Summer Newsletter | Jul 31, 2024
What's New With U? Week 3
Dear Friends,
End of week 3 — how can it be?! This week, student performances began and woah, have we been blown away by the incredible artistry on display by our young artists! In a very short amount of time, these talented students present fully staged musicals, concerts, and dance performances, memorizing everything from lines and choreography to fingerings and scales. Walk around Usdan and you will find students working incredibly hard, perfecting a Hip-Hop routine, practicing a tricky 6:8 measure, memorizing a long monologue, or refining a new drawing technique, all under the guidance and mentorship of our amazing teachers, conductors, and directors without whom none of this would be possible!
We cannot wait to see what our young artists share with us next week — our final week of the 4A Session. Experience a day full of inspiration, fun, and art at our annual FREE U Benefit on July 24. RSVP today and view the newly released schedule for the day!
P.S. Do you have a child only enrolled in Session 4A? Add more joy! It is still not too late to extend your child's session to 4B or add a week of Rec Camp. But hurry! The last day to add 4-week B is TOMORROW Monday, July 22 and the last day to add Rec Weeks 6–8 is the Wednesday prior to starting. (Psst...Rec Week 5 is SOLD OUT! So hurry before your desired week sells out.)
Attend the FREE U Benefit
Wednesday, July 24
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Join us during the regular camp day to engage with the art and beauty of the Usdan campus.
Live performances including Voices of Broadway | Art exhibitions & Comic Con | Raffles | Community art project and more!
Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy, just like our students. Meals will not be provided as we prioritize limiting food waste.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, this event is free. Registration is required.
Donations are deeply appreciated, but not required.
Rain or shine. For more details, visit benefit.us
P.S. This is the first of two U Benefits happening this summer. The second takes place on Wednesday, August 21.
Making Connections
How did you connect at Usdan this week?
Students connecting around what kindness means to them for Camp Kindness Day on July 17.
One of our four themes this summer is CONNECTION. At dismissal on Friday, Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss interviewed some students about the theme. Here's what they had to say:
“I felt closer to my friends more than ever this year.”
-Azalea, age 12
“This entire week was tech and show week for 'Once Upon a Mattress,' so I had many connections with all of my friends and directors. The entire cast felt so well rehearsed, and we were so excited to perform. It was so much fun! We thank all of our teachers for making us feel so confident and connected with one another."
-Angelina, 17
“I used to be scared of bugs, but now I realize that we’re really in their home. They never did anything to us so we shouldn’t be scared of them, and we shouldn’t judge them by how they look.”
-Juliana, 10
“I connected with Iris. We became friends!”
-Alexis, Age 7
“I have made a very strong connection with almost the whole community particularly at the Amphitheater during Festival, as well as during U Time.”
-Simeon, 17
“When I draw in my art class, I usually feel a strong connection to nature since it is surrounding me. At Usdan, you can feel that a lot since we’re in the woods.”
-Emmanual, Age 11
"A connection I made is with my friend on the bus... a really strong connection.”
-Harper, 10
“This week, I connected with the musical world and the pieces that we’re working on in Piano. I’ve connected to the people in my group, talking during breaks or when we’re working on our duets together.”
-Nicholas, 11
“One friendship connection I’ve made is during U Time. I’ve found a buddy I like to draw with. We like to give each other topics for each other to draw. It is really fun, and I’m really glad I met her.”
-Grace, 14
Hip-Hop Pool Party —Less Than TWO Weeks Away
Saturday, August 3
12:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Get ready to swim, eat, drink, and get down at Usdan's Hip-Hop Pool Party thrown by the one-and-only Usdan Artists in Residence DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell, the founders of Hip-Hop.
All afternoon, DJs will spin tunes as adults and kids enjoy Usdan's stunning pools. Plus, there will be Usdan student performances, classes for adults including Hip-Hop Dance, food trucks, and many even some special surprise guests visits from legendary Hip-Hop artists old and young.
This party is for ALL AGES! Tickets are $25 + fees for Adults. Enrolled Usdan students and kids ages 0–15 get in for FREE.
Festival Performances Week 3 Recap
Usdan Students Shine in the Spotlight
Senior Orchestra Students performed at Festival on Wednesday, July 17.
One of our four themes this summer is CONNECTION. At dismissal on Friday, Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss interviewed some students about the theme. Here's what they had to say:
This week at Festival, our young artists took to the McKinley Amphitheater stage to share their work with their fellow students, families, and Usdan staff. Creative Writing Minor students from both divisions kicked off the week of performances sharing their heartfelt poems (and a song!). View the Junior Creative Writing reading here and the Senior Creative Writing reading here.
Then Senior Jazz Major and Minor students jammed and jived on Tuesday with a set that included Miles Davis' "All Blues" and Antônio Carlos Jobim's "The Girl from Ipanema." View the recording here.
On Wednesday, Senior Orchestra Majors impressed us with three pieces including Corelli's Concerto in Grosso D, Piazolla's "Milogna del Angel," and Brahms's Opus 80. View the recording here. The next day, Senior Band Majors had the audience marching and swaying in their seats with a program featuring Ralph Vaughn Williams' "English Folk Song Suite," "Balladair" by Frank Erickson, and "In All Its Glory" by James Swearingen. View the recording here.
We closed out the week raising the roof on Friday with our Dance students. The program showcased a medley of dance disciplines from ballet and jazz to tap and Hip-Hop. Each Dance Festival performance ended with the entire audience participating in a choreographed TikTok dance made by the students. Watch the Junior Festival performance here* and the Senior Festival performance here.
*Please note, due to technical difficulties, there was no sound for the first part of the Junior Festival livestream. We hope to restore the sound to the recording early this week. Please check back on YouTube later this week.
