Smirkus Camp '11 CIT Blog

The End of Camp and the Rose Award

2011-08-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

Ensemble campers put on an amazing show for parents and friends yesterday.

All their hard work the last two weeks made for an incredibly entertaining show!

After ensemble left individual acts got one last night of open training time.

They used it wisely.

Today Individual and Road Show gave their final performances for their screaming fans!

It was so exciting to see such a variety of acts!

You couldn't sleep through this.

Afterward everyone had one last chance to say goodbye.

We are sad this time is over but we look forward to learning and growing in the future.

The Rose Award

Before returning to parents, Road Show met with the Chris one last time to honor a camper who showed exceptional leadership and positive energy.

The Rose Award is the first of what will be a new tradition at camp for years to come.

And so the 2011 Circus Smirkus Camp comes to a close. Staff are now working hard to pack up the tents and clean the dorms until next year (we hope you left your rooms spotless!). Check out the Flickr Photo site to see all the pictures your counselors too over the last two weeks.

Many people have come and gone over the last two months, each leaving a lasting memory. We hope you will keep the Smirkus spirit alive over the coming months. Train hard and see you next year!

The Final Stretch

2011-08-12T08:59:00.001-04:00

This week Ensemble and Individual acts have been working hard on their end of week show.

There are going to be some awesome group acts in the show.

Many of the acts feature a mix of several different disciplines.

This group of talented campers is going to put on an amazing show!

Individual acts were preparing for their first dress rehearsal last night.

Each individual act has a story and character complete with costume and makeup.

Every act is unique and adds to the overall theme of the show.

This show will knock you out.

Road Show has also been having an exciting week. Each day they have traveled to different locations to perform their show!

This year is a high school theme.

Noone was left out from the fun.

See these pictures and more on the Smirkus Flickr Photo Site. Enjoy the show!

Fires Burn Despite the Apocalypse

2011-08-09T17:34:00.001-04:00

Life has continued to endure here at Smirkus Camp despite the recent zombie outbreak.

Two fire staffs at once!

Coaches talked campers through fire safety.

For many it was their first time juggling fire. He was surprised to find out that the handles are far trickier to catch in the darkness.

Other jugglers worked on their behind the back fire tricks.

Some campers worked on light sabers.

Others incorporated balance.

It was an awesome experience for everyone! Click here for more fire pictures and to see more from the last week.

Zombie Apocalypse!

2011-08-09T17:13:00.003-04:00

Campers waited as the sun set. News came over the radio that a terrible virus had escaped from the laboratories deep inside Florence.

The Original Zombie has escaped and all he wants to do is eat your brains!

They started the game completely defenseless against the horde--their first mission was the discover the armory so they could be gain high powered sock-munition to stun zombies.

Scientists from Florence Laboratories work frantically to isolate the virus in order to create an antidote, but they require fresh zombie samples in order to complete their tests!

Once armed, the remaining humans must defend VIPs and discover beacons in order to call the army to their rescue.

The virus was spreading fast and the hunger for brains was insatiable.

Zombies lurked around every corner--tension was in the air. Once the beacons were lit, the evacuation point was set!

Those remaining fought

to reach it--only two survived.

Can we ever rebuild? Will things ever be the way they once were? Will we ever be able to eat ground beef again? Click here for photographic evidence of the epidemic. Stay tuned for updates from ground zero.

Rainstorm!!

2011-08-03T10:33:00.000-04:00

Shortly after the first morning rotations began, there was a rumble in the distance.

A huge thunder and lightning storm was on its way, so we all moved to the gym and played dodgeball.

The storm didn't last long so we played until lunch.

Of course we did not forget to stretch and condition!

After lunch is was time for circus again.

Campers worked on multiple hoops.

They also worked on partner acro while relating to an object.

Some balancing tricks made it to juggling.

Cloud swing and rope tricks are improving as well.

Stay tuned for more pictures on the Smirkus Flickr Photo site.

Session V Begins!

2011-08-02T15:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday campers got right down to business in the tents working on their tumbling skills.

This session we have an awesome cloud swing coach!

Campers learned more advanced trapeze tricks (she is about to spin around the bar--yes it's really hard).

Coaches practiced passing diabolos with campers.

Road Show worked on jump rope!

Flexibility and balance were combined on the wire.

Advanced camp has extra conditioning sessions so campers can do more advanced tricks with ease.

One camper will be hooping for her individual act.

Double sling is another possible individual act. It is also just really fun.

They're already unicycling!

Session V is off to a great start! This morning we got a HUGE thunder and lightning storm that lasted about an hour. It wasn't a big deal because we all played dodgeball in the gym to pass the time! Click here to see your campers hard at work and check back as more are posted each day.

