San Gabriel Valley Kids Invited to Explore Their Artistic Talents at ‘CSArts Academy’

A one-week summer program offered by California School of the Arts

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) opens its campus to students ages 8-16 from throughout the community to explore their interest in the arts this summer during CSArts Academy. A fun, creative and nurturing environment sets the stage for students to engage in a variety of arts classes taught by CSArts-SGV’s renowned and enthusiastic educators. With opportunities for full-day and half-day (morning and afternoon) sessions, students can fill their days learning acting, animation, dance, guitar, musical theater, photography, visual arts, vocal arts and more! CSArts Academy is an ideal way to experience the quality arts instruction and unique school culture offered at CSArts-SGV, a public arts charter school providing quality arts and academic education to students in grades 7-12.

Registration is currently open for the week-long CSArts Academy program taking place June 17-21, at the CSArts-SGV campus (1401 Highland Ave., Duarte, CA). To register and view a digital brochure, visit sgv.csarts.net/academy. Class summaries and options can be seen below.

Acting (Ages 11-15)

Time: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Cost: $225

This week-long class, appropriate for all experience levels, will show students how to use their bodies, breath and voice to better perform on stage or speak in front of a group. Students will discover how they have developed “social armor,” or ways to hide themselves, and – using acting techniques – they will strip off the tensions they hold in their bodies and allow themselves to be seen. Using stories from their own lives, the week will culminate in a performance where students will show and relive a moment of their lives that brought them fear, joy and love.

Animation (Ages 12-16)

Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Lunch break included from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.)

Cost: $425

Students will learn to animate digitally while engaging in the concepts and principles of animation. Emphasis will be placed on squash-and-stretch, anticipation, exaggeration and timing. Technical focus will include pose-to-pose, keyframing, tweening and animation cycles, as well as expression of emotion and gesture through movement with a variety of techniques and approaches. Students will create several short animated films.

Beginning Ceramics (Ages 8-15)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Ages 8-11) & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ages 12-15)

Cost: $225

This fun and engaging class will challenge students to discover and develop their own creative process through the art of ceramics. Students will be introduced to ceramic studio terminology and explore the geological origins of clay and glazes. Students will also be introduced to basic hand-building techniques, through which they will learn to create functional ware and decorative pieces.

Beginning Drawing (Ages 8-16)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Ages 12-15) & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ages 8-11)

Cost: $225

This week-long intensive class will help students bring their imagination to life. Students will create artworks based on real-life observation and imaginative design. Using step-by-step methods and creative problem solving, students will explore different mediums and techniques for the purpose of building both their skill level and portfolio.

Beginning Guitar (Ages 8-15)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Ages 8-11) & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ages 12-15)

Students will learn to play several styles of guitar, including classical, jazz and flamenco, in this one-week workshop. Students will be taught musical literacy and solid guitar technique through fun, interactive activities and lessons in a supportive, educational group setting. Students must provide their own guitar.

The Best Instrument – The Body! (Ages 11-16)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Cost: $225

The body is the original (and best) instrument! In this class, students will practice body percussion (think Stomp!), yoga, meditation and singing songs using the body to create rhythmic accompaniment. This is a class for energetic kids who like to move and use their singing voices. No prior singing or dancing experience is necessary.

Dance Fusion (Ages 8-15)

Time: 9:00 – 12:00 p.m. (Ages 12-15) & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ages 8-11)

Cost: $225

In this dynamic class, students will be exposed to a wide variety of dance styles, including but not limited to jazz, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary and tap. Throughout the week, students will work on technique and choreography, and the intensive will culminate with a performance for friends and family to enjoy.

Digital Photography (Ages 12-16)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Lunch Break included from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.)

Cost: $425

This fundamentals of photography class will introduce students to the workings of a DSLR camera and give them a handle on camera operations, lenses, digital workflow and more. By the end of the class, students will have an understanding of the basic elements of art and the ability to apply it to their own photography. Students will also learn various techniques of photography and how to do basic edits to their photographs using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Let’s Make a Musical! (Ages 12-16)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Cost: $250

Let’s make a musical in five days! As a group, students will write a musical and present a reading of that musical on the final day of class. Students will study the basics of story structure, songwriting, collaboration and performing. Writers, musicians and performers are all welcome, as students will be embracing the collaborative process together.

Musical Theatre (Ages 8-16)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Ages 8-11) & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ages 12-16)

Cost: $350

This fun-filled, introductory musical theatre class will engage students in the creative process, while giving them foundational skills in singing, acting and dancing. Students will learn to find their voice and hone their skills in character development, storytelling, ensemble building and creative expression. At the end of the week, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their hard work in a fun, musical revue performance for friends and family to enjoy.

Printmaking (Ages 11-15)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Cost: $225

This one-week class will introduce students to printmaking. The course will cover a variety of printmaking techniques, including monoprinting, relief, intaglio and screenprinting. Students will have the opportunity to create editions of prints and explore their ideas.

Voice Artist (Ages 12-16)

Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Cost: $250

This class will provide an exciting way for young singers to explore their own voices and experience singing a variety of vocal styles, including musical theater, pop, classical and even jazz. Through solo master classes, ensemble rehearsals and fun listening activities, students will learn how to powerfully communicate as vocal artists across multiple genres. An accompanist will be present for a portion of the class each day. This experience will culminate in a solo and ensemble performance where each student will get the opportunity to showcase their new skills as a flexible vocal artist.

The Writer’s Support Group (Ages 11-16)

Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Cost: $225

This is a class about making stuff up! Every day, writers face a horrible monster known as “writer’s block.” In this class, creative writers will experiment with different creative ideas and figure out how to get those ideas out and onto the page. This class is designed to give students the tools and confidence they need to pursue a career in writing.

CSArts-SGV is located at 1401 Highland Avenue in Duarte. For more information, visit sgv.csarts.net.