On a sunlit Friday in Ellerton, St. George, the walls of the Ellerton Community Centre echoed with laughter, rhythmic footwork, and cheers as young participants of Barbados’ National Summer Camp Programme capped off weeks of learning and growth with a dynamic cultural showcase. The end-of-program event was far more than a simple closing ceremony; it was a public celebration of the new skills, confidence, and cultural