Arts Explosion, March Break Camp

March 10-14th, 2008
River Run Centre

dance
music
theatre
visual
art
creative writing

'Arts Explosion' Camp will weave together the skillful teachings of local, professional artists with the energy and curiosity of girls and boys, aged 4 to 13 years, to create a fun-packed, pressure-free week of explorations into art. For a full schedule of events, please visit the GCDF website: guelphcontemporaryancefestival.com in January or call the GCDF office: 519-780-2220.

Arts Explosion participants will assemble in four groups. See below for a schedule:

GROUP 1: for 6- to 8-year old campers (maximum 25 campers). Dance, Theatre, Music, Creative Writing, Visual Art.

GROUP 2: for those aged 9 to 13 (maximum 25 campers). Same curricula as GROUP 1.

GROUP 3: Dance-intensive stream for those aged 9 to 13. This class is for students with at least two years of dance experience. Students will take intermediate-level classes in modern technique, creative dance, jazz, hip hop and yoga. Three dance classes a day promise to encourage children's creative breadth and skill. Children will then join other campers to partake in visual art, creative writing and theatre classes. The maximum number of children in the Dance-Intensive stream is 15.

GROUP 4: for 4- to 5-year-olds, this half-day (afternoon) camp offers dance, visual art, storytelling and verse. (Maximum campers: 16)

What to bring to camp:

• A nut-free lunch

• A labelled water bottle

>Loose-fitting clothing that allows for freedom of movement and possible paint stains

• Weather-appropriate clothing: part of lunch hour will be spent outside, so children may get muddy, snowy or wet - and anything in between.

  
  
  

Schedule:

All schedules are subject to change.
The GCDF will offer two subsidized spaces in the programs and one in the 4-5 age group.  Call 519.780.2220 for more information.

General guidelines: Each child should be dressed in clothes that will allow unrestricted movement. Each child should bring appropriate outdoor clothing (part of the lunch break will be spent outdoors on the River Run's grounds).

Reservations and Information: To reserve a place for your child call the River Run Centre Box Office (519.763.3000). You may also order online at riverrun.ca to reserve your spot. For more information, please call the GCDF office (519.780.2220).

The Teachers

Modern Dance Technique:
After graduating from York University's Dance Program, Janet Johnson spent six years in Toronto. While there she co-founded the eclectic company, PEDESTRIAN WALTZ DANCE PROJECT whose work was performed on rooftops, art galleries, sidewalks and on the stages of the Canada Dance Festival, the 'Dancing on the Edge' Festival and in DanceWorks' Mainstage series. Since 1994 Janet has been choreographing independently of PWDP through various commissions and with the financial assistance from the Laidlaw Foundation. More recently, Janet has had the pleasure of presenting her choreography at such forums as the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (1998), Peterborough New Dance Series and Danceworks Mainstage Series (1999). She has danced for a diverse number of choreographers, such as Denise Duric, Darcy Callison, Conrad Alexandrowicz, Julia Sasso, Kim Frank and, more recently, Dancetheatre David Earle. Since 1995, Janet has been living in the Guelph area where she actively pursues outreach dance efforts through teaching: she has been a resident modern dance teacher in Guelph, at McMaster University's Centre for Dance, at the University of Waterloo. She has been a frequent recipient of the Ontario Arts Council's Arts in Education Grant, an artist for the Edward Johnson Music Foundation as well as a guest teacher throughout the region. Since 1998, Janet has been co-founder and co-director of the successful Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival and in 2005 co-founded the Guelph Youth Dance Training Program, where she currently teaches. In 2007, Janet was nominated for the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in the category of Arts and Culture in Guelph, Ontario.

Hip Hop & Jazz:
Emily Lehan is a recreational & competitive teacher at the Moré School of Dance in Waterloo. Her competitive choreography has received numerous awards, including "Outstanding Young Choreographer" from Shine Dance Competitions. She is the coordinator of the popular SummerStars dance camp at her home studio, as well as the coordinator of the end-of-summer "Skillz Workshop," which draws dancers from across Waterloo Region who are looking to solidify technique and improve their fitness levels before returning to dance after their summer holidays.

Theatre:
Daniel Poulin, a graduate of the University of Guelph's drama program, has been teaching theatre and the creative arts to children for the past six years. He has written, directed, designed, produced and acted for the stage for over a decade and has worked on projects in Guelph, Toronto and Uganda. His special interests include collective, interdisciplinary and forum theatre styles.

Visual Art:
Aislinn Thomas is a multi-disciplinary artist and art instructor. She has studied Fine Art at Mount Alison University and the University of Guelph. Aislinn has been facilitating art classes for young people for the past nine years; she has worked at Harbourkids camps in Toronto, Fun!damentals Art Studio in Oakville, the Oakville Museum, and the Creativity Greenhouse in Guelph. Aislinn enjoys supporting creative expression in a mindful and encouraging environment, and is excited to be part of the Arts Explosion March Break Camp!

Creative Movement:
Catrina Von Radecki has studied and taught at the innovative European Dance Development Centre in Arnhem, Holland and Dusseldorf, Germany as well as independently in Montreal, Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph. She has danced for the internationally renowned Compagnie Marie Chouinard (Montreal), Dance Alliance (Germany) and various independent choreographers (Montreal, Guelph). Catrina has been creating her own works since 1992 when she graduated from Concordia University's dance department (Montreal) and in 1996 formed Foreign Feet Dance Theatre Company with actress and writer Wendy Agnew. Catrina has been the Co-Founder/Artistic Director and General Manager of the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival since 1998 and in 2006 founded the Guelph Youth Dance Training Program for children ages 4-13 years. In 2007, Catrina was nominated for the Woman of Distinction Award in the category of Arts and Culture in Guelph, Ontario with partner Janet Johnson.

Creative Writing:
Marie Davis Zimmerman is a writer, editor and academic who specializes in children's literature and culture. She is a former editor of Canadian Children's Literature, a regular judge of fiction contests, including the children's poetry contest for the Ishar Singh prize, and she is a director with the Eden Mills Writers' Festival. In her spare time, she teaches children various forms of self-defense, such as kung fu, creative writing and Monopoly.

For more information,
please download the PDF file (891k).