Bay Area Shakespeare Camps
Learning Through Performance And Play.
Learn More at www.sfshakes.org
S AN F RANCISCO S HAKESPEARE F ESTIVAL BRINGS HIS PLAYS TO LIFE THROUGH K IDS ’ Free Shakespeare in the Park this Summer!
all arts – the more easily they absorb it and begin to make connections, and the longer lasting the impact.
What is your Child/Teacher Ratio? Our maximum ratio is: 15:1, but many of our camps also have interns or part-time managers, so the ration can vary from as low as 8:1 to 15:1 Can you explain a little bit about method of train- ing? What is your overall Philosophy? Most of the work we do in camp takes the form of interactive activities and games, in most cases, involv- ing the entire body, sometime the voice, and at all times, the imagination. Rather than front-loading with lecture and demonstration, we usually back-load our exercises. That is, we give just enough instruction to get the students started on an exercise, so they have a direct experience first, and then we encourage them to reflect upon their experience, put it into words, and to apply what they’ve learned to the project they’re working on. Our day begins with a full group morning meet- ing, greeting and warm-up of our bodies, voices and imaginations. We then break up into smaller groups (based on age level) for classes in Voice and Movement, Discovering Shakespeare, and Production and Design. In most camps, we have two classes before lunch, and one class after lunch. In the after- noon, we hold rehearsals of the plays each group is working on, in preparation for the performances on the last day of camp. What is the typical schedule for a child? Do you take kids to competitions?
The Camp’s Education Director, Phil Lowery speaks to India Parent Magazine more on this innovative idea!
Can you please tell us your philosophy and the basic premise of Shakespeare Camp? This is our 27th year of kids into the act through Bay Area Shakespeare Camp, which is one of the many Educational programs offered by San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Our mission is to make the words and themes of Shakespeare accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, financial status or level of education. A few of the cornerstones of our philosophy are: • Learning should be fun and experiential. (Learning is naturally fun if the opportunities are presented as such.) • The plays are called “plays” for good reason; not “works”. Play is how we learn. • Shakespeare is best spoken aloud and played upon a stage, not read silently from a book. • We don’t make a distinction between Art and Education; Art is Education. • The earlier kids are exposed to Shakespeare – and
22 www.indiaparentmagazine.org
May 2019
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