AGE APPROPRIATE

At ADTC we promote growth and fun in an environment committed to safety. Girls are divided into living spaces and teams by age and participate in healthy, developmentally-appropriate activities and learning experiences.

WE HELP GIRLS FIND THEIR PERSONAL POWER & SELF-ESTEEM!

The major reason for ADTC’s continued success at providing a safe, supportive dance camp environment is our outstanding staff. We select staff because of their maturity, character, dance experience and ability to relate to and inspire young girls. In addition to nurturing team leaders, we also have professional dancers teaching all ADTC classes. Our overall camper to counselor ratio is 7:1.

We understand that growing up in the world today - inundated with new technologies and mixed messages from the media about the worth and role of women in society - can be confusing and tough to navigate for girls. Therefore, we base our programming on what girls characteristically need for healthy development, while also recognizing that the challenges and circumstances any individual camper faces may be unique.

We know that girls in general have needs:

• The need for physical safety and healthy physical development.
• The need for trust, love, respect, and validation from caring adults to foster healthy emotional development and form positive relationships.
• The need for positive female role models to develop a healthy identity as a woman.
• The need to belong and be accepted by their peer group, to feel competent and worthy (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).

We believe that every girl is precious with unique gifts and strengths. ADTC offers a totally distinct, custom curriculum for four primary age groups: Ten & Under; Eleven – Twelve; Thirteen – Fourteen; and Fifteen – Seventeen. Overall, our programming outside of dance focuses on helping girls build leadership skills like self-reflection, critical thinking, sound decision making, goal setting, clear communication and personal accountability. As a result, ADTC’s girls develop a true sense of their personal power and potential and the outcomes are awesome!

In the words of a 2008 & 2009 ADTC parent from Maine:

“My daughter has had a challenging life and dance helps her work out her emotions, develop self-esteem and strive for something better. The staff at ADTC recognize girls as individuals and provide excellent adult leadership and fantastic role models.”

SAFETY AT ADTC

The health and safety of each camper is the primary concern of each ADTC staff member. Supervision of campers by staff is ALWAYS constant. All our staff are certified in First Aid and CPR, and receive additional training in safety and health procedures during the week of staff training. All swim and waterfront staff and guides are certified lifeguards.