On the Eve of the Show

2011-07-29T00:42:00.000-04:00

Here at Smirkus, campers are busy from dawn until dusk with circus, games, and activities, so it is around this time, late in the week, that both campers and staff realize their time this session is coming to a close. Tonight we met in the gym after the dance for the Happy Circle of Happiness. In that circle campers had the chance to thank staff and friends for their time here. Campers said some beautiful things about how thankful they are for the coaches, counselors, and staff; how much they look forward to this camp every year, and how much they feel they have grown as a people.

Today campers worked hard on their acts for the upcoming show. These photos can be seen in detail here.

These photos are all about the fun campers had outside the tents on their last day at Smirkus Camp.

Tonight's dinner dress up was Cowboys vs Aliens vs Zombies!

Lilo and Stitch!

They gave a toast to the last day of Smirkus Camp!

Zombie wants....water?

This zombie means business.

The staff was getting into it.

It was a great last day.

See you all tomorrow!

The Home Stretch

2011-07-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

The second week of Session IV is drawing to a close! Campers are excited about seeing parents but are saddened that their time here has to end.

Campers are streamlining their fabric act so it will be smooth for the show on Friday.

Campers get in some extra practice during rigging changes.

In performance we work on style.

Campers have one or two half hour blocks off when they aren't in their performance group where they can rest and socialize.

They also get free juggling or unicycling time.

In the afternoon camper found out the Cleo the Circus Narwhal was missing!!

They questioned mysterious characters like the pirate, Mr. Black, and the Olympian to get clues for who did it, where they took her, and how they got there!

Dinner dress up was gender bender!

There were so many lovely dresses.

There were high heels involved in this costume too.

See more picture here as we prepare to greet our parents tomorrow!

Gold Rush and Staff Show

2011-07-27T20:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday campers worked on more partner acro.

They also continued to work on the end of week show!

Campers worked on spinning rope tricks.

Doubles lyra acts are starting to take shape.

Levitation skills were improving too.

After lunch we played Gold Rush!

Campers gathered gold, silver, and bronze while avoiding bandits.

In the evening campers enjoyed the Staff Show! It was an amazing night!

Right now half of the camepers are in the tents while the other half are having a game night. Click here to see more pictures from the tents and from Gold Rush!

Time for the Show!

2011-07-26T18:49:00.000-04:00

Campers have chosen two or three separate acts to perform in the end of week show! Every day campers will spend a larger portion of their day working toward a group act for Friday.

Acro class worked on cooperative group poses.

Coaches work with campers to hone tricks from the past week.

Like a pro.

She's gonna drop!

Poi is also going to be performed in the show!

Campers also worked on clowning and performance for the show.

Well, not everything was about the show.

He wins for creativity.

One often overlooked feature of Intermediate Session IV is an extra evening stretching and conditioning block.

If campers intend to progress to more advanced skills their bodies must be strong enough to attempt them safely.

It's really fun!

Camper Talent Show!

2011-07-25T16:50:00.000-04:00

The campers gave an amazing performance last night during the camper talent show, but before they showed us their non-circus talents, here is what took place earlier in the day...

Campers started working on more advanced partner balancing moves like the candlestick.

They also worked on flags with the rockstar assistance of a floor spotter.

Some campers did the advanced candlestick (no hands!!).

There was also some partner work happening in aerial.

Wrap tricks are also getting more advanced.

It was a beautiful day so many kids practiced stilts.

Campers were very excited about hooping in the sun.

Some started perfecting their levitation skills.

Dinner dress up was Star Wars vs Harry Potter.

Camper Talent Show!

There were some elegant dancers.

Some ducked into the tent for a while.

One camper twirled pieces of jeweled fabric.

There were also some crazy talents like popping the Mario theme with your mouth.

It was so much fun to watch! Campers are looking forward to the Staff Show tomorrow night on Tuesday, but until then they have started specializing on some acts for the show on Friday for parents!!

See these photos and more here on the Smirkus Flickr photo site.

Beach Day!

2011-07-24T09:52:00.001-04:00

Campers got an entire day off Saturday at Crystal lake playing in the water!

Some enjoyed the shade and played card and puzzle games.

Others could play on the swingset!

We played Land vs Sea to match water redirection and moat building against the bucket brigade!

Campers rode one of two buses.

We listened to Kidz Bop on one of them!

After dinner we gathered around a campfire and song lots of camp songs.

Then we roasted marshmallows and made smores.

At the end we used our hands to create a rainstorm.

Campers are back at the tents today, but they are also working on their acts for the Camper Talent show! It is a non-circus talent show so campers can sing or do magic or show us any unique tricks they know. See more pictures of beach day here!

Pirate Adventure

2011-07-23T17:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday campers had a ton of fun in partner acro. Everyone is getting so much stronger!

Campers started working on partner cartwheels.

Club juggling skills are soaring!

Campers worked on juggling and wire walking in Mama Mia.

Outside campers worked on all different sizes of unicycles.

