Friday, June 08, 2007

Conservatory announces children's dance day camps

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at the Valéncia Arts Center will hold summer dance day camps for children, June 11-15 and June 18-22.

“Dance Me A Story,” — to be held 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, June 11, through Friday, June 15 — is a week-long dance day camp for children ages 4-8. Students will participate in technique classes including ballet and creative movement. Additionally, students will learn the story and choreography of a classical ballet, fairy-tale, or fable, which will be performed in a showcase for family and friends at the conclusion of the camp. The final showcase performance will be Friday, June 15, at 4 p.m. Tuition for this camp is $100.

“Dance the Day Away,” — to be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 18, through Friday, June 22 — is a week-long dance day camp for children ages 9-12. Students will participate in technique classes (ballet, modern, and jazz) and theory classes (makeup and costuming, program design, dance vocabulary, dance history and traditions, and anatomy), as well as learn and create choreography for a final showcase performance. The final showcase performance will be 4 p.m. Friday, June 22. Tuition for this camp is $150.

Showcase performances are free and open to the public. These informal demonstrations will be held at the Valéncia Arts Center’s Academy Theatre, located at Howard and Vila streets.

Instruction for both dance day camps will be provided by MCA dance faculty: Christine Martin, Jennifer O’Neill, Juliana Piscitiello and Jennifer Severson. Financial need-based scholarships are available.

For a complete listing of all MCA summer dance and theatre camps, workshops and classes for youth and adults, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500. Registration for all MCA summer programming is currently being accepted.