Summer – Stage 1: Jitterbugs
Ages 4-6
Our 2024 programs are full. Click button below to join the waitlist.
Jitterbugs is a full-day program for our youngest campers! Campers will enjoy creative, play-based experiences in music, dance, drama and visual arts. The highlight of the two-week session is the final performance and showing off their new skills on the “big stage”! A typical day at Jitterbugs includes class sessions in singing, acting, dancing, and crafting spaced between playtime, both indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) and a pair of nutrition breaks. Most days will include another special activity!
Every session is a full 10 days of camp working towards mandatory performances on the second Friday at 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm.
Campers may participate in only one session of Stage 1: Jitterbugs Camp each summer.
Fee:
$650 for the two-week session
(plus handling fee)
Dates and Times:
Session C: July 29 – August 9
Camp sessions are Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (including holidays)
Performances are held on the second Friday at 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm
Location:
Old Firehall Arts Centre
334 Wilson St E
Ancaster, ON L9G 2C2
Before & After Care
- We offer extended care before and after the regular camp hours.
- Morning Care: 7:30 am – 9:00 am, $12 per day
- Afternoon Care: 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm, $18 per day
- Both Morning Care and Afternoon Care: $30 per day
- Cancellation and full refunds are allowed up to and including the Friday before your selected dates begin. For example, if you registered for child care the week of Monday, July 15 – a full refund of your fee will be offered up until Friday, July 12.
- To ensure proper staff-to-child ratios, refunds will not be offered for days that your child does not attend the before and after care program once the session has already begun.
Mikayla Boccalon
Director
Mikayla is excited to lead the Jitterbugs staff and shine a spotlight on our youngest performers this year. She is a long-term occasional teacher with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts and obtained a Master of Arts in Child Study and Education in 2022. While her heart lies in Kindergarten, she loves sharing her passion for music, dance, and theatre with all of her K-6 students.
As a lifelong performer, Mikayla brings her years of dance and music training, along with her experience coordinating youth programs to Jitterbugs. She began her Theatre Ancaster journey as the Jitterbugs Dance Head Instructor in 2021 and she quickly found her home guiding young artists towards a lifelong love for the arts. She can now be found teaching in the Spring and Fall Jitterbugs and Skill Builders programs. Mikayla is honoured to have the opportunity to direct the Jitterbugs program and is looking forward to seeing these young performers take their place on a stage where every child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and shine!
FAQ
How do I know if my child is ready for Jitterbugs?
A child that is ready for Jitterbugs is able to sustain attention to a directed activity for at least ten minutes at a time and is able to attend camp independently without their parents. Children must be independent in using the washroom in order to participate. Of course, no experience in the arts is necessary!
What is your staff to camper ratio?
What training and qualifications do your staff hold?
Do you run camp in one big group or are the students broken up into smaller groups?
Do campers spend time outdoors?
Are there any excursions off-site?
Where and when do campers eat lunch? Is lunch included?
Is participation in the final performance mandatory?
How long are the final performances?
Typically, Jitterbugs final performances last about one hour including a presentation of certificates following the show. Doors open for audience seating a half hour before the performance begins.
What is your refund policy?
If a participant needs to withdraw from the program for any reason,
100% of the registration fee will be refunded before the beginning of the program.
75% of the registration fee will be refunded after the first class/rehearsal.
50% of the registration fee will be available after the second or third class/rehearsal.
No refunds will be issued after four classes/rehearsals.
All refunds at the participant’s request will be subject to a $25 administration fee.