After lunch campers played pirate adventure! They had to complete challenges in order to win pieces of a treasure map.

Some had to pretend to be squids and beached whales.

Some challenges were complete decoys.

Pirate Davey Jones is undercover as a ninja, but he forgot which of his lockers he put the pieces in, so they had to brave the rapids!

For dinner we continued the pirates vs ninja theme.

After dinner we met in Mama Mia and watched a movie!

Today campers went to the beach! After dinner they will enjoy a camp fire with smores! Check back soon for more pictures as they come in!

Staff Hunt!

2011-07-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Campers started walking all over each other in partner acro.

In juggling, campers got a chance to work with cigar boxes.

Those who worked on lyra learned some new advanced tricks.

In the afternoon campers played Staff Hunt!

Campers had to convince staff members to walk through a hoop for points. Some asked for a song or dance, others had a puzzle, while another asked campers to gargle the ABCs!

Some were skittish herbivores?

It was a nice hot day so campers enjoyed a victory soak.

It was Thursday, so that meant evening tent time for Group B!

A combination plate buffet increasing difficulty.

Straps were an option in the evening.

Campers also got a chance to focus more on rope and learn more advanced tricks.

To see these photos and more go to the Smirkus CIT Flickr account page!

Smirkus Olympics!

2011-07-22T23:41:00.000-04:00

Campers competed in their four rotation groups during the morning and the afternoon Wednesday.

They started with a relay race where campers took turns juggling one to three balls around a hoop...

...along a rope...

...between cones, and on their knees!

Next they completed hoop challenges.

They also passed diabolos in pairs over greater and greater distances.

For dinner dress up we all wore team spirit! One of the team's names is Crosby's mustache! (She was one of the winners of a prize for the best dressed!)

Others wore team colors.

After dinner we played rounds of ultimate frisbee to decide the over all winners!

Those who were on deck played dodgeball in the gym.

Over all it was a ton of fun and everyone was a great sport! See these pictures on the Flickr blog.

Pie Day!

2011-07-20T19:29:00.000-04:00

Campers got right to work today during morning rotations.

They worked on lyra during aerial.

Campers took turns trying to hold as many clubs as possible.

They turned up the heat in rolla bola! That's impressive!

Campers worked on their stilt walking skills.

This is an awesome contortion handstand!

After lunch campers enjoyed Pie Day where even staff could join in.

Dinner dress up was a lot of fun with jocks vs nerds.

Campers started their first rotations in the evening. Half of the campers went to the tents while the other played kickball. On Thursday the groups will switch.

Around the leg!

Campers are competing in the Smirkus Olympics today! Tune in tomorrow to see who wins eternal glory (and first dibs on lunch!).

Click here to see the Session IV Flickr photo site!

Session IV Begins!

2011-07-19T14:03:00.000-04:00

After registration everyone met on the quad to juggle and mingle.

After parents left, we all met on Squishy Field to play intro games.

The next day they finished breakfast and got started with the morning run.

They practiced their balancing skills in acro.

They got right down to business in aerial class.

In juggling they started with three balls.

They also started working on tight wire.

It was a bright sunny day so campers worked on their unicycle skills.

After circus we played games on the quad like giants/wizards/elves.

Stay tuned for more updates from Smirkus Camp! Click here to see these photos and more uploaded daily.

Harry Potter!

2011-07-15T09:19:00.000-04:00

We were so excited about the premiere for the new Harry Potter movie that we all donned our wizard robes for dinner last night! There were Gryffyndors and HufflePuffs, magical creatures and enchanted broomsticks. Everyone was so creative! We had a Hedwig the owl and one counselor even dyed his hair so he could be Draco Malfoy! The dining hall tables were arranged into four rows of house tables and each of the campers' rotation groups had a mascot! It was tons of fun.

Photos coming soon!

More Sunny Days

2011-07-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

Circus has been cranked up a notch here at Smirkus Camp!

Campers started practicing for two-highs.

Soon he will be standing on her shoulders!

Some jugglers are up to five balls!

Silks tricks are getting more exciting.

She looks like a natural.

Everyone was working hard.

They brought out some slapstick comedy relief.

Ouch. Convincing.

After lunch campers played Gold Rush, a wild west themed adventure game where anything can happen!

Dinner dress up was everyone's favorite--gender bender! This week everyone pulled out the stops.

After dinner was the Camper Talent Show! There were magic tricks, group dances, and poetry!

There were also many talented singers and musicians.

Stay tuned for more updates from Session III!

Unicycle and Staff Hunt!

2011-07-13T09:44:00.000-04:00

Campers tried out new circus skills yesterday and got to try riding unicycle!

It was another beautiful day.

Campers also tried walking on stilts.

Campers worked on static trapeze.

They also started working on partner acrobalance.

