton, songwriter Jeremie Legault, improv artist Jennifer Rosenbaum, and dancer Trista Goundry, as well as local volunteers Carole Ness and Erika Scott, and community sponsors.
With so many creative people in the Valley, Rosenbaum is hopeful she can continue to create similar opportunities for this new generation of budding artists and performers.