Archive for category Centauri Arts Camp
Session 3 was amazing!
Posted by centauri in Acting Camp, Arts Camps, Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp., Film Camps, Theater Camp, Writing Camps, fine art camp on August 14, 2010
Well, session 3 ended on Thursday. As usual, the final shows, films and art exhibits were amazing. It always amazes us how much campers learn in less than 2 weeks! It was great to see some collaborations between departments such as the writing and dance departments, making poetry come to life in movement, and programs stretching the boundaries of theatre in the presentation of “Acting outside the box” where the program used the whole of the loyalist building as a big stage, having vignettes going on in different rooms as the audience moved between them!
See photos here of Session 3, 2010!
We are now looking ahead to a great session 4!
Craig
It’s August and it’s Session Three!!!!!
Posted by centauri in Arts Camps, Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp. on August 8, 2010
Camp always has a different feel in August. Things are more relaxed. Laid back. No one is arriving straight from school – campers are generally calmer, and the pace is less frenetic. That’s not to say camp lacks spirit – far from it!! We have the usual cheering at meals, and loud singing of the popular camp songs.
It’s session 3 now and we’re one week in. This session’s banquet celebrated Peru. Dinner was an Inti Raymi celebration – which is the annual Inca festival to celebrate the sun. Atahualpa presided over the banquet, in which we ate traditional Peruvian food and offered gifts to the Inca King. Then, at the end of dinner, in stormed the Conquistadors. They took Atahualpa prisoner, and sent off all the campers (Inca villagers) to bring back gold – enough to fill the dining hall. Instead, we all decided to attempt to ‘win over’ the Spanish Conquistadors by offering them examples of Inca culture. We made beautiful clay pendants and head-dresses decorated with Inca symbols. We learned a traditional Inca dance, and prepared a retelling of the myth suirrounding the creation of the Inca empire by the Brothers Ayar. Then, we headed into the theatre and presented our cultural discoveries to the Conquistadors as our king, Atahualpa, lay bound at their feet. The Conquistadors, in our version of history, were so impressed with our rich culture that they decided to release Atahualpa and return to Spain. Of course, we had to end by telling the campers what really happened. The Conquistadors took to the stage and enacted the destruction of Atahualpa in a red spotlight, while the banquet host narrated the true history of the Inca conquest over the mic. All in all, it was not only a fun, artistic (and yummy!) cultural banquet, but a thought-provoking one, too.
Other highlights so far this session include a Grease Spirit Supper, Circus Night, Pajamarama, bizarre Science Fair and our annual Music Festival. On the day of the Music Festival, no less that SIX bands visited camp. Four of them consisted of Centauri alumni who are now making their way in the professional music world. Maddy Rodriguez opened the festival, a camper alumni, now doing some great music. One hightlight was a band called The Elwins, who were hugely popular with all our campers. Dozens of them stayed behind for autographs, and to chat with the band. Another was Aline Morales, who gave a Brazilian drumming workshop and performance just before Onoscatopeia, the University of Toronto’s Hart House Jazz Choir! The day ended with a concert by the Sweet Peas and Calvados. Campers burned off their energy in a bout of frenetic dancing before we all wandered off for a relaxing evening program.
Photos and video clips of the Centauri Arts Camp Music Festival are now up at http://www.centauriartscamp.com/media/Galleries/2010 click on SESSION 3!
Today, we`re inhabiting Camp Demi-God in a Greek Mythology Festival., As I write this, campers are getting to know their resident Greek God, building forts and shrines together, making flags and undertaking fun training activities such as archery, mosaic-creation and human chess. They don`t know it yet, but their training (and the information they unwittingly receive) will be essential later on in the festival, when monsters break into camp…
Julie
Session Two: Final News…
Posted by centauri in Arts Camps, Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp. on August 2, 2010
A thank you letter to camp we just had to share!
Posted by centauri in Arts Camps, Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp., Ontario Camps, canadian summer camp on July 28, 2010
Thought we would share a lovely letter we just received (edited to remove names)
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Hi Craig and Julie
There’s nothing in Camper Handbooks that tell you how to deal with withdrawal from camp. There’s always advice on what to do if your child will be homesick, but nothing about the child who wants to spend the entire summer at camp. She cried all the way home, and I think that finally, today, she has turned the corner and stopped crying about missing camp.
I have never seen her so emotional. She had a fantastic time this year at Centauri, and we thank you and your staff for running such a wonderful place for arts-minded kids. She continues to talk about all the fun activities and the amazing food, and has been in touch with some of the campers via email. She loved every minute of camp and she’s already planning for next summer.
Thank you!!
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I love my job!
Session 2, 2010 photos
Posted by centauri in Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp. on July 24, 2010
New photos have just been added for session 2, 2010, including photos of the Viking banquet!
Session One, 2010 goes out with a BANG!
Posted by centauri in Arts Camps, Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp., canadian summer camp on July 20, 2010
Presentation Day was fantastic, with shows happening all over camp – stage combat (superheroes) in the rock garden, a fantastic, interactive art display in two locations, as well as the premiere of our session one films, and multiple stage shows. Our campers went home very happy… we lost count of the parents who stopped by to say a huge thank you before leaving with their child. Camp was quiet that night, with all of us conserving our energy for the start of the next session – yet the phone did not stop ringing with parents attempting to re-booked session one campers for later in the summer! Session One was a fantastic start to the season and we’re now looking forward to session number two!
Check out the photos and videos at www.centauriartscamp.com/media/Galleries/2010
Julie
Centauri Arts Camp – THE BATMAN EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
Posted by centauri in Camp Events, Centauri Summer Arts Camp. on July 9, 2010
Over the past couple of days we’ve celebrated one of the biggest festivals of the summer, and the ‘big’ festival of session one! Camp became Gotham City… And we began with a spectacular mass-breakout of the villains in Arkam, while the campers cheered and hooted. Then, they turned around to see Batman waiting for the villains on the dorm porch… With the sun setting behind him! GASP!!! Hard to believe it was Evan in costume!
The Batman Festival was a day-long role-playing adventure in which every single camper became a citizen of Gotham, and got to pit themselves against the villains… The Riddler, Poison Ivy, The Joker, and more. We banded together in an attempt to prevent the ‘villains’ from stealing parts of a powerful ancient artifact hidden all over Gotham City. It was pretty hot, so we broke in the middle of the aftenoon for water games… Then proceeded with a ‘formal’ meal in Wayne Mansion, and a final face-off between the villains and Batman! In an awesome ’staged’ combat sequence, the villains were finally defeated and good was restored to the world.
After a day of cheering, plotting, creating characters and living in an exciting imaginary world full of villains and heroes, everyone was tired. The day ended differently for each dorm group, with a relaxing, extended bedtime program. Some groups went stargazing. Others watched a movie together. A fabulous time was had by all.
Julie
Summer 2010 is underway at Centauri Arts Camp!
Posted by centauri in Centauri Arts Camp, Centauri Summer Arts Camp. on July 6, 2010
Unlike several arrival days over the past couple of years, the weather was fantastic – glorious sunshine and a light breeze. Returning campers said again and again “I’ve been waiting all year for this moment!” as they hauled their bags into their dorms. Meeting the bus from Toronto was a fantastic moment. Several staff members ran out, laughing and cheering and waving to the campers on the bus as it pulled into camp. Many of them were new, and looked nervous and unsure at first. It was wonderful to see their uncertainty turn to smiles as we helped them carry their bags to the dorms, and introduced them to their counsellors. One camper was joining us on the advice of a friend now too old to come to camp. “I can see why my friend liked it here,” she said within moments of arriving.
Our first evening program of the summer was the ‘4th July Celebrations’. The Founding Fathers had – in our backstory – lost the colonies in a food fight with the British (I got to play the British, of course!!). The dorm groups had to undertake bizarre team challenges set by the founding fathers, in an effect to amass points, to see which dorm would get to challenge the Brits to a rematch. At the end of an evening in which dorms laughed together and got to know each other, the victors were B5. While I gave a pompous speech, in character on stage, about why the British would always be better in food fights, the campers sneaked up behind me with TWELVE plates of chocolate pudding. While the campers howled with laughter in the audience, I got sauce poured in my hair, all over my clothes and even in my shoes! Of course, the goal was to show everyone we’re not the kind of directors who sit in the camp office all summer… we’re active all the time around camp, and very approachable. Unfortunately, B1 – our youngest boys – were sitting a little too close to the stage, and got a bit splattered with pudding, too. They’ve suggested I should band with them to play a prank on B5 as payback!
It was a wonderful first day of the summer. After hot chocolate, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset. Campers sat on the porches strumming guitars, laughing with new friends and playing games before wandering in for bedtime program.
So, Centauri 2010 is underway!
Julie
Spring Orion Cafe for Campers (New and Old)
Posted by centauri in Camp Events, Centauri Arts Camp on March 3, 2010
The all-important date is Sunday 11th April, and the time: 2-5pm.
We’re holding the event at The Baby Point Club, located at 71 Baby Point Road, in West Toronto. You need to RSVP if you want to come, because there is only room for 60 people! The event is for campers, and also people who hope to join us as campers this summer. It’s also for staff, of course! Bring along a guitar, or poetry, or a monologue. There’s even a piano in the room! We’ll chat. Drink teas. Eat snacky stuff. Enjoy some mellow performances. Maybe even reveal a few secrets about summer camp this year. If you have any friends (or siblings) curious about Centauri, pleas bring them along. But you MUST RSVP. Contact us at julie@centauriartscamp.com to hold your spot!
Centauri Arts Camp – New Videos and Slideshows
Posted by centauri in Centauri Arts Camp, Photography camp, fine art camp, painting camp, visual art camp on January 22, 2010
We have just uploaded some new slideshows on our web site
http://www.centauriartscamp.com
The new video are:
A slideshow of Digital Photography Camp photos
A slideshow of Traditional Photography Camp photos (yophos)
A slideshow of some Visual Art from campers
A slideshow if the illustrated book created by our Fine Art (alphas) and Writing camps in 2006!
You can also view them at www.youtube.com/centauricamp or our facebook page
Centauri Arts Camp is a sleep over arts camp for kids ages 9 to 18. Located in the Niagara region of Canada, we run over 40 specialty programs including dance camps, theater camps, writing camps, fine Art camps, film camps and more!