In juggling campers tried to catch as many pins as possible without dropping.

They also worked with diabolo!

Some people got creative with spinning "plate."

After lunch it was Pie day!

Campers joined teams and raced to pie each other as fast as possible.

They also played rock/paper/scissors to find the ultimate victor!

Campers went to dinner with a Pirates vs ninjas theme.

Next they played Staff Hunt!

They had to work together to "capture" the staff by completing different tasks.

Stay tuned for more updates from Smirkus camp and check out these photos and more on the Smirkus Flickr account.

First Day of Circus!

2011-07-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some updates from the day so far!

After breakfast, a groggy but excited group of campers prepared for the morning run!

After the run, campers stretched their arms and legs so they would be prepared for the circus to come.

Good thing too! Campers are divided into their groups and go through four rotations every morning--this one is acrobatics.

In acro they work on tumbling, handstands, partner balancing, and other floor skills!

Another rotation is clowning. Here campers practice playing a character or emotion.

They also play improvisation games and learn to be creative!

It has been really hot today so campers take many water breaks.

Spirits are as high as the temperature!

Campers were able to try the lyra or aerial hoop.

They also started to learn about aerial silks.

Campers also worked on their three ball skills today!

Many happy jugglers.

Right now campers are back at the tents for choice time, where they get extra time with whatever apparatus they liked the most this morning. See this morning's batch of photos here at the Smirkus Flickr photo site and come back for more updates!

Session III Begins!

2011-07-10T21:50:00.002-04:00

Campers arrived on a beautiful sunny day and eagerly brought their belongings into their rooms. Once registered everyone mingled on the quad and juggled. Parents departed and campers met on Squishy Field to learn names and play games!

Playing ninja fighter.

We played a huge game of rock/paper/scissors to find the ultimate victor!

Everyone had fun, but we were all getting hungry.

We walked up to the dining hall for sustenance with our new friends.

After dinner the counselors taught everyone about camp rules.

We finished the evening playing games!

Campers went to bed at 9 and will rise early tomorrow for their first day of circus!

See these photos and more on the Session III Flickr Photo Site! Photos will be updated in the evening so stay posted!

Smirkus Tour!

2011-07-07T11:25:00.001-04:00

Yesterday campers crowded onto the bus following afternoon rotations and went to Essex Junction to see the Smirkus Big Top Tour! What a wonderful show! The theme was news reporting and featured acts in Chinese pole, lyra, juggling, diabolo, and much more. Campers could see the moves they have learned these last two weeks in action and also see what the future can hold. After the show they got a chance to ask the performers questions such as how did they get into circus (nearly all of them had been Smirkus campers previously), and how long had they been training. It was a blast!

Camp Fire and Staff Show

2011-07-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Campers sang songs and made smores during the camp fire.

They sang lots of songs and also played a game where they made a rainstorm.

Campers have learned so many new skills during the last 10 days!

She's a natural!

Campers are getting more comfortable on their apparatus as they get more time to practice.

Acrobalance group work has been a focus.

Campers have been learning to stand two-high!

Even our unicyclers are getting tall.

Campers visited the olde west playing Gold Rush for the afternoon activity.

The evening was all about preparing for the staff show, so their dinner dress up was Staff Impersonation!

Campers got to see their coaches' and counselors' many amazing talents, from duo trapeze to tap dancing, from contact juggling to acrobalance, from clowning to fire poi! For the big finale...a dance party!

Tonight campers have a very special treat! They are going to see the Smirkus Big Top Tour! All of the children performing in this show used to be Smirkus campers. Everyone is so excited!

What a Weekend!

2011-07-04T15:04:00.001-04:00

Campers competed in the Smirkus Olympics on Friday. It was a whole afternoon and evening event that included relay races and tug of war! Campers also wore team spirit for dinner dress up.

Tug of war is serious business.

During the relay race campers quick-changed a set of goofy clothes then completed tasks like hula hoop.

On Saturday campers could sleep in until 9:30! They got up and ate a delicious brunch that included fried chicken and waffles with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. Afterwards, campers rode a bus to Crystal Lake where they enjoyed the sunshine.

It was a perfect 85 degree day and many campers built sand castles.

Campers played Land vs Sea in which the land team must quickly build dams and moats to stop the flow of water from the water team's bucket brigade.

It was a very intense game!

Some campers got tired of the water and felt like swinging.

Others took the chance to catch up on reading and relaxing.

On Sunday it was back to circus again. Campers worked hard on their conditioning and circus skills. In the evening, they played improvisation games on the quad to work on their clowning skills!

This one was an interpretation of spirited shouting.

This was a game called party quirks where she had to guess what was unusual about how they were acting. Can you figure out what they are? *See bottom.

Today is a hot day which is good for unicycling and stilt walking but also great for perspiration, so campers have been encouraged to refill their water bottles as many times as possible. It is 3pm so campers are about to start their afternoon activity--water games!

