LEWISTON — The Bates Dance Festival will offer its three-week Youth Arts Program from July 23 through Aug. 10 at the Benjamin Mays Center on the campus of Bates College.
Now in its 19th year, YAP has changed the lives of many youth, enhancing their self-confidence and opening up new avenues of expression. Offering local youth opportunities to experience music, dance, theater, storytelling and visual arts classes, the program aims to enrich children’s lives through learning and access to the arts. YAP provides high-quality arts experiences by bringing kids together with master artists in residence at the Bates Dance Festival.
The only requirement for admission is an enthusiasm for the arts and a willingness to try new things. Students at all levels of experience are invited to participate and develop new skills.
YAP takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and will enroll 60 students aged 6 to 17. Students are placed into three age groups: years 7-9, 10-12 and 13-16. Each group takes daily classes in dance, music, theater, visual arts and storytelling. A healthy lunch and snacks are provided.
Early bird registration discount, before April 20, is $610. After April 20 the program costs $660. A limited number of scholarships are available for qualifying students. For more information, call the Bates Dance Festival office at 786-6381 or visit wwwbatesdancefestival.org/youthprogram.
During the three-week program, participants learn a dynamic range of modern, ballet, hip-hop and social dance styles. They experience musical genres from around the world. They learn theater games. And they experiment with writing poetry and with visual art techniques.
Program highlights include special master classes taught by internationally renowned artists in residence at the Bates Dance Festival. In addition, scholarship students receive complimentary tickets to select festival performances.
Culminating the program, YAP students will create and stage a special production to be performed Saturday, Aug. 11, in Alumni Gymnasium, Bates College, as part of the Festival Finale concert of the dance festival.
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- Youth Arts students rehearsing for Festival Finale.
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