What's New With U? | Septmeber 2026

Students on the last day of Usdan's 59th summer.

After summer ends, people often ask me: What do you do in the off-season?

The easy answer is: We stay busy! While September feels a little quieter on campus, by October, Usdan is buzzing again.

Our fall programming kicks off this Friday with RISE of the Jack O’Lanterns, running after dark on select evenings from Friday, October 2 through Sunday, November 1. We are also excited to welcome our community back to campus for a lineup of Halloween-themed arts programming on October 11, 17, 24, and October 30.

We encourage you to join, and please let us know what you think!

Lauren Brandt Schloss
Executive Director

P.S. I also wanted to share that we are launching a new perk for Usdan community members: rental of our newly weatherized Discovery Pavilions, giving families, friends, and community groups another way to enjoy our beautiful campus beyond the summer season.

If you are interested in learning more, please reach out here.

Upcoming events at usdan

Grown Up & Me: Halloween Music Class & Brunch (Ages 3–6)
- Sun, Oct 11 | 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- An afternoon of singing and dancing guided by Usdan Discovery Chair Sadie Friedman, with the option to stay for a festive brunch.
Mini Scarecrow Building Workshop (Ages 8 and up)
- Sat, Oct 17 | 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- An afternoon of Halloween-themed crafting with expert instruction from longtime Usdan Art teacher Chris Vivas.
Halloween-Themed Paint & Sip (Ages 21+)
- Sat, Oct 17 | 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- An afternoon of cocktails, hor d’oeuvres, and casual art instruction with painting supplies included. Up to three drinks included.
"Sleepy Hollow Awakens: A Washington Irving Remix" + Admission to the RISE (All ages)
- Sat, Oct 24 | 5:00 p.m. Show; 6:30 p.m. RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns
- Written by Usdan faculty members and performed by Usdan Theater students, this spooky musical returns for one night only for an evening of Halloween fun for the whole family. This ticket includes access to RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns.
Halloween-Themed Paint & Sip + Admission to the RISE (All ages)
- Fri, Oct 30 | 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns
- An evening of cocktails, hor d’oeuvres, and casual art instruction with painting supplies included. Up to three drinks included, plus admission to the spectacular RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns for a perfect Hallow's Eve.

Plan your own event at Usdan

Interested in hosting a community gathering at Usdan? We are officially launching our Discovery Pavilion Rental & Concierge program as a special perk for Usdan community members!

Just fill out this form, and we will follow up within 48 hours with the next steps for planning your perfect event.

The RISE of the Jack'OLanterns at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts on Long Island

VISIT RISE OF THE JACK O'LANTERNS

October 2 – November 1, 2026
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts

For the fifth year in a row, Usdan will transform into a Halloween wonderland for the spectacular RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns starting THIS Friday, October 2. Wander through an immersive after-dark experience featuring more than 10,000 hand-carved illuminated jack o'lanterns and autumnal refreshments.

Get your RISE tickets today. 🕷️

ALUMNI MOMENTS FROM SUMMER 2026

Alumni visits, summer 2026 — (Top-Bottom; L-R): 2026 Young Alum Award Recipient Samantha Mason celebrating on stage with Usdan students during July Community Day; alum Guy Pierre II Chavannes with Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss; alum and faculty member Gabriel Nekrutman on saxophone performing "Tribute to Ralph Peterson Jr." at Festival on Tuesday, July 28; alum Leah Raquel Petraglia opening the Festival season with her a cappella group Black to Gold on Monday, June 29; alum and Musical Theater writer Zack Zadek performing at Festival on Monday, July 6; alum and Usdan Dean of Students Zach Rifkind presenting Band Lead Teacher David Schecher Sr.'s 2026 Faculty Award on July Community Day.

Alumni visits 2, Summer 2026 — (Top-Bottom; L-R): Group photo of some visiting alumni, including Usdan Board Member Michele Lowe, after Festival on August Community Day; (L-R) Usdan faculty member and alum Jodi Abrams, Festival performer and alum Sarah Shaiman, and alum and Usdan faculty member Rebecca Salmon; alum and Usdan faculty member Adam Cordero performing at Festival on Friday, July 31; Music Director Mat Eisenstein (R) with Broadway performers Danny Quadrino (L) and Liana Hunt (M).

Looking to get more involved in our Alumni Community? Email KLeeds@usdan.org to learn more!

RETURN2U CLOSES IN TWO WEEKS!

Rollover scholarships, receive first choice of classes, and promise your child another summer of creativity and friendship. Enroll in Summer 2027 today!*

Return2U closes Wednesday, October 14 at 11:59 p.m. Visit Usdan.org/Return2U for more info.

*Return2U is for 2026 families only. For new families, look out for priority enrollment launching October 6! 💥

USDAN OUT & ABOUT

UJA Event, October 2026 — Usdan students Riv M. and Shira R. represented Usdan beautifully at the UJA-Federation of New York's recent North Shore Inaugural celebration last month. We are always grateful for opportunities to showcase the talent of our current students.Riv's live painting exhibition of a sunset over the city of Jaffa and Shira's renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Hatikvah" helped bring joy, creativity, inspiration, and conversation to this special award ceremony for an audience of over 400 people! Photo Credit: Fine Photography by Stephanie

Charli XCX concert, 2026 — Mirabel G. and Laila G. were the lucky winners of a coveted Usdan Community Day Raffle prize: tickets to the Charli XCX concert at the Barclays Center! We are so grateful to our friends at Barclays for this generous in-kind donation and love these photos of the girls "Music, Fashion, Film"ing it up in Brooklyn. Thank you all for supporting Usdan.

Do you have any Usdan news we should know about? Write to us at media@usdan.org or tag us on Instagram @usdanarts, and we may feature it in our next newsletter or on our social channels!

Class	Session	Major/Minor
Festival Showrunners: Usher, Host & Capture!	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Recreational Camp	1-Week Rec Camp	Major
Chess	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor and Recreational Activity
Performance: Children’s Theater	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Performance: Musical Theater	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Performance: The Usdan Troupe	8-Week	Major
Theater Skills: Improvisation & Theater Games	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Theater Skills: The Actor Sings	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Archery	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
U Time	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Yoga	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Nature, Ecology & Design	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Seed to Snack: Edible Gardening	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Absolute Beginner Guitar Minor	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Absolute Beginner Piano Minor	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Chamber Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Composition: Classical Music	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Composition: Intro to DJ Basics and the History of Hip-Hop	4-Week A	Minor
Composition: Songwriting	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Concert Band	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Guitar Minor (1-2 Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Jazz Ensemble (Major)	4-Week A	Major
Jazz Ensemble (Minor)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Junior Piano Major (3+ Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Junior Vocal Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Orchestra	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Piano Minor (1-2 Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Senior Piano Major (4+ Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Senior Vocal Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Ballet	4-Week A	Major
Broadway Jazz Dance	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Choreography	4-Week B	Major
Dance Adventure	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Hip Hop Dance (Major)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Hip Hop Dance (Minor)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Tap Dance	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Creative Writing	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Creative Writing: Playwriting	4-Week B	Minor
Art Adventure	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Beginner Painting	4-Week B	Minor
Ceramics	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Comic Art	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Jewelry Making: Mixed Media	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
LEGO™ Construction	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Painting & Drawing	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Photography	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Portfolio Development	4-Week A	Minor
Sculpture	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Sewing & Fashion Design	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Discovery	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major