Summer drama camps provide opportunity to explore creative side

Engaging Aboriginal youth to participate in summer drama camps has become an intricate part of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company’s programming.
 “It gets youth interested in arts by experimenting with their artistic talents,” said Curtis Peeteetuce, new artistic director of SNTC.

“Performers’ Playhouse Summer Drama Camps for Kids” will be travelling to mainly First Nations communities in July and August.  However, non-Aboriginal communities, both urban and rural, can take advantage of the mobile drama camp if they wish, said Peeteetuce.

Camps are open to 25 youth between the ages of eight to 16 years old. This allows for eight one week summer camps to be conducted.

“If a community has 17 and 18 year olds interested, then we will accommodate these youth and bring the camps to them,” said Peeteetuce.

The program focuses on games, activities and exercises to bring out the talents of the youth, giving them confidence to perform. At the end of the week the youth show case a piece of theatre they have been working on for their community.

During this process, the youth are guided by facilitators that are high school graduates or post-secondary students.  The facilitators encourage the youth, act as role models and engage promotion of Aboriginal culture.  They lead games and even become active participants in the youth’s performance at the end of the week.

The camps also offer a cultural element through the arts by engaging the youth in discussions and teaching them about the four medicines of the medicine wheel: sage, sweetgrass, tobacco and cedar.

Language is also an important component of the youth summer camps and is encouraged in the productions.
“The knowledge and skills that the youth gain through the facilitators and instruction in the drama camps have created a positive reaction from the communities that have participated.  This becomes an opportunity for the youth to give back to their community through their artistic talents by performing what they have learned for the community,” said Peeteetuce.

In his new role, Peeteetuce has given the camps a new atmosphere.

“The summer drama camps in the past have operated in a more formal structured approach.  The new idea is to keep the camps less structured and fun, allowing the youth to explore their own talented abilities with no barriers,” said Peeteetuce.

This in turn will foster complete creativity and allow the youth to explore their artistic talents in an inclusive forum.  These innovative drama youth camps have been largely successful and Peeteetuce wants to continue and expand on this momentum.