Drama camps are not held regularly, having been offered only on a few occasions between 2003 and 2007. Guoguang has held two types of drama camps: one is the Drama Experience Camp for adults, and the other is the Summer Camp for children. Participants of the first type include teachers of grade schools, junior high schools, and high schools; the goal of such a camp is to cultivate a group of “seed teachers” to disseminate knowledge of dramatic art. The second type focuses on basic education, and the goal is to plant the seeds of dramatic art in the hearts and minds of children.
For both camps, Guoguang offers courses rich in experience in which our members train participants in many basic skills found in Chinese Opera, such as shouting out loud to strengthen the voice, warming up exercises, taking stage steps, and practicing tanzi gong and bazi gong, so that participants go through the training process of actors. Inevitably, a session devoted to costumes is provided to participants, giving them the chance to dress themselves up as great emperors or brave generals, talented scholars or beautiful ladies, and even spirits or gods, allowing them to experience how actors feel on stage.
Besides such experience courses, the drama camps for teachers offer many courses on teaching methodology taught by experts and scholars so that the adult participants can have an overall understanding of the history and development of Chinese Opera and related cultural policies. Additional artistic courses help teachers teach Chinese Opera in the classroom. Many famous actors are invited to share their first-hand experience, and their presence generates much excitement among the participants. At summer camps many game courses, such as painting masks and singing with gongs and drums, have been designed for child participants to immerse themselves in the colorful world of drama in a stimulating atmosphere.
Drama experience camps designed for people of different age groups have gained much praise from participants. Such camps demand a great amount of effort and manpower, making it impossible to hold them regularly. The company has put on an increasing number of stage performances in recent years, leaving it with little time and manpower to spare. However, the drama camps held in the past continue to exert their influence. Many teachers who took part in the drama experience camps have become some of the most faithful supporters of the company; they not only attend performances regularly, but they bring along their students and other teachers as well. Some promote Chinese Opera by holding workshops in their schools in collaboration with the company. These seed teachers have become powerful volunteer workers of the company in the marketing the art of Chinese Opera.
