The University of Idaho Department of Theatre Arts is set to host its second annual aerial arts summer camp showcase this week, with two public performances at Hartung Theater in Moscow featuring student campers ranging in age from 7 to 18.
Hartung Theater is located at 625 Stadium Drive on the U of I campus. Tickets are general admission at $16, and children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at uitickets.com.
Two Nights, Two Different Showcases
The Friday, June 26 performance begins at 7 p.m. and spotlights teenagers who completed a two-week intensive camp. Those campers will perform individual routines on two aerial apparatuses of their choosing.
The Saturday, June 27 showcase takes place at 2 p.m. and features a younger group of campers, ages 7 to 12, performing group routines on silks, slings, and hoops — also known as lyra.
Both programs are taught by Theatre Arts faculty alongside members of the Gem State Flyers, a local performance troupe that specializes in aerial and circus arts. Instruction covers aerial silks, sling, and hoop techniques.
Building Confidence Through Circus Arts
Sarah Fogarty-Morrison, who is involved with the program, spoke to the personal and developmental impact the discipline can have on young performers. “Aerial arts have been such a wonderful force for strength and well-being in my life,” she said.
Fogarty-Morrison also described the broader mission behind bringing circus arts to student campers: “Circus and aerial arts are about inspiring awe, wonder and a belief in our capacity to do tough and sometimes scary things.”
The camp reflects a growing interest in integrating physical performance disciplines into formal arts education, giving young people in the Moscow area access to training not commonly offered through traditional school programs.
What Comes Next
Both performances are open to the public. Families looking to attend the Friday teen showcase should plan to arrive at Hartung Theater by 7 p.m., while those attending Saturday’s younger camper performance should arrive by 2 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at uitickets.com. The University of Idaho Theatre Arts Department has not yet announced dates for future camp sessions, but the showcase marks the second consecutive year the department has offered the program, suggesting it has become a regular summer offering on the Moscow campus.