Summer is here and those looking to keep themselves or their children busy during the hotter months need to look no further than local arts organizations.
The Carnegie Arts Center and the Center for Urban Performance and Service of Westside Ministries are hosting an array of classes, workshops and camps for arts enthusiasts of all ages beginning next week.
Kicking off the summer’s series of events is the CUPS Musical Theatre Workshop, beginning Tuesday and running until June 2. A variety of artists will be present to teach classes at Westside Ministries, located at 950 Columbia St. Lee Bo Henry will be on site to teach a set design class, set construction class and a lighting design class. Henry has supervised the constructions of sets including “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Coraline.”
Tom Betgeorge, a Turlock High School graduate whose work is regularly featured in TIME Magazine, will be on hand to teach attendees how to sing for musical theater. Professional dancer Coleen Patterson will instruct Dance for the Stage, Musical Theatre History and Elements of Choreography. Other classes in the workshop will include Acting, Broadway Jazz, Script Writing, Stage Combat, Choreography and Voice. Registration for the Musical Theatre Workshop is $20 and $10 for those in the Westside School District. Attendees must be at least seven years of age to participate.
CUPS will also be hosting a summer dance workshop, Resonate, June 6 -9. Professional dance artists from North Hollywood, Misty Rascon Smith and Kat Hughes, and professional dancer Abigail DiGrazia will teach various dance classes, from hip-hop to tribal funk. Registration for Resonate is $60 before June 1 and $80 thereafter. Students in the Westside School District can pay a $20 early bird fee and $40 after the June 1 deadline.
June 20-30 will see the CUPS ministry host one more workshop – a ballet, hip-hop and music dance camp. Classes offered through the camp include ballet, tambourines, flags, hip-hop, jazz, tumbling, tap and aerial. Cost for the camp is $20 per week and $10 per week for those in the Westside School District.
The CUPS grand finale comes on June 30 at the Turlock Community Theater when students from the summer classes will perform a compilation of what they’ve learned, whether it be dance, musical theater, or skills from several of the sports camps that Westside Ministries offers.
The Carnegie Arts Center is also hosting its fair share of summer arts camps. Masterpieces (June 6-10, June 27-July 1; ages 7-10) helps campers create their own masterpieces, comparable to the likes of Matisee, Monet and Michelangelo. Art Around the World (June 13-17; ages 7-10) helps campers to create beautiful works of art inspired by unique pieces from around the world.
Comics and Cartoons (June 20-24; ages 9-13) teaches a variety of drawing techniques used to tell stories, and campers can join in on retro fun in the hippie-themed Peace, Love and Art camp (July 11-15; ages 8-12). Critters and Creatures (July 18-22; ages 8-12) lets campers paint and sculpt their own animals, real or imaginative.
Students can also discover their inner artist through a variety of drawing, painting, sculpting, crafting and printmaking activities in the Art Explorations camp (July 25-29; ages 7-10). Those who participate in the Delve into Drawing camp (July 25-29; ages 11-15) will create works of art with graphite, charcoal, conte crayon, chalk, pastels and more. In Beginning Painting (August 1-5; ages 7-10), students will learn the basics of executing a painting using acrylic and tempera paint, and Portrait Drawing (August 1-5; ages 11-15) will help students refine their portraiture skills.
Each camp at the Carnegie Arts Center is $150 per person. To register, visit www.carnegieartsturlock.org. You can also register in person at the arts center Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 209-632-5761.
