Electives (Majors & Minors)

The art department at Burn Brae is divided into three special areas: Drawing/Painting, Ceramics, Crafts. As an art major, our campers are exposed to all three areas of art. As an art minor, your child chooses which area he/she would like to concentrate on. Our Art Instructors are certified Art teachers and are experienced and accomplished artists.

Drawing and Painting

In drawing and painting, the camper uses many different materials such as pen and ink, pencils, pastels, charcoal, chalk, tempera, watercolors, and acrylic paints. With these materials, the camper completes drawings, paintings, and other projects while learning about line, form, and function as well as color, composition, and graphics. The painting teacher includes art history in the lessons as the campers study the works of many great artists, while implementing it into their own works of art! Each camper has his or her own portfolio at camp and continues to add to it over the course of the summer.

Ceramics

Ceramics at Burn Brae introduces our campers to the potters wheel as well as hand-building, and exploring different techniques of glazing. Campers create amazing sculptures that include houses, dreamscapes, tiles, animals, masks, wind chimes, vases, and much more. The projects are imaginative and the possibilities are endless! Our spacious ceramics studio includes electric kilns for firing clay sculptures.

Metal Arts

In Metal Arts, campers use different types of metal wires and a wide array of gemstones to create unique jewelry, keychains, sculptures and more.

Crafts

In crafts, campers use many different types of materials to create unique pieces of artwork. Fiber arts, printmaking, plaster, masks, woven bracelets, hook rugs, kites, picture frames, puppet making, jewelry, miniature houses, and decorative pillows are just some of the many projects created in crafts.

Within our music department at Burn Brae, we can offer your child lessons in the following instruments: piano, brass, woodwinds, recorder, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, drums, and ukulele! We accommodate all skill levels including total beginners who are unable to read music, as well as those campers who perform with their school orchestras and bands.

Our classes are taught by professional music instructors who are also recording artists, composers, and performers. Our lessons are often private, semi-private, or in small groups, allowing for individualized attention. For an ensemble playing and singing experience, our campers can participate in Rock Band and Jazz Band. Campers majoring or minoring in musical instruments can perform during the summer and at Arts Fests.

We can accommodate our campers and their different learning styles by teaching them to read music or simply playing by ear.

Our Musical Theater Program includes acting, singing, dancing and learning the important skills of cooperation between cast members that makes for a joyful theatrical experience! There are 4 full productions (two shows for Juniors and two shows for Seniors) during the camp season led by a professional director/acting teacher/performer.

Campers who major in Theater are challenged, invigorated, and enriched in all aspects of Musical Theater. From character development to understanding what lies beyond the words in a script, campers devote themselves to the wonderful craft of acting. The finished product is a full scale performance complete with music and dance. Our campers rehearse and perform in our rustic, "New England style" barn theater. We produce musicals that showcase each child's individual strengths and interests, thereby creating opportunities to "shine" in their own unique way!

Theater majors and minors perform during Arts Fest.

Our Dance Department offers Jazz, Hip Hop, Broadway, Modern, Tap, Ballet, and Lyrical taught by highly skilled and experienced dance teachers. Our Dance Majors receive training in all of these dance disciplines, whereas the Dance Minor will concentrate on one or two styles of their choosing. We have two beautiful mirrored dance studios complete with professional dance floors and barres (stationary handrails). Dance is fun, creative, and joyful at Burn Brae!

Dance majors and minors have an opportunity (if desired) to perform for parents and friends during Arts Fest.

Campers are taken through the process of writing, creating storyboards, shooting video, editing, making mock TV commercials and creating final movies with our experienced and professional movie production instructors. Campers use their imaginations and collaborate with each other on all phases of movie production to produce exciting and unforgettable experiences. The entire camp property is utilized as the backdrop for these creations. Camper’s films are put on the camp’s YouTube channel.

Sports at Burn Brae Day Camp focus on fun, instruction, and skill/confidence building taught by certified Physical Education teachers and specialists. Step-Up, Junior, Senior, and Teen Quest campers elect their choice of sports each week.

Campers have the freedom to choose the sports they are comfortable playing and/or want to learn more about.

• Archery*

• Badminton

• Basketball*

• Croquet

• Field Games

• Football (tag or touch)

• Ga-Ga*

• Kickball

• Pickleball*

• Soccer

• Softball

• Street Hockey

• Tennis*

• Ultimate Frisbee

• Vintage sports (sports from yesteryear)

• Volleyball/Newcomb*

• Yoga*

and more…

*These Sports Electives can also be taken as a minor

*At Burn Brae Day Camp, we cater to all levels of experience; from beginners through advanced.

Our approach to swim instruction is encouraging, while tailoring the lessons to each individual camper’s comfort level in the water. Our instruction is based on the American Red Cross swim method as we strive to equip your child with the skills and knowledge to swim with confidence. Campers are grouped by age and skill level from beginner to advanced. Our experienced, certified swim staff are able to give individual attention due to our small group sizes. There are always CPR certified staff at the pool.

Our in-ground pool has a large shallow section where younger campers and beginner swimmers can stand and feel secure. We supply flotation devices when necessary. For those campers who are advanced swimmers, we incorporate junior life-saving techniques.

In the afternoons, our campers can cool off with a relaxing and fun recreational swim as our safety-conscious lifeguards monitor the pool at all times.

Each Minor occurs twice per week in the afternoon for 45 minutes (90 minutes per week).

Minors are assigned on a first come, first serve basis.

Campers in the following Programs choose minors:

• Junior Campers

• Senior Campers

• Teen Quest

Current Minors Include: (All levels of experience are accommodated from beginner to advanced.)

• Archery *

• Animation

• Art: Ceramics

• Art: Drawing, Painting, Crafts

• Art: Metal Arts

• Basketball *

• Brick Master

• Dance: Ballet/ Tap

• Dance: Jazz, Hip Hop, Broadway

• Digital Photography

• Ga-Ga *

• Games Galore

• Voice

• Music: Brass/Woodwind (including recorder)

• Music: Drums (all percussion)

• Music: Guitar (guitar, bass guitar, ukulele)

• Music: Jazz Band

• Music: Piano

• Music: Rock Band (including vocalists)

• Music: Strings (violin, viola, cello, bass)

• Music: Song Writing

• Outdoor Camping Skills

• Science/Nature

• Sewing

• Special Effects Make-Up

• TV Video (production)

• Tennis *

• Theater: Improv

• Volleyball/Newcomb

• Yoga*

*These minors can also be taken as a Sports Elective.

About Some of Our Minors...

Digital Photography: Campers use the entire camp facility as the basis for their group assignments to create interesting and imaginative photos.

Ga-Ga: Is a high-energy, face-paced game that is a variation of dodge ball.

Improv Theater: Campers collaboratively create the dialogue, action, story and the characters without the use of an already prepared, written script. Improvisation stimulates creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, teamwork, and developing of communication skills.

Music: Instrumental: In small group classes we teach all ability levels from complete beginner through advanced. Small group sessions on music theory and composition are available. We encourage our campers (including beginners) to create their own original songs that can be performed at Showtime and Arts Fest.

Science & Nature Studies: Campers learn to care for the environment, learn about many aspects of nature: birds, animals, insects, and plant life. A love for science is further developed among our campers through a hands-on engagement in crafts, games, and science experiments that ultimately make science come alive.

Special Effects Make-Up: Campers transform their faces with theatrical make-up to look like animals, creatures, TV/movie characters, and much more. They will learn how this art affects both stage and screen.

Descriptions for additional minors can be found here: Minor Descriptions