Friday, I got to have one of those incredible experiences that really underscores for me why I volunteer as a Theatre Alberta Board member. We try to have our board meetings coincide with the programming that we offer: Emerge, Dramaworks, Playworks Ink, Artstrek. It's a great opportunity to see what we are actually putting the work in for. Two years ago, we were supposed to attend on one of the Artstrek sharing days, but the flooding that happened made that impossible as there were emerging issues that had to be dealt with and the board meeting was pushed to later in the summer. This summer, however, we were able to be there for Exploration I sharing. I 'knew' that Artstrek was an awesome program, but I had never seen or felt it. The energy and the spirit and commitment to practice that I saw on stage made my eyes well up with tears more than once during the one hour sharing. There was such a phenomenal spirit of respect - from the students to the instructors and back - and from the students towards the art. Truly wonderful. I so want my sons to experience this. I think I will be able to get my younger one to do it, but the older one needs more convincing. I could tell that this was an incredibly safe place, where he would feel safe and where he would have fun and where he would learn. Now I just have to figure out how to get him there. You can find out more about Artstrek
here.
How do I know this would be something for him? Because Friday also was the final day for my kid's camps at the Foote Theatre School. I worried that the older one was getting too old, but his enthusiasm every day when he came home, talking about the activities and games and how great his teachers were, was wonderful to hear. The only thing I have heard him talk about with as much enthusiasm is Minecraft so it's great for me to hear him demonstrate a similar passion for something else. The younger one was similarly engaged and having fun - he's more social so it's more about the other kids - but still he loved what he was doing and I can say honestly that the Foote Theatre School has helped him to feel safe onstage so that he no longer has his terrible stage fright (he used to cry about going onstage - no more!). I am glad I have a few more years with him there!
Foote Theatre School has camps and classes all year long for kids, teens and adults. You can find more information on it
here.
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