CAMPERS AGES FIFTEEN - SEVENTEEN

SPECIAL NEEDS

The ages from fifteen through seventeen are an exciting time of life. But these years can be challenging for girls. Emotions can change quickly as they learn to deal with school, their friends, and adult expectations. Self-esteem is affected by success in extra curricular activities, school, and friendships, and girls tend to compare themselves with others. Negative influences like TV, magazines, and the Internet can add to a teenage girl's false ideas about their body image.

Girls ages fifteen - seventeen gradually develop the ability to think in more sophisticated, abstract ways, and they begin to perceive issues in shades of grey instead of black and white, as they gain a better understanding of concepts like morality, consequence, objectivity, and empathy. Although they may understand that people can see the same issue in different ways, they often are convinced their personal view is the one that is most correct. Attempts to answer the questions, "Who am I?" and "How do I fit in?" guide much of teens' emotional and social development. This can be a painful process full of anxiety. In response, teenage girls may behave unpredictably as emotions fluctuate seemingly at random. At times, teenage girls ages fifteen through seventeen may seem mature. Other times, they may act as if they are still in elementary school, especially with parents and close family members. Socially, teenage girls form new friendships, often with members of the opposite sex.

Leadership Programming for Teenage Girls

ADTC treats every girl as an individual with unique gifts and strengths. We are committed to maximizing girls’ self-development. Our camps provide girls with a safe environment to develop new dance and social skills, and build self-esteem that will lead to better life choices and an opportunity to realize their full potential.  We offer a totally distinct, custom curriculum for teenage girls that 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 girls develop a true sense of their personal power and potential and the outcomes are amazing!

ADTC programs for teens are girls-only, safe-space gatherings that meet daily after dance class. A typical teen session features a guided conversation led by one highly trained Adult Program Coordinator and an assisting Teen Facilitator. Topics might include school, body image, nutrition, relationships with family, friends and boys, careers, health or whatever the girls identify as pressing issues for them.

ADTC works with girls during the critical teen years, when personal choices that are made can have lifelong consequences. ADTC girls build leadership skills and character traits such as honesty, personal accountability, learning to listen to the viewpoints of others, clear communication, critical thinking about life and its choices and sound decision making. Through ADTC’s Goal Setting Initiative, girls learn a process for setting, working toward, evaluating, and reaching tangible goals. These are all skills essential to success in dance, school, work and life.

Specialty Camps for Teenage Girls

ULTIMATE TEEN TRAVEL Camps - Girls ages 13 - 17 can choose to participate in our TEEN TRAVEL camps & fly with ADTC staff between two or three ULTIMATE camp locations, spending one week as campers in each amazing location!

Leaders-In-Training Program - Girls ages 15 - 17 can apply to be "Leaders-In-Training" at any ADTC ULTIMATE Overnight Camp they attend for 3 + weeks (there is an additional fee to participate in the LIT program for less than 3 weeks).