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Grantee: Olyvia Babinski / Comedy for Kids

Project Title: Free Dance and Comedy Camp For Kids at the Blue Door Theatre, August 4-8, 2025.
Year awarded: 2025, Round 2

A new weeklong Performing Arts Camp at Spokane’s Blue Door Theatre will offer youth ages 9–12 the opportunity to explore sketch comedy and dance, at no cost to families, thanks to support from SAGA funding. Running August 4–8, 2025, the camp will culminate in a public showcase on Friday, August 8 at noon. Led by comedian and founder of Comedy for Kids, Olyvia Babinski, the camp emphasizes accessibility, creativity, and confidence-building. Funding will ensure all instructors and staff are fairly compensated, scholarships are available for future programs, and participating kids are provided with materials and support to bring their ideas to life.

With tracks in both sketch comedy and dance, students will gain hands-on experience in writing, collaboration, stage presence, choreography, and emotional expression. The camp is powered by a dynamic, multigenerational team of Black women educators, including dance instructor and MBA-holder Prosparetti Coleman, veteran educator Jarretta Manning, and junior creative leader Nevaeh Coleman. This interdisciplinary, community-rooted program will introduce kids to the power of performance while fostering long-term engagement in the arts.