OKC Ballet partners with NewView Oklahoma for unique workshop!

Plans are underway for the 11^th annual 2010 Oklahomans Without Limits (OWL) Summer Youth Camp, July 26-30 on the campus of Oklahoma City University.  For one week, the dorms will be home for 60 youth and adults ages 10 to 17 years old who will participate in this year’s camp, including 30 visually impaired youth, their peer volunteer counselors, chaperones and NewView staff.  Students will travel to the CityArts Center every afternoon where they will participate in a wide variety of performing and visual arts activities including dance classes led by professional dancers and instructors with the Oklahoma City Ballet; visual arts experiences led by professional artists who will help campers to create their own works of art in weaving, sculpture, clay and handmade paper; and performing arts activities in creative dramatics and storytelling. 

Participating visual artists include Carrie Dolan, Samantha Lowe and Eric Wright.  Dance instruction will be led by Viktoria Page, Director of the School of the Oklahoma City Ballet.  Local actor and artist, Al Bostick will lead classes in creative dramatics and storytelling.

Blind and visually impaired youth rarely, if ever, have the chance to experience the arts or attend a summer camp.  A unique partnership with CityArts Center and the Oklahoma City Ballet has enabled NewView Oklahoma to present this first ever arts themed camp.  Thanks to the efforts of CityArts Center, a grant from Allied Arts was secured to provide campers with a high quality arts experience, including the purchase of ballet shoes for the dance classes.  The overarching goal of this camp is to help blind and visually impaired campers recognize their strengths and believe in their own minds that they can live happy, independent and productive lives as adults.

Camp sponsors and partners include Allied Arts, CityArts Center, the Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma City Ballet, Los Cabos, Oklahoma City University, Swadley’s Catering, LLC.