Family YMCA Offers Specialty Camps for Gymnasts and Dancers This Summer

The Westport Weston Family YMCA offers an array of summer camps, classes, clinics and activities to keep your children active and engaged from the time school’s out until the new school year begins again.

The Y’s new Bedford Family Center at 14 Allen Raymond Lane in Westport now proudly shares a 32-acre campus with Camp Mahackeno, which has been offering local children classic summer day camp activities for more than 70 years.

The YMCA’s Strittmatter Family Aquatics Center, with its 10-lane lap pool and adjacent warm-water shallow pool, is the setting for the ever-popular Hafaday Swim Lesson Program, which gives kids ages 4-9 a great introduction to swimming and learning how to be safe around water safety.

But there’s much more in store for local children at the YMCA this summer, especially for young dancers and gymnasts:

Gymnastics and Cheer Camps
The YMCA Gymnastics Center at 145 Main St. in Norwalk offers a wide range of camps and special activities throughout the summer. Here’s just a partial list:

Summer Gymnastic Camp (ages 5 and up): Eight weekly sessions, from June 22 to August 14. Monday – Friday, 12 pm-4 pm. Start with gymnastics and games in our air-conditioned gym in Norwalk, and finish your day with swimming at the YMCA. (Drop-off at Gymnastics Center in Norwalk. Y buses transport gymnasts and coaches to the YMCA at 14 Allen Raymond Lane in Westport for swimming and pick-up.) Fee: $190/week, $50/day (no Y membership required).

NEW! Gymnastic Camp Full-Day Option (ages 5 and up): August 3-7 and August 10-14. Monday – Friday 8:45 am-4 pm; includes free swim. (Drop-off at Gymnastics Center in Norwalk. Y buses transport gymnasts and coaches to the YMCA at 14 Allen Raymond Lane in Westport for swimming and pick-up.) Fee: $250/week.

Summer Fantasy Gymnastics and Art Program (ages 3 1/2-6): Six weekly sessions, June 22 to July 30. Monday – Thursday, 9 am-12 noon. Gymnastics, add some games and an art project each day! Fee: $200 (no Y membership required).

NEW! Cheer Camp (ages 7-12): August 24-26. Monday-Wednesday, 9:00 am-3:00 pm. Focused on advancing tumbling, performance and stunting skills for the upcoming cheer season. Fee: $155 (no Y membership required)

There are also special camps for current and incoming members of the YMCA’s Showtime and Competition Gymnastics Teams. For more information about summer camps at the YMCA Gymnastics Center, please contact Sally Silverstein, Gymnastics Director, at 203-857-1139 or ssilverstein@westporty.org.

Dance Camps
Dance the summer away at one of our special week-long dance camps. Here are descriptions of the offerings:

V.I.P. (Very Important Princes & Princesses (ages 4-6): June 22-26. Monday-Friday, 1-2:30 pm. Campers will learn basic ballet steps and dance to all their fairy tale favorites! They will decorate wands and crowns and have fun creating their own “Prince and Princess” costumes. The V.I.P.s will perform a special dance number for family and friends on the last day of camp. Fee: $210 (No Y membership required).

Let’s Get Frozen (ages 3-5): July 13-17. Monday-Friday, 1-2:30 pm. This camp will be filled with activities, crafts and dance set to a “Frozen” theme. Campers will work each day on an item that will create a beautiful “Frozen” costume to perform in at the end of the week. Dancers will also learn choreography and combinations set to “Frozen” music. On Friday, there will be an End of Camp party with a performance by your dancer to showcase everything they have worked on. Fee: $210 (No Y membership required).

Hip Hop Funk (ages 6-9): July 21-31. Monday-Friday, 1-2:30 pm. Learn groovy, funky dance moves while listening to the most current and fresh hits. Kids will really enjoy this class, having fun while improving their skills as a dancer and at rhythm music coordination. Fee: $210 (No Y membership required).

Note that these dance camps take place in the early afternoon, after the morning Hafaday Swim Lesson Program. For more information about the dance camps, or combining them with Hafaday, contact Lillian Cenatiempo, Dance Director, at 203-226-8981 or lcenatiempo@westporty.org. Also please know that the Family YMCA’s Dance Center will also be offering a series of camps for Dance Company members in August.

For further details about the Family YMCA’s summer camps and programs, visit westporty.org, call 203-226-8981 or stop by the Bedford Family Center at 14 Allen Raymond Lane in Westport.