Doing arts

Central Indiana Dance Ensemble’s Summer Ballet Intensive, 9 years old, minimum age with at least two years of ballet experience or level two ballet class. July 12-17, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon. Parent Showcase at 1 p.m. $200. Call 844-7453.

Clara R. Noyes Academy of Ballet Internationale at 502 N. Capitol Ave. Summer Beginner Kids Camp for ages 5-10, no prior dance experience required for learning ballet basics and stories; one-week, Monday-Friday, various locations between June 7-Aug. 6. Junior Day Camp for ages 7-11, fills in between beginner and advanced training, June 7-11 and June 21-25, various locations. Summer Intensive four-week program for 10- to 17-year-olds working toward professional careers in dance, Monday-Friday, June 28-July 23, at Noyes Academy. Costs vary. Call 637-8979, ext. 241; log on to www.balletinternationale.org.

Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre. Summer Dance Academy at The Performer’s Edge, 12995 Old Meridian St., Carmel. Aug. 9-13, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Classes for beginning through advanced dancers in modern dance, ballet, jazz, Classical Dance of India, Scottish Highland Dance, repertoire and dance history. Performance Aug. 14, 7 p.m., at Garfield Park Amphitheater. Costs vary. Call 846-2441.

David Brunoehler of indy-prov offers “workshops on demand” and at selected YMCAs. Costs vary. Call 289-8534.

Butler Community Arts School Media Arts at Jordan College of Fine Arts, 4600 Sunset Ave. Ages 12-17 meet two to three times per week during June and July (dates/times, TBA). Goal: produce and film a 30-minute documentary. Call 940-5500; e-mail BCAS@butler.edu.

Butler Community Arts School Summer Piano Camps at Jordan College of Fine Arts, 4600 Sunset Ave. Grades two-six for students with at least one year of prior piano study, July 26-30, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., concert at noon, July 30. Grades seven-12, June 20-25, all day and evening until 9 p.m., includes daily private lessons, master classes, theory, ensemble, sightplaying, music history and games, and guest speakers and performers. Private instruction available in piano, voice, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, guitar, harp and music theory, starting in May. Costs from $100-$350. Call 940-5500; e-mail BCAS@butler.edu.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Instrument Petting Zoo for all ages at Marsh Symphony on the Prairie, Conner Prairie, Fishers, July 1-4, 4-7 p.m., free with regular admission. Hands-on introduction to instruments and musicians who play them. Call 231-6786 or 262-4904. For concert tickets call 639-4300.

Performing Arts Institute Summer Music Camp at Lawrence Central High School and Belzer Middle School, June 7-July 2 in four-week sessions, Monday-Friday, times vary. Costs $20-$85. Beginning, intermediate and advanced band and orchestra for students entering grades six-eight, includes jazz ensembles and combos, master classes, music theory and games, and a final concert. High school band and orchestra includes basic conducting, jazz improvisation, chamber strings and band arranging/orchestration. High school choir includes Broadway/musical theater repertoire, vocal Jazz-a cappella, solo voice class. Private lessons in woodwind, brass, percussion, strings (including guitar). Call 545-7664; log on to www.thePAinstitute.com.

University of Indianapolis Department of Music. Jazz Combo Camp, ages 14-18 for junior high and high school students, features jazz theory, ear training, master classes, nightly recitals by professional musicians and jam sessions. $310. Meal plans and lodging available. Registrants who submit paid applications by May 1 will receive a free play-along CD. Summer Piano Camp includes music theory, composition, history, ensemble and solos. Camp for ages 7-12, 9 a.m.-noon, June 21-25. $135. Intermediate and advanced pianists ages 12-18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., June 28-July 2. $180.

Chamber Music Institute, July 18-24, for talented junior high and high school instrumentalists, ages 14-18, includes private lessons, coaching within small ensembles, master classes and concludes with a recital in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center’s Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. Participation is available by audition for piano, string, woodwind and brass. $250. Meal plans and lodging are available. Vocal Arts Institute, July 22-31, is an intensive program that prepares high school singers to enter higher-education music programs, including vocal technique and interpretation, movement, piano, music theory and diction. The final concert will be a fully staged performance in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center’s Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. $550. Meal plans and lodging are available. Call 788-2109, e-mail rsorley@uindy.edu or visit the Web site at http://music.uindy.edu/cmc.

American Cabaret Theatre Youth and the Arts Summer Workshops at 401 E. Michigan St. (historic Athenaeum). Students ages 10-13, June 7-July 1, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Performance July 1 at 6:30 p.m. Students ages 14-18, July 12-Aug. 10, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Includes acting, improvisational theater, dance, music, playwrighting, technical theater, mask work, stage combat techniques. Performance Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. $200. Call 631-0334, ext. 104; e-mail actzeller@yahoo.com.

Arthur M. Glick Jewish Community Center at 6701 Hoover Road. Theatre Workshop, June 7-18, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Introduces students to all aspects of theater. Broadway Camp June 21-July 30 (no camp on July 5), Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Produce and perform the musical Seussical. Includes auditioning, theater games, design and outdoor sports and games and swimming. Call for costs. Both: Call JCC Cultural Arts Department, 251-9461, ext. 240.

