Theme: ESCAPE FROM THE UNDERWORLD
In myths across cultures, the Underworld has been a mysterious and magical location. In this camp, we head straight down to see for ourselves what lies beneath. While there, we’ll meet characters like Osiris and Iris who have a classic case of brotherly rivalry to work out. Meanwhile, Hades and Persephone have to figure out how to have a long-distance relationship. Join these and more classic characters as they journey to and from the Underworld. Together, we can discover what it really means to dig deep. Every ridiculous pun intended.
This summer, students are invited to participate in an exciting and dynamic arts camp that combines the artistic creativity of Tearwater T and the engaging improvised story-telling of Cosmic Capers! Classes are sold in 4-day, weekly sessions.
With two sessions for each age group, kids will spend time engaging with both visual and performing arts to develop important skills, grow their confidence and curiosity, and learn more about their own creativity.
Campers will begin the day by making art with Ms. Tracy in the art studio. Using a variety of mediums and materials, they'll have the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild and be inspired by the natural setting around them. As they create inspired and unique works of art, they will also enhance their creative confidence in an enriching, safe environment to explore.
After a snack break, campers will then join Cody Cosmic to be immersed in creative drama. Using stories, simple costumes, and face paint, creative drama invites students to investigate situations, characteristics, and emotions in role. From a trickster spider to an astronaut searching for a lost moonbeam, campers will engage with various characters and learn to problem-solve through improvised storytelling.
Meet Tracy
Tracy Smedes-Hepler is a former teacher and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with 13 years experience as a preschool teacher at the Leelanau Children’s Center. She has been a mother and nanny for over 22 years! Her love of the arts and creativity inspired her to launch an arts exploration business, Tearwater T, which aims to provide art programming to local children. After a successful first year, she is excited to begin her second year engaging with the youth in her community this school year as a creativity mentor and process-arts teacher at the OAB.
Meet Cody
Cody's methods in teaching creative drama are founded in the ideas of Winifred Ward. She worked diligently years ago to codify the ways that children understand and process stories emotionally, intellectually, and kinesthetically. She found that much of the heavy lifting for emotional and social intelligence takes place at the early learning stages. What I learned is something that, in a way, I always knew: creative drama can be a profound benefit to those who find it either through their schools or their own ways of playing.