Arts Camp

2025 Dates: July 7-18 (two-week session)
Rising 5-10 graders
Cost: $1,800

Please join us this summer for our non-musical, fun-filled production of A Midsummer Nights Midterm. We will recreate scenes of Shakespeare’s favorite comedy while exploring how his language and humor tells a timeless story. The campers will learn to use their imagination to bring their characters to life in our supportive environment. No experience necessary! We will end our two weeks of rehearsal with an eye-popping performance including sets, props, and costumes.

Family and friends are invited to an evening performance on Thursday, July 15, at 7:00 p.m. at a TBD location on campus!

About the Director: Leslie Hackney received her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music and has toured with such companies as May O’Donnell, Mary Anthony, Rod Rodgers, and Pearl Lang. She taught at the Performing Arts High School in New York City, as well as professional dance studios in New York and New Jersey. She has directed and choreographed countless children’s productions throughout her career.

2025 Dates: August 11-15
Rising 1-6 graders
Cost: $890

Dance Camps take place in Concord Academy’s state-of-the-art Dance Studio!

This full-day program gives young dancers the opportunity to take various forms of dance including Ballet, Modern, and Latin social dancing. Dancers will participate in a choreography workshop where they explore improvisation and mime in order to choreograph a dance based on a children’s book. Campers will make a prop, mask, or accessory for the dance they create. They will watch videos on the dance forms they are taking and learn a little history about them. There is a swim period and a camp activity each day. The week will focus on healthy dance technique and artistic expression in a vibrant and supportive team-orientated environment.

About the Instructor: Avery Saulnier de Reyes
Avery Saulnier de Reyes is a freelance dancer, company member at United Dance, and guest artist with City Ballet of Boston. In addition, she co-directs Northeast Arts, a collaboration between professional freelance ballet dancers and artists from other disciplines focused on self-production. She has begun to explore work on film, performing with Columbia Pictures, ArtsEmerson, and in Cambridge Symphony Orchestra’s Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. Avery received classical training at Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Lexington School of Ballet, and Integrarte. With 17 years of teaching experience, Avery is excited to join the team at Concord Academy and enjoys working with children and adults of all ages and abilities. She is immensely grateful for the love and support of family, friends, teachers, directors, and colleagues and the unending patience, knowledge, and kindness of mentors Carlos Molina, Érica Cornejo, Gianni di Marco, Adriana Suárez, Donna Silva, and Linda diBona Brassel.Avery also continues to perform, teach, and coach in the Boston area. You can see some of Avery’s work at northeastartspace.org.

2025 Dates: July 7-11
Rising 6-10 graders
Cost: $915

Do you love working with different species of wood?

How about participating in a brand-new specialty woodworking camp, where you will design your very own cutting board, key chain, and personal customized cheese board!

Campers will have a plethora of hardwoods to choose from when designing their cutting board. Each day campers will be working on multiple projects, as our main cutting board will take some time to complete each step.

Our main project will be a solid wood cutting board approx. 12″ wide by 18″ long and 1-1.5″ thick. Campers will then add a juice groove, non-slip feet, and an embedded handle. Simultaneously, campers will make a personal cheese board, as well as custom keychains, created by utilizing the scraps from their projects.

All projects will involve measuring, cutting, laminating, drilling, and lots of sanding! Campers will learn the proper use of tools, and then use them under the close supervision of our woodshop director, Woodshop Reece. Each day our young carpenters will receive handouts explaining various tools that will be used, as well as woodworking methods and practices. At the end of the week, campers will be able to bring their projects home and enjoy them for many years to come.

No experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn, a little patience, and the desire to have fun!

About the Instructor: Reece Lavacca
Woodshop Reece has been with Concord Academy Summer Camp for three years. While working with our Specialty Coordinator as a Head Specialist, he has also been teaching woodshop. When not at camp, Woodshop Reece is an Executive Chef for Smithfield, Rhode Island’s public school district, and also has his own woodworking company, reeceswoodshed.com.