Indiana Repertory Theatre Summer Conservatory is an all-day, intensive camp, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at 140 W. Washington St. Acting Track for ages 8-10, June 14-July 2; for ages 11-18, June 14-July 9; training in acting, voice movement, Shakespeare, creative dramatics, dance for theater, playwrighting and public performance. Production Track for ages 14-18, June 14-July 9, includes stage management, directing, lighting, scenic design, costumes, properties, playwrighting and individual production projects that will be exhibited. $500-$625. Call 916-4842.

Indy Parks. School House Rock Live, a musical theater mentorship workshop presented by Muncie Civic Theatre Association, for ages 7-14, July 6-16, Monday-Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at Ellenberger Park Family Center, 5301 E. St. Clair St. Performances July 17 at noon and 2 p.m., at MacAllister Center for the Performing Arts, Garfield Park. $75. Call 327-PARK. Jr. Civic, at

Indianapolis Civic Theatre, 1200 W. 38th St. Fairytale Players for preschool and kindergarten, July 12-15 and July 19-22, Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jr. Civic Musical, Once Upon a Shoe, for ages 6-14; rehearsals begin May 10, Monday-Thursday, 4-6 p.m., performances June 18-23, matinees and evenings (the final Jr. Civic at Civic Theatre). Young Adults Summer Musical, Working, for ages 14-21; auditions May 10-11 at 7 p.m., at

Madame Walker Theatre Center, 617 Indiana Ave.; rehearsals begin June 1, Monday-Thursday, 6:30-9:30 p.m., performances July 23-Aug. 21. Costs vary. Call 924-6770, ext. 256 or 924-6770, ext. 215 or www.civictheatre.org.

Civic Partners in the Arts with IMA, for grades one-eight, July 19-23, July 26-30, Aug. 2-6, Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; each week-long visual arts and theater camp ends with a theater performance and display of artwork. Call 923-1331, ext. 213. Pike Performing Arts Center at 6701 Zionsville Road. Technical Theatre Workshop, two weeks in July (dates TBA); high school students work with IRT and PPAC professionals for hands-on, full-scope design and production techniques and practicum. Call 216-5432 or 216-5450.

Oak Hill Fine Arts Academy Musical Theatre Camp at 116th and Hazel Dell Parkway, Carmel, July 12-21, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., ages 11-18. Focuses on technique in singing, dancing, acting, preparing for auditions and building repertoire. $350. Call 843-9850; log on to www.oakhillmansion.com.

Indy After School for grades six-eight; various performing arts programs at 11 participating Indianapolis Public Schools. Call 226-4168. Indy Parks and Recreation Partnership Camps. Call 327-PARK; log on to www.indygov.org for classes in multi-arts, including creative movement, dance, music, theater. White River State Park Camp-YMCA at the Athenaeum, grades one-six and three-six. For costs ($151-$185), dates and times of one-week camps call 266-9622; log on to www.indyymca.org. Young Audiences of Indiana Summer Arts for Youth two- to three-week day camps at nine inner city neighborhoods for ages 6-12, includes music, dance, theater and visual arts. Performances for family and friends at end of each session. Call 925-4043, ext. 13, or e-mail egleason@yaindy.org, for costs, location, dates and times of camps.

Jeffrey Page, current address Los Angeles, is a product of Indianapolis’ performing arts programs for youth.

 

Success story Jeffrey Page, current address Los Angeles, is a product of Indianapolis’ performing arts programs for youth. The 20-something dancer, appearing recently on television and European tour with Beyoncé, is “waiting for the day when Indianapolis realizes that art is as worthy, as important as business and medicine, that it’s worthy of support by the general population. I’m waiting for the day when I can be supported in my own town.”

 

Speaking from L.A., fresh from an audition, Page recalled first seeing a performance by the Asante Children’s Theatre. “I was amazed by the focus, the intensity of the actors. It opened me to another scope of art.”

 

At age 11, Page was already a seasoned performer with the Indianapolis-based touring African American Dance group, Fire. But he “followed Mrs. Asante around,” despite wanting to grow up to be in business or a teacher, until he “started to see a lot of professional performing artists. I said to them, ‘You actually pay your phone bill doing this?’ and that changed my way of thinking.”

 

Becoming a member of the Dance Theatre of Chicago “gave me a fondness for it,” he recalls. By the time he was ready for college, he had already amassed a resume of appearances with New York and Washington, D.C.-based dance companies, and continued living the hectic life of a professional artist while earning a BFA in dance/performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

 

Leaving school, he realized he was not interested in continuing “the hustle of dance” in a company. “I learned there were other sides,” so putting on his “business mind,” he decided on the “typical L.A. Life” as a free-lance artist, with teaching as “the consistent thing to pay the bills.” This leaves him time to develop his goal of making a living directing and choreographing. He proved his mettle as guest artist with Asante Children’s Theatre’s recent concert of dance and voice.

 

“He raised the bar,” Deborah Asante commented. “He really has the ability to get kids to work. He told them his standards are high and he expected them to meet them. They did.” The LA Times called Page a “memorable dancer.” Page is waiting for a chance to earn a similar assessment in his hometown.