Tonight's dinner dress up is America. After the kids are finished being patriotic, they will enjoy smores during a camp fire. We can't wait! See these pictures and more on the Session II Flickr site!

*The camper on the ground is a dolphin and the camper with no arms...has no arms.

Pie Day and the Talent Show!

2011-07-01T09:51:00.000-04:00

Pie Day was a ton of fun for campers. First they got to pie a counselor or coach of their choice. Next, they played rock/paper/scissors until they found an ultimate winner!

He won the biggest pie of all!

Snow campers.

In the evening, campers performed their non-circus talents in the Camper Talent Show! Some sang songs, others had crazy flexibility!

Some were their own thing entirely!

But it's not all fun and games here at Smirkus. Or at least, it's not all games... We practiced our circus skills too!

Some campers started partner trapeze work.

Ok, we did play games, but they were improvisation games!

They learned about slapstick comedy--literally.

Thursday's theme was pirates vs ninjas, so for the evening activity campers completed a Pirate Scavenger hunt to find the treasarrr!

Campers followed clues and puzzle pieces to find the pirate booty.

Fun was had by all.

Photos are updated every day to the Session II Flickr account, so don't miss out! Today is the full day Smirkus Olympics! May the best team win.

Staff Hunt!

2011-06-29T10:29:00.001-04:00

Yesterday the weather was sunny and beautiful, which meant is was time to unicycle!!

After dinner, evening activity was Staff Hunt! Campers joined teams and tried to coax coaches and counselors through a hoop, but they only succeeded if they completed the staff challenge.

One of the campers' favorite challenges was to gargle the ABC's without laughing or spilling.

Sometimes coaches were just so worn out from the day's work they needed help to get through the hoop...

Right now, campers are working on their circus skills before lunch, and after choice time their afternoon activity is Pie Day!

A Nice Warm Day

2011-06-27T18:58:00.002-04:00

This session is getting a great start with breezy warm weather. Our campers got their first taste of the big top after the morning run, where they got to try a few new tricks...

Wire walking is great practice for balance.

I think he liked lyra!

This was her first time trying aerial silks.

They also practiced clowning and improvisation skills.

It got a little warm so we played water games for the

afternoon activity. Counselors were the first to get wet...

...but they soon got their revenge!

For dinner dress-up, campers wore plaid or stripes or a combination of the two!

At this moment, campers are on their way to the quad for Capture the Flag! We can't wait!

New Session II Campers!

2011-06-26T21:53:00.000-04:00

A fresh new batch of happy campers rolled in to Circus Smirkus Camp today!

Campers juggled with their counselors and coaches on the front lawn.

After parents filed away, everyone met on Squishy Field to engage in friendly team building exercises, such as name games and Ninja/Bear/Hunter, a more animated version of rock/paper/scissors.

It started raining just in time for dinner, but that didn't slow anyone down. Campers played banana tag in the gymnasium for their evening activity and went to bed promptly at 9 to prepare for an early rise and the days ahead!

See these photos and more on the Circus Smirkus Flickr page! You can access this by clicking "Links" on the top right of this page, and by clicking "Smirkus Camp Flickr Photo Site," or by clicking here to go directly to the Session II page!

Gearing Up for the End of Week Show

2011-06-24T21:29:00.000-04:00

Campers worked in the tents all day to hone their favorite skills. Many practiced aerial, juggling, diabolo, wire, and stilt walking. Here are some highlights from the afternoon!

After training, campers enjoyed gender bender dinner with many a dashing lad and lovely lady. Soon after they had fun in glow stick filled dance. Many were very tired and sweaty! Everyone has had so much fun and is so happy to be here.

This Week in Session I

2011-06-24T14:59:00.000-04:00

So far today, campers have spent the morning practicing circus skills in the big top. While they take a break during free activity C.A.T.C.H. time, here are some of this week's highlights...

Kids practiced their balancing skills on unicycle and rola bola.

Practicing static trapeze and hanging upside down on lyra.

Creativity is an important skill passed down from counselor to camper.

Kids took time off for afternoon improvisation games.

Chinese Pole is very popular this session.

On Wednesday campers played Gold Rush.

Here are some campers working on acro today.

Pants!

Dinner Theme: Pirates vs. Ninjas

Everyone got messy on Pie Day!

We played Rock, Paper, Scissors until we found an overall winner.

Pie-beard and...Pie-stache?

We love camp!

Session I photos are now up to date! Click here to see the these pictures and many more on our Flickr account. The album will be updated regularly so check back soon for the latest pictures and activities!

Session I Photos are now on Flickr!