A scene from the Junior Cast performance of "Once Upon a Mattress"
Meanwhile in the Theater Department...
Another Opening, Another Show
This week, our Theater Department opened five productions in three days AND presented three In-Studio Performances! On Wednesday, both the Senior and Junior Musical Theater students from studio T6 set sail on the ocean liner S.S. American presenting their own takes on the classic Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes." On Thursday, the young artists in Children's Theater delighted audiences with their rendition of "Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon."
Then on Friday, the Lucy Moses Theater was transformed back to 15th-century medieval times for "Once Upon a Mattress," performed by the Senior Musical Theater students from studio T7 in the morning followed by the Junior Musical Theater students in the afternoon. And if that wasn't enough, students in three classes of The Actor Sings showcased their talents throughout the day on Friday in studio M20 with short concerts of songs from musical theater of today.
Next Week at Festival & In Studios...
Final 4A Student Performances
Junior Band and Orchestra students take the Festival stage next week on Monday followed by Vocal Ensemble students on Tuesday. Wednesday is our U Benefit day, and on Thursday, our Dance students will take the stage one last time for Session 4A. Friday marks our Closing Ceremony for Session 4A. For more information and times, check out the full calendar at the bottom of this email and on our website.
If your student is performing, please be sure to check your email for performance reminders. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at questions@usdan.org.
Return2U Coming Soon...
Returning Student Enrollment for 2025 Opens Wednesday
We are thrilled to open enrollment for Summer 2025 to current 2024 enrolled students on Wednesday. Keep your eyes on your inbox on Wednesday for a special limited-time offer or contact us at 631.643.7900 and at enrollment@usdan.org.
WEEK 3 IN MEDIA
See more highlights from Week 3 below courtesy of our Photographer, Terryl Whitaker. Plus, see even more photos now on our Flickr albums from the first three weeks. View Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3.
Have you followed us yet on Instagram and TikTok? We post photos, videos, and more almost daily!
Our Creative Writing Junior Minors opened Week 3 Festival
Students in Painting & Drawing putting the final touches on their works in time for their Open Studio exhibition next week on July 24, our U Benefit Day.
Leadership student and Musical Theater Major Angelina K. performing a ballet solo at the Junior Dance Festival. Fun fact — Angelina performed in three different shows on Friday. Bravo, Angelina!
A proud moment post "Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon"
The Actor Sings 3rd Period Class wowed audiences with selections from the popular modern musical "The Prom"
A clarinet solo moment during Senior Jazz Ensemble Festival
A moment from the Senior Cast production of "Anything Goes"
Let's hear it for the Percussion Section in Senior Band!
Senior Hip-Hop Dance students poppin' and lockin' at Festival
Celebrating some of our students who have been attending Usdan for five or more summers at our 4A 5-year lunch
Spreading kindness all around campus with chalk for Camp Kindness Day
Volunteer at Usdan
We can't do it without you!
We are looking for volunteers to help guide visitors this coming week, July 22–26, as well as August 12–16 and August 19–23.
Did you know? Volunteering directly impacts how many scholarships we are able to offer each year.
Beating the Heat
How Usdan Students Keep Cool
A Dance department water balloon bash!
It was a hot one this past week, but our staff made sure our students stayed cool and hydrated.
New this year, we are using wet bulb thermometers to determine when to take breaks and activity levels. These thermometers measure not only temperature but also the impact of humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation on the body.
We also have multiple misters running — two made by Sustainable Design students — and as a special cool treat, our Dance department organized a water balloon bash for Dance students for an extra welcome cool down.
This coming week's forecast predicts slightly cooler temperatures, but as always we will continue to help students stay hydrated and cool.
Week 4 Theme: Growth
As the students, teachers, and staff head into our final week of 4A, many of us are thinking back to our first weeks.
If you have a young artist at home attending Usdan this session, we encourage you to start a conversation around the dinner table this week. Here are some questions to get you started:
- How have you grown as a friend? As an artist? As an audience member? As a person?
- What have you learned about your art? About yourself? About the natural world?
- What do hope to take with you going forward?
Calendar Highlights: Week 4
Here is what's coming up next week!
Families of students are welcome to attend Festival performances and join us after for a backstage lunch. Festival performances will also be livestreamed, as well as recorded and posted, to our YouTube Channel.
Monday, July 22
First Day: Week 4 Recreation
Festival | Junior Orchestra
12:10pm
Festival | Junior Band
12:35pm
Tuesday, July 23
Theater Show | "Chess"
10:30 a.m. (Senior Cast)
1:30 p.m. (Junior Cast)
Discovery Performance, Exhibition & Pizza Party
11:00 a.m.
Festival | Junior Vocal Ensemble
12:10pm
Festival | Senior Vocal Ensemble
12:35pm
Wednesday, July 24
U Benefit | FREE! RSVP Required
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
ALL DAY
In Art: Open Studios, Comic Con & Fashion Shows
Throughout Campus: In Studio Performances & Studio Visits
PLUS
Raffles
Community Art Project
& More!
12:10 p.m. & 12:35 p.m.
Festival Performance: Voices of Broadway
Tribute to Rosemarie Klipper, Community Award & Mat Eisenstein, Alumni Award
1:30 p.m.
“Free to Be You and Me” performed by Children’s Theater
Return2U Enrollment Opens
Thursday, July 25
Theater Show | "Anastasia"
10:30 a.m. (Senior Cast)
1:30 p.m. (Junior Cast)
Festival | Dance
12:10 p.m.
12:35 p.m.
Friday, July 26
Spirit Day: Theme Day
Theater Show | "Lost Girl"
10:30 a.m.
Festival | Closing Ceremony
12:10pm
12:35pm
