The Dance of Camp

Watch camp long enough and you’ll notice something: nobody here just walks anywhere. They dance. They skip. They run. They griddy. They burst into song, leaping for joy.

We are six days into this session now, and we have found our rhythm. It has nothing to do with a schedule or routine and everything to do with the way our cabins have found their footing together. Today that rhythm carried our cabin groups through a full day of fun in the sun, and I watched something shift as campers and staff in their cabin groups started to feel like a family.

Here’s what six days away from screens and being fully present does for a kid: it gives them their whole self back. No phones buzzing, no tv series to binge watch, no video games waiting to be leveled up. Just play, adventure, laughter, and the particular, unhurried joy that only shows up when a kid is completely, unmistakably FREE. And in that space, I have watched campers become more than who they were on day one of camp: more confident, more outgoing, better communicators, better friends, more active, more patient, more compassionate, more willing to forgive themselves and each other when something doesn’t go right the first time.

That is the real dance of camp — not the one with music, though we have those too. The dance of camp is the one where a camper learns to show up fully for the people around them, and it slowly changes them from the inside out.

This quote has been on my mind today. I don’t know who said it, but they must have gone to camp. Camp is that in-between moment. A camper here is not who they were the day you, their parents, dropped them off, and they are not yet who they’ll be when this session ends. They are living in the space in the middle — the becoming — and this week, I’ve loved watching our cabins dance through it together.

Tonight, the dancing wasn’t a figure of speech at all. Tonight was Rockin with the Activity Counselors, and it was fantastic! Cabin after cabin got on stage with their chosen AC to perform a dance routine for all of camp. The acts were so creative, and I loved the way they chose to make their AC the star of the show. One cabin chose to do a popular campfire song called Maria, but instead they did it with Malia, our Sports Division Head. It was precious. Another cabin did kung fu fighting with their AC dressed up like a panda bear. There was a cabin who danced to Baby Baby with their AC “Justin Bieber.” Another cabin dressed up as the leadership team (with spot on impersonations) and danced. Tonight’s winner, the Barden Bellas from Pitch Perfect - Cabin 4 and Jeremy, our riflery instructor. It was an unforgettable night that had me smiling and dancing in my seat!

As I sat proudly watching our cabins courageously perform tonight, I thought about the quote again. Because dancing — whether it’s a choreographed routine in front of the whole camp, or just a camper griddying their way to breakfast — is really just saying yes to the moment. The truth is, there’s always a reason to dance at Camp Highlander. Tonight, we just happened to put music to it.

Favorite Details of The Day

• Reflect at the Rock: Today Emily read us the book Each Kindness. It is a story about a girl and her classmates who reject a new student. After the new student moves away, their teacher demonstrates how a single act of kindness sends ripples through the world. Stung by regret, the students realize they missed the chance to be
• Weather: Sunshine all day. We had a strange threat of rain late this afternoon with thunder, but no rain. No complaints!
• Meals: For breakfast we had cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs and bacon. We also enjoyed fresh fruit, yogurt and granola. For lunch we had chicken quesadillas and cheese quesadillas with chips, salsa and homemade guacamole. We had a sandwich bar and a salad bar. For dinner, everyone was so excited for pizza night - Papa John’s! . Everyone broke out in the Gus’ chant and so we got candy AND soda tonight after camper’s choice sign ups!
• Evening Program: ROCKIN WITH THE AC’S!