2011-06-23T22:26:00.003-04:00

Campers had an eventful day as they had the opportunity to focus on whichever circus skills they fancied so far this week! Campers could choose their favorite apparatus and work on improving their technique and learning new skills! Afternoon activity was also a smash hit, as our kids got everyone (including coaches and counselors!) messy during Pie Day. Once they had washed up, campers enthusiastically took part in a pants themed dinner--who knew pants were so versatile?

The wait is over! The first half of Session I photos are now available on our Flickr account. Use the "Links" tab and click "Smirkus Camp Flickr Photo Site" to see your campers in action or click here to go directly to Session I! The second half of the photos will be posted tomorrow, followed by Smirkling Camp. Thank you very much for your patience as we sorted out our uploading issue!

Another great day!

2011-06-22T22:12:00.001-04:00

What another fantastic circus day! Campers worked hard and remembered to drink their water today - it was pretty warm. Yoga strengthening, slapstick falls and an acro obstacle course were some of the highlights in the tents today. We traveled to the Wild West this afternoon for Gold Rush and after dinner, many campers shared their non-circus talents at the Camper Talent Show. Magic, music, dancing and jokes - we had it all. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Session I campers having a great time!

2011-06-21T16:53:00.000-04:00

Our Session I campers arrived on Sunday afternoon, checked in and then got to play some super fun games in the field. They also got the chance to meet the other campers in their tent rotation groups. In the evening, there were more great games and a review of the rules in the form of a Smirkus Camp newscast. The dorms were filled with lots of talking and laughing on Sunday evening before bed.

Monday brought sunny skies and warm weather. Campers were trying their hands at juggling, unicycling, Spanish web, fabric, acrobatics and slapstick. The dinner dress-up was Ridiculous and campers certainly were! A rousing game of Capture the Flag topped off the day.

Today, Tuesday, campers have been busy in the the tents with a trapeze obstacle course, back handsprings, water spitting and more unicycling. Alaskan Baseball is being played on the quad as this is typed, after which campers will be getting ready for dinner. The theme? The letter D. We'll see what they come up with!

We have taken tons of pictures but have had difficulty with downloading them the last couple of days. We will keep posting this week and will keep you updated as to when photos will be accessible on our Flickr account.

Smirkling Camp Photo Update

2011-06-21T16:40:00.000-04:00

Smirkling Camp was a great success! The Showcase and Pie Day were super fun and we were sad to see the campers head home. We know that parents are patiently awaiting the photos from the session - there were many photos taken! We have been experiencing difficulties with downloading the photos to our Flickr account. We will keep you posted as we tackle this problem. Thank you for your patience!

Smirkling Camp is off and running

2011-06-17T23:06:00.001-04:00

Smirkus Camp is off to an exciting start! Smirklings had a great time in the tents trying out the tight wire and trapeze, plate spinning and scarf juggling, walking on rolling globes, water spitting and tumbling. The activities out of the tents were just as fun! A treasure hunt, tag games and super hero dinner were all part of the day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Advanced Camp - Day Five

2010-08-08T21:30:00.000-04:00

The Road Show finished putting together their costumes!

Campers worked on pyramids in Acrobatics.

In Aerials campers worked on the fabric.

Water spitting was a popular class.

Campers tried balancing on the unicycle - on the wire!

Everyone was hard at work!

Advanced Camp - Day Four

2010-08-06T16:58:00.000-04:00

Campers were hard at work on Thursday.

Road Show worked their juggling act.

In Juggling class the rest of camp worked on other props like Poi.

Campers honed their diabolo skills.

The Road Show is close to having their show complete!

Campers tested their balance on the wire.

In Aerials campers worked on Lyra.

Advanced Camp - Day Three

2010-08-05T09:38:00.006-04:00

Wednesday was another great day of circus!

The Road Show is hard at work creating their Olympic themed show.

Campers fly high off the mini tramp during Acrobatics.

In Aerials campers worked on trapeze.

In Juggling everyone played juggling games like club collecting.

Road Show is putting finish touches on some clown acts.

Advanced Camp - Day Two

2010-08-04T09:45:00.000-04:00

The Road Show is working hard on putting together acts.

Campers find their balance on the wire.

In Aerials campers worked with partners.

Jugglers practiced passing

There were lots of campers in the air.

Most importantly, there were lots of smiles!

Advanced Camp - Day One

2010-08-03T18:48:00.000-04:00

Monday was the first day of Advanced Camp!

In Aerials campers worked on straps.

In Acrobatics campers did partner work.

Jugglers worked on passing.

The Road Show started working on putting together their show.

Everyone was glad to be back in the ring!

Session IV - Day Ten

2010-07-29T10:17:00.008-04:00

Today the campers started to put together acts for the show!

Campers each chose three acts to be in.

Partner acrobatics worked on group pyramids.

Some campers will be showing off their unicycle skills during pre-show.

The clowns started rehearsing their gags.

Aerials was a very popular act choice.

