Drama and acting camps

Students at a drama camp learn improvisation skills and movement as well as dancing and singing. Many camps offer a live performance as the culmination of the week (or longer) spent at the camp. There's no better way for your child to learn the extent of his real interest in acting or production than to attend a drama camp.

Acting camps in Toronto

Camps.ca is able to offer a special focus on Toronto and area acting camps (including in Etobicoke), including camps put on by prestigious organizations like Second City and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection among others. Toronto continues to crystallize its reputation as an important source of world-class acting talent. 

Almost all drama camps today will offer TV and film acting lessons as well, as these media dominate kids' imaginations.  Lessons in TV acting will focus on how this mode of performance is very different from stage acting. Kids and teens will learn how to present themselves, and how to act for the camera.

Lessons beyond just drama

Drama camp has benefits that can extend far beyond acting lessons, of course. Kids learn to overcome stage fright and develop confidence in public speaking and presentation. Although they may not be thinking so far ahead at that age, adults recognize that these skills can be helpful in the workforce or other parts of adult life. Acting lessons can also help kids to learn to express emotions in a healthy way. Getting up in front of an audience and succeeding at performing well is an incomparable way of building confidence. Rick Mercer talks about the "danger" of getting his first laugh at a kids' summer camp, how things were never the same for him after that. It's also true that learning limitations and facing failure can be important lessons for some kids.

Kids also learn enunciation, get training in memorization, and in poise and physical attitude ("holding themselves"). While they may be dreaming that their acting lessons will lead to a career in front of the camera, there are many other things being learned.  

Kids interested in drama and acting may also want to branch out into summer arts programs, summer dance intensives (if they have any focus on dance), as well as music theater classes and programs. 

Related pages