Summer Dance Experience

Thirty local boys and girls, ages 4-9, recently participated in Bayside Youth Ballet’s Summer Dance Experience hosted at the Gloucester Diggs School of Dance Studio. During the week of July 19-23 the campers took classes, learned terminology, and rehearsed choreography. Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet were the focus, but students also tumbled and created art.

In its third year, this dance camp is one of several community outreach programs sponsored by the ballet company designed to bring the art of dance to the local community.  Participants were required to be residents of Mathews, Gloucester, Middlesex or Lancaster Counties and could not be currently enrolled at Diggs School of Dance.

As part of the Dance Teacher Training Program all classes and activities are lead by selected Bayside Youth Ballet members. Emma Hollowell and Haley Beatley received training by Diggs School of Dance faculty and taught most of the dance classes. Beatley, who will pursue Dance Education at Radford University in the fall found the camp especially helpful. Student assistants, Adelena Bracken, Miranda Bracken, Amaris Mills and Cheyenne Waters assisted with all classes and activities. This is the second year of participation for the Brackens and Mills. Miss Waters enjoyed the camp and plans to help yearly, enjoying the opportunity to “be a kid again.” Diggs faculty members Debbie Diggs, Rachel Morris, Leslie Payton and Teresa Bracken were on hand during the week to assist with classes and teacher training.

The week culminated with an in-studio performance showcasing the choreography learned by campers. The audience was shown different portions of a dance class as campers demonstrated what they had learned during the week.

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Click here to view more photos of the 2010 Bayside Youth Ballet's Summer Dance Experience.