Session IV - Day Nine

2010-07-28T13:26:00.007-04:00

Tuesday was the last full day of circus classes.

Jugglers worked on balancing their props.

Campers worked on more advanced tricks on the rolling globe.

Campers who have mastered juggling clubs were allowed to juggle fire!

Club passers worked on more complicated passing patterns.

In Acrobatics campers continued to perfect their handstands.

Session IV - Day Eight

2010-07-27T09:18:00.006-04:00

Campers put the finishing touches on their gags in Clowning class.

In Balance campers try more advanced skills.

Club passers worked on complicated patterns in Juggling.

Tight wire continued to be a popular class.

In Acrobatics campers worked on group pyramids.

In Aerials campers worked on fabric.

Session IV - Day Seven

2010-07-26T13:09:00.005-04:00

Campers were back to work on Sunday!

Chinese pole is quickly becoming a favorite.

Campers continue to learn more advanced skills in Aerials class.

Today's afternoon activity was pie day!

Campers pied their counselors!

Then the counselors pied the campers!

Everyone was covered in soap!

Session IV - Days Five and Six

2010-07-25T13:13:00.000-04:00

Friday was another great day of circus!

A camper works on two diabolos.

There was lots of laughter coming from the clowning tent.

On Saturday the whole camp took a day off from circus and headed to the beach!

One group of campers tried to throw their counselor in the water!

Some of the campers made a giant sand castle!

Session IV - Day Four

2010-07-23T12:41:00.008-04:00

There was all around silliness in clowning class.

Campers worked on partner acrobatics in Acro class.

In Aerials campers worked on more advanced skills.

Some campers worked on Chinese Pole.

Campers worked on splits on the fabric.

Campers had lots of fun doing tucks on the mini tramp!

In Aerials campers also worked on lyra.

Campers tested their balance as they learned to walk the tight wire.

Session IV - Day Three

2010-07-22T11:35:00.000-04:00

Wednesday was another great day of circus!

In Aerials campers worked on drops on the fabric.

Campers played juggling games like club collecting in Juggling class.

The Clowning tent was full of silliness, as usual.

Campers worked on juggling with a partner.

Our evening activity was a Camper Talent Show!

We had singing, dancing, and even some musical instruments!

Session IV - Day Two

2010-07-21T09:12:00.000-04:00

In Aerials class the campers worked on spanish web.

Campers worked on perfecting three ball juggling.

In Juggling class new props were introduced.

In Acrobatics campers work on their handstands.

Chinese pole was a popular afternoon class.

Some campers practiced juggling clubs.

Session IV - Day One

2010-07-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of circus for Session IV!

In Clowning class the campers played improv games.

In Juggling class everyone worked on three ball juggling.

Campers worked on trapeze in Aerials.

Unicycling was a popular afternoon choice.

Campers played more group games in Clowning.

Tightwire was another popular afternoon class.

Evening activity was tag games!

Session III - Day Four

2010-07-16T08:31:00.000-04:00

In Aerials campers worked on fabric.

The campers learned more advanced skills on trapeze.

Some campers practiced unicycling.

Campers worked on combining juggling and balance.

Rolling globes was a popular afternoon class.

Afternoon activity was Pie Day!

Campers got to pie their counselors.

Then the counselors pied the campers! Everyone was covered in soap!

Session III - Day Three

2010-07-15T08:28:00.000-04:00

In Aerials the campers worked on trapeze.

In Juggling campers played games like club collecting.

In Acrobatics campers built group pyramids.

In Aerials campers spun on the spanish web.

Campers used their balance to walk the tight wire.

Our evening activity was a camper talent show!

Campers showed off their non-circus skills.

Session III - Day Two

2010-07-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

In Aerials the campers worked on trapeze.

In Acrobatics everyone practiced their handstands.

Campers also worked on fabric in Aerials.

In Juggling the campers worked with a new prop: cigar boxes.

In Aerials the lyra was introduced.

Campers worked on their balance while working with rolling globes.

Session III - Day One

2010-07-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

Monday was the first day of circus!

In Clowning class the campers worked on expressing emotions.

In Juggling the campers worked on devil sticks.

Campers spent their first morning in Aerials learning trapeze.

The jugglers took advantage of the nice weather and practiced outside.

Campers practiced unicycling in the afternoon.

The whole camp spent the evening playing tag games.

Session II - Day Nine

2010-07-07T13:38:00.001-04:00

Campers enjoyed the sunshine as they juggled outside.

In Aerials campers worked on trapeze.

Campers practiced their balance by walking tightwire.

In Acrobatics campers worked on pyramids.

Fabric was a popular afternoon class.

The stiltwalkers went for a walk in the grass.

In Aerials campers worked on new skills.

Campers struck a pose during the middle of mini-tramp!

Camp Photos!

2010-07-06T14:40:00.000-04:00

Want to see more camp photos? Check out our Flickr Site!

