by Emma Lookatch, Keshet camper & student
This summer I tried a brand-new August camp at Keshet called Center Stage. We had Keshet staff and Special Gifts Theatre staff, and they made the camp really fun.
I was excited to go to Center Stage camp because each day was a different musical. I love musicals and going to Broadway shows, so this camp felt made for me. It was fun to have activities each day between camp and school. Usually I stay home, but Center Stage camp was way more fun!!!
I don’t do theater or performing normally, but when I was younger I was in a performance of Frozen at JCC Apachi Day Camp. I was Olaf and had so much fun playing the role.
My favorite part of camp was making the umbrella craft for Singing in the Rain. For all of the musicals each day, we did a craft project that became our props for the performance. We made disco balls for Mamma Mia and leaves for a palm tree for Moana.
One of the most exciting parts of the week was when Grace from Special Gifts Theatre came and taught us choreography from each musical. This was new to me because I usually do ballet choreography in my therapeutic ballet class, but I’ve never done choreographed dancing for a Broadway musical. Usually I just see Broadway musicals and have dance parties in my room, but Center Stage camp allowed me to put two of my passions together in one performance.
When it came time for the performance, the Keshet staff and Special Gifts Theatre staff helped me a lot. I didn’t want to go on the actual stage since I was performing in my wheelchair, so they came up with a solution where me and one other camper performed in front of the stage.
In the final showcase on Friday, I performed things we learned from each musical. Three of them were choreography and dancing and the other two were acting. I wasn’t scared at all because I knew the dances and felt prepared. I enjoyed performing in front of everyone and felt really proud of myself when I got every move right in the dance.
I feel more confident after this camp because dancing is something I love, and I was able to learn all the moves and perform them well in the big Friday performance.
I would definitely do a camp like this next year! I would like to perform The Lion King and make animal masks as our craft. What a fun week of camp!
