User:Jgaffney7643/Camp Ballibay

The Ballibay Camps is a family of coeducational residential summer camps for children ages 8 through 16. Ballibay offers a wide range of non-competitive fine and performing arts programs in a fun and friendly summer camp setting. Ballibay offers programs in theater, dance, music, Rock Music, video, radio, farming, the fine arts, including painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, printmaking and a culinary arts program that has been featured in the New York Times. The campus is located on an exquisitely beautiful 175-acre mountaintop campus in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Sessions range from two to eight weeks.

The Ballibay Camps are accredited by the American Camping Association.

History
Ballibay was established in 1964 (its original name was "The Farm") and has grown and evolved into a truly unique environment combining educationally-oriented arts programs in a non-competitive, individual-choice camp setting. The camp's founders, Gerard and Dorothy Jannone, envisioned a program in which children of all skills and talent levels could grow and hone their abilities under the tutelage of young and established professional artists.

Format
Ballibay offers a split-session program which allows campers and families the freedom to design the summer program that works best from them. Campers can choose to attend anywhere from two to eight weeks based on the programming available during a given session, or they can take advantage of all of the camp's programming and stay the full seven weeks.

Campers can choose an intensive focus (theatre, dance, etc) and fill in their free time with activities such as fine art, horseback riding or radio, or they can choose to participate in all programs equally without a focus on one specific area. Campers learn independence and responsibility by choosing their own activities without direct input from counselors and staff, but with an emphasis on having a full schedule and no unsupervised down-time. Campers can take lessons in various musical instruments, visit the arts barn to sculpt, paint or photograph, or rehearse for an upcoming performance under the supervision of a staff member. Campers understand that with freedom comes responsibility and they cannot go unsupervised while at camp.

Camps
Camp Ballibay for the Performing Arts is the original program and the cornerstone of the organization. Open to campers age 8-16, the program is process and learning oriented. Campers are cast in roles that are meant to improve their skills and abilities. The program produced over 20 productions and staged readings per summer including plays, musicals, classics and Shakespeare. The program is led by professional theatrical artists and technicians.

The Camptown Theatre Workshop grew out of Camp Ballibay to cater to older, more experienced campers. The program allows them to hone their skills in a more challenging, professional environment while still allowing them access to the many other activities Ballibay has to offer.

The Rock Farmis for campers with experience playing guitar, drums, or electric bass guitar. The program offers intensive rock music instruction in a fun, friendly, and relaxed summer camp setting. Skilled professional instructors teach campers not just musicianship and technique, but how to work effectively as a band. Campers at The Rock Farm are placed in staff-led bands that rehearse daily with ample opportunity to perform and jam. While the Rock Farm is a relatively new standalone program, rock-n-roll has been a part of the overall camp program at Ballibay for over 25 years.

Endless Mountain Dance Camp, coordinated by Camp Director and professional dancer [Kristin Fieseler], is open to campers of all ages and skill levels. With programs in tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern and ballet, students can expect to learn all forms, but may specialize in one area. Dance is available as an intensive program, meaning campers can focus almost exclusively on dance if they so choose. The Dance Camp also offers an exciting two-week dance intensive camp for experienced dancers with accomplished artists-in-residence.

The Farm Arts Camp is the umbrella under which our campers create paintings, sculptures, screen-prints and various other fine art projects, as well as tending our camp garden. The Farm Arts Camp is open to all campers as an activity as well as experiences campers who wish to focus on a specific art form. Farm Arts is staffed by professional artists and is frequented by artists-in-residence who bring their unique skills for short-term visits and workshops. Under the umbrella of the Farm Arts Camp, campers can also study vocal and instrumental music. Under the tutelage of professional musicians and instructors, campers hone their skills while enjoying opportunities to perform in solo, duet, quarter and ensemble settings.

Activities
Outside of the specialized camps outlined above, campers can participate in numerous other activities. Campers can also participate in activities associated with all of the intensive programs including theatre, the fine arts, dance, and food education and preparation.

Video Production is offered as a major focus and activity at camp. All camp productions are filmed live-to-tape using a three of four camera setup with campers operating all cameras and equipment and staffing all directorial and management roles of each shoot. Campers learn the professional techniques and best practices of camera operation, video switching, shot composition and live-shoot communication and practices.

Radio is offered as a minor focus and activity at camp. Campers work with professionally trained radio personalities and producers to produce over 30 radio shows a summer either live or live to tape. WBAL-FM broadcasts on a low-power FM transmitter and can be heard on radios all over camp and in the communities around the campus.

Horseback Riding is offered as an activity at camp. Horses from a local farm are brought to live at Ballibay for the summer and tended by professionals who also teach campers the art and artistry of riding.

The Music Program is a comprehensive instructional program offering traditional vocal, string, woodwind and bass training, workshops, classes and ensemble opportunities. Beginner through advanced students enjoy performance opportunities in solo, duet, trio, quarter and ensemble settings. Under the umbrella of the Farm Arts Camp, the program is staffed by professional, dedicated artists and teachers.

Truly Great Food
Ballibay takes great pride in the excellence of it's culinary program, which was featured in the New York Times in 2012. Most of the foodstuffs used in the preparation of camp meals come from local farms and sources. Much of the produce used in the camp kitchen is grown in the camp garden by campers from the Farm Arts Camp. Through the food education program, campers participate in food preparation and learn the basics of preparing healthy, filling meals for the entire camp. While the classics are always available for the pickier eaters, there is never a shortage of new flavors or cuisines to try.

Our culinary program is led by Chef John Smith. We're sure he'll be wonderful and have many fine qualities, all of which we will share with you just as soon as we hire him.

Staff
Camp Director John J.A. Jannone was a camper at Ballibay all his young life, and a Ballibay staffmember for many summers. Jannone has been a full-time director of Camp Ballibay since 1998. Jannone received his BA(hons.) in philosophy from Colgate University, and his MFA in electronic arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Jannone plays electric bass guitar, and is an avid Capoeirista. He loves exploring New York City with his sons Anselm and Marcel. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Television and Radio at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, where he designed the College's interdisciplinary graduate programs in Performance and Interactive Media Arts.

Camp Director Kristin Fieseler joined staff in 1993 after several summers as a camper. In 2001 she joined the camp administration as head of the dance program and Dean of Campers. Beginning in 2009 she will co-direct Camp Ballibay with John Jannone. Fieseler is a tenured Associate Professor of dance at DeSales University in Bethlehem, PA. Her choreography has been presented in numerous modern dance concerts, show choirs, musical theatre and opera productions including Anything Goes, Pippin, Singin' in the Rain, and George Mason University's Dido and Aeneas. She was a featured choreographer in the 2007 Fringe Festival tour.

Assistant Director Jim Gaffney will join the Ballibay staff for Summer 2013. Gaffney brings more than 10 years professional camping experience in day and overnight settings and worked as a professional theatrical technician and administrator in the Philadelphia area for 3 years. A native of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, he is an alumni of the acclaimed Upper Darby Summer Stage program where he was a camper, technical intern and stage manager. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a brother of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.