Hundreds of photos are uploaded each day!

Session II - Day Eight

2010-07-06T14:38:00.000-04:00

In Aerials campers worked on fabric.

Other campers worked on their trapeze skills.

It was super hot outside, so there was a lot of water bottle filling!

In Acrobatics campers worked on pyramids.

Some of the more advanced club jugglers got an opportunity to juggle fire!

Juggling coaches demonstrated how to juggle torches safely.

After a long day of circus the campers spent the afternoon cooling off.

After an all camp water fight everyone was soaked!

Session II - Days Six and Seven

2010-07-05T10:18:00.000-04:00

On Saturday the whole camp went to the beach!

Everyone enjoyed the sun, sand, and a day off from circus.

Sunday was back to work in the tents!

In Clowning the campers continue to work on group exercises.

Stilters enjoyed a walk in the grass.

Campers built whole group pyramids in Acrobatics.

Campers practiced their skills on Perch.

The Afternoon Activity was Pie Day! Campers got to pie their counselors.

Then their counselors got to pie them back!

Everyone was covered in pie!

Session II - Day Five

2010-07-04T09:10:00.000-04:00

Campers enjoy the sunshine as they work outside the tent.

In Juggling campers worked with new props.

In Clowning the campers worked on group gags.

The campers continue to work on more advanced skills in Aerials.

In Acrobatics the campers work on two highs.

The Afternoon Activity was Gold Rush!

The whole camp piled onto the mats in Mama Mia for movie night!

Session II - Day Four

2010-07-02T09:54:00.000-04:00

In Aerials campers spun on the web.

Campers worked on gags in Clowning class.

Straps were a popular choice in Aerials.

Campers learned more advanced skills on the fabric.

In Juggling class campers tried out partner juggling.

In Acrobatics campers worked on two-highs.

Campers also worked on group pyramids in Acrobatics.

For evening activity we had a Camper Talent Show!

We had lots of dance numbers, guitars, and songs!

Session II - Day Three

2010-07-01T15:19:00.000-04:00

In Aerials campers worked on more advanced skills on the fabric.

In Clowning campers played improvisation games.

During afternoon choice time some campers worked on contortion and flexibility.

Other campers worked on straps.

Handstands were also a popular class.

The whole camp went to see the Smirkus Big Top Tour! It is a circus tradition to be pied on your birthday, and one camper was lucky enough to receive a pie from Big Top Tour Artistic Director Troy Wunderle!

Session II - Day Two

2010-06-29T21:40:00.001-04:00

In Aerials class the campers tried out their skills on the lyra.

Campers also worked on climbing the fabric.

On trapeze campers learned more advanced tricks.

In Juggling class the campers worked on the diabolo.

Water spitting was a popular afternoon class.

Doubles trapeze was also offered as a class in the afternoon.

In Acrobatics the campers worked on handstands.

Session II - Day One

2010-06-28T21:22:00.002-04:00

In Aerials camper worked on trapeze.

Campers built pyramids in Acrobatics class.

In Juggling campers played games like club collecting.

One of the choices for the afternoon was Perch.

Another popular choice was Unicycling.

For Afternoon Activity some campers chose to make sidewalk art.

The theme for dinner was "Ridiculous!"

For Evening Activity campers played tag games.

Before bed campers hung out in the hallway writing letters and drawing.

Session One - Day Four

2010-06-25T11:31:00.001-04:00

New props were introduced in Juggling class.

Lunch was, once again, delicious.

In clowning class the campers worked on group gags.

In Aerials campers worked on fabric.

Campers built pyramids in Acrobatics.

Afternoon activity was PIE DAY!

Campers got to pie the counselors!

Then the counselors pied the campers.

Everyone got pied!

Session I - Day Three

2010-06-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

In Clowning class the campers worked on gags.

Campers worked on mastering the devil sticks in Juggling.

A group of happy campers struck a pose for the camera!

Campers worked on tucks on the mini tramp.

Aerials was a popular class during choice time.

Session I - Day Two

2010-06-23T11:43:00.001-04:00

In Juggling class the campers worked on spinning plates.

The mini tramp was the highlight of Acrobatics.

In Aerials campers worked on trapeze on fabric.

Lots of laughs were heard coming from the Clowning tent.

During afternoon tent time some campers worked on rolling globe.

Others practiced more advanced skills on the trapeze.

The whole camp enjoyed an evening of tag games before bed.

Session I - Day One

2010-06-21T22:44:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of circus for the campers of Session I!

The first of many delicious meals in the Lyndon Institute Dining Hall.

Pyramids were a popular choice during afternoon tent time.

In acrobatics campers worked on two-highs.

Trapeze was a popular choice during Aerials class.

Campers learned how to tie a foot knot on the fabric.

During the afternoon the campers practiced their balance on the rolling globe.