Imagination Stage to Host Imagine Summer: Camp Sampler, 1/11

Imagination Stage ignites the new year with a jam-packed day of creative fun and learning at IMAGINE SUMMER: Camp Sampler on January 11, 2014! Geared towards ages 4-18, this special event allows children (and parents) a free, up-close, and personal taste of what an Imagination Stage summer camp is like before committing to a camp.

"We know that summer is a big puzzle for families," says Imagination Stage's Acting Director of Education Nikki Kaplan. "We are excited to offer a sampling of our programming in order for families to feel comfortable making the commitment to join us. We've got sample classes representing the main sections of summer: filmmaking, Flex classes in dance and acting technique, early childhood multidisciplinary experiences, and our acclaimed Musical Theatre Production camp that will jam an entire 4-week experience into one 2-hour session! There is still lots of fun to be had while making important summer decisions!"

IMAGINE SUMMER will feature several Musical Production samplers for children in grade 2 through grade 9. The Musical Production, Jr., Sampler (Grades 2-4) highlights segments of a typical 4-week production camp experience, including a pizza lunch. In two hours, students will use their Performer's Tools to create an ensemble, learn the music and choreography to a number from one of this summer's shows, Pomegranates for Persephone, and sneak a peek at what it takes to collaborate and create an original show together. Similarly, the Musical Production Camp, Sr., Sampler (Grades 5-9) will highlight a variety of elements from a 4-week summer camp production experience by engaging in ensemble games, learning music and choreography to two numbers from this summer's shows (Honk! and Peter Pan), and even touching upon specialty audition workshops.

Focused on specificity, FLEX samplers offer children in grade 3 through grade 12 a chance to explore genres of drama and dance and deepen their technique and understanding of each style. Students can choose between a large variety of FLEX samplers including, but not limited to, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre Dance, Improvisation, Shakespeare, Contemporary/Modern Dance, Mystery Theatre, Street Jazz, Teen Actor's Lab, and Dance GLEE. Students interested in filmmaking are encouraged to attend the Digital Media Workshop and open-house with Director of Digital Media David Stern. Children in grade 5 through grade 12 can watch a screening of a previous student-made film and observe a quick demo of editing techniques in the state-of-the-art digital media studio.

Children starting at age 4, and their parents, are encouraged to attend the early childhood sampler sessions in the morning with parents. These theme-based camps allow children to make connections to stories through creative drama, creative movement, visual art, and music activities. This year's themes include, but are not limited to, Hullabaloo at the Zoo, Magic Suitcase, Commotion in the Ocean, Knights, Princess, and Dragons, Kids in Space, Magic Treehouse Adventures, and Trickster Tales.

IMAGINE SUMMER: Camp Sampler starts at 9:00 a.m. on January 11, 2014 and runs until 3:30 p.m. With 32 camps to choose from, sample camps are about 20 minutes in length, with the exception of the longer Musical Production samplers, and families are asked to register each child for no more than two sample camps. Parents are encouraged to join the samplers for children in grade 2 or younger, and parents of campers in grade 3 and older are of course welcome to observe the sampler, but are not required. This is a free event, though pre-registration is encouraged. To register, visit www.imaginationstage.org or call 301-280-1696.

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