2025 Dates:
July 14-18: rising 2-5 graders
August 4-8: rising 6-9 graders
Cost: $900

Campers will explore many different approaches to art-making using a variety of media. Campers will participate in landscape painting, printmaking, observational still-life drawing, illustration assignments, and more. This week-long, art-intensive specialty camp will help build students’ confidence using various drawing and painting techniques and serve as the foundation for their portfolio of artwork.

About the Instructor: Ryan Hannus
Ryan teaches arts and crafts during the rest of the camp season and teaches art during the school year for grades Pre-K–8.

2025 Dates: July 21 – August 1 (two-week session)
Rising 5-10 graders
Cost: $1,800

Music, dancing, and acting! FUN! Join us for two weeks of theater as we explore all the elements that go into creating a magical experience. In this year’s production of Into the Woods JR., campers will enjoy working together and supporting each other as we create a final performance that will showcase their efforts including sets, lights, props, and costumes. No experience is necessary.

Family and friends are invited to an evening performance on Thursday, July 31, at 7:00 p.m. in a TBD location on, or near, campus!

About the Director: Leslie Hackney
Leslie received her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music and has toured with such companies as May O’Donnell, Mary Anthony, Rod Rodgers, and Pearl Lang. She taught at the Performing Arts High School in New York City, as well as professional dance studios in New York and New Jersey. She has directed and choreographed countless children’s productions throughout her career.

2025 Dates: July 28 – August 1
Rising 6-10 graders
Cost: $890

Join us for a week of exciting musical exploration, where we will study and perform a range of jazz-related styles, from swing to funk! Led by a group of experienced faculty, campers will embark on a week of studies covering the basics of jazz theory, improvisation, and a range of stylistic instrumental and ensemble techniques.

The week will culminate with a final public performance featuring all campers and ensembles on August 1.

Enrolling in this camp requires no prior experience with jazz performance, but at least one year of study on a primary instrument is strongly encouraged.

About the Instructor: Chris Gagne
Chris Gagne received his doctorate in Jazz Studies from the University of Miami and has performed and recorded with such artists as George Benson, Antonio Sanchez, Anat Cohen, Miguel Zenon, Sean Jones, and George Garzone. He has taught jazz studies and directed ensembles at a number of secondary and post-secondary institutions over the past decade, including Concord Academy, Phillips Academy (Andover), Merrimack College, and Springfield College.

NEW for 2025
2025 Dates: August 4-8
rising 6-9 grades
Cost: $890

Our improv comedy camp offers participants an engaging experience that fosters creativity, confidence, and collaboration. The camp’s primary goal is to create a fun, supportive environment where participants can explore the fundamentals of improvisation while building valuable life skills. Daily activities are designed to help campers develop spontaneity, adaptability, and quick thinking through interactive exercises and games. Whether attendees are seasoned performers or complete beginners with no theater experience, we ensure that everyone feels comfortable experimenting and expressing themselves together.

Each day is full of theater games and activities that build trust and camaraderie among participants. Through group scenes, storytelling exercises, and character-building games, participants learn how to collaborate effectively and make creative choices on the fly. They carry home the ability to think quickly, communicate effectively, and approach challenges with a positive, can-do attitude.

The week will conclude with a showcase, providing participants with a chance to apply what they’ve learned in a supportive, low-pressure setting. The laughter-filled show not only boosts morale but also reinforces the collaborative spirit of improv. You will be amazed at how comfortable your child can be in front of a crowd with no script with just a week of practice!

By the end of the week, campers leave with an array of new skills, deeper friendships, and a stronger sense of self-expression, but the only thing they will focus on is how much fun they had!

About the Instructor: Bobby Smithney
Bobby is currently the Theater Director for the Lesley Ellis School in Arlington where he has led shows for Elementary and Middle schoolers for the last 15 years. He is a 20 year veteran of ImprovBoston and run classes on improvisation for adults and children all over the Boston area. You can hear him as the voice of Fast Food Freddy on old episodes of Fizzy’s Lunch Lab or see him perform at Union Comedy.