Departments

Welcome to a community of creators and dreamers. At Usdan, there is a place for everyone. Our goal is to give each student an opportunity to immerse themselves in new and existing passions with other young artists and to develop their individual creative voice.

Our Classic program offers instruction by experienced educators and professional artists in five art disciplines—Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, and Theater — and three specialty areas — Chess, Nature & Sustainability, and Recreational Arts. All that is needed to attend is an open mind and an excitement for the arts.

Students currently in grades K or 1 take part in our fun-filled and exploratory Discovery program.

Art

Young artists love the Art Department because of its diverse course offerings, its incredible teachers, and the opportunity it provides them to make friends who share their passion for creating.

Chess

Usdan’s Chess Department is uniquely designed to meet the needs of each player, whether that student is a new or experienced competitor. The Usdan Chess Ladder groups students in varying levels, from absolute novices to advanced tournament players.

Student writing camp in the woods of Long island

Creative Writing

Whether their preferred form is poetry, drama, short fiction, the novel, or nonfiction, our young storytellers have the opportunity to practice their writing in small, collaborative groups. Working in peaceful, open-air studios, writers build imaginative narratives and find their creative voices, while experimenting with the core elements of storytelling.

Dance

Dance instruction is rigorous but caring. Studios are spacious and mirrored, with soft floors and generous skylights that give an open-air effect. In culminating performances for the entire community, including friends and family, each class presents a new piece of choreography on Usdan’s main stage.

Music

Usdan’s Music Department features large ensemble concert bands and orchestras, in addition to vocal ensembles, jazz ensembles, and piano and guitar classes of varying levels, all led by our incredible music faculty, made up of experienced educators and professional musicians and conductors.

Smiling nature camp students on Long Island surrounded by a tortoise

Nature & Sustainability

Usdan’s forest is an ideal place to experience and learn about the natural world. Led by experienced nature educators, this hands-on program helps students foster a connection with the environment through exploration, creativity, and mindfulness.

Kids in Usdan swimming pool at kids summer camp on Long Island

Recreational Arts

The Recreational Arts Department supports students’ creative development by encouraging physical activity and play. Set in an idyllic forest, Usdan’s campus is designed for optimal enjoyment of fresh air and natural light. Children swim, play sports, and practice yoga and archery.

Kids sitting on stage and laughing at Theatre Camp on Long Island, NY

Theater

Usdan’s Theater Department is committed to educational excellence and promoting wonder and understanding in the world. Students perform in a full theatrical production and/or focus on specific skills, including acting, singing, physical movement, and auditioning.

Class	Session	Major/Minor
Festival Showrunners: Usher, Host & Capture!	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Recreational Camp	1-Week Rec Camp	Major
Chess	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor and Recreational Activity
Performance: Children’s Theater	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Performance: Musical Theater	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Performance: The Usdan Troupe	8-Week	Major
Theater Skills: Improvisation & Theater Games	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Theater Skills: The Actor Sings	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Archery	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
U Time	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Yoga	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Nature, Ecology & Design	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Seed to Snack: Edible Gardening	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Absolute Beginner Guitar Minor	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Absolute Beginner Piano Minor	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Chamber Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Composition: Classical Music	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Composition: Intro to DJ Basics and the History of Hip-Hop	4-Week A	Minor
Composition: Songwriting	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Concert Band	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Guitar Minor (1-2 Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Jazz Ensemble (Major)	4-Week A	Major
Jazz Ensemble (Minor)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Junior Piano Major (3+ Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Junior Vocal Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Orchestra	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Piano Minor (1-2 Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor
Senior Piano Major (4+ Years of Experience)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Senior Vocal Ensemble	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Ballet	4-Week A	Major
Broadway Jazz Dance	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Choreography	4-Week B	Major
Dance Adventure	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Hip Hop Dance (Major)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Hip Hop Dance (Minor)	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Tap Dance	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Creative Writing	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Creative Writing: Playwriting	4-Week B	Minor
Art Adventure	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Beginner Painting	4-Week B	Minor
Ceramics	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Comic Art	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Jewelry Making: Mixed Media	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
LEGO™ Construction	4-Week A 4-Week B	Minor and Recreational Activity
Painting & Drawing	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Photography	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major and Minor
Portfolio Development	4-Week A	Minor
Sculpture	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Sewing & Fashion Design	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major
Discovery	4-Week A 4-Week B	Major

Life at Usdan

Transportation

Festival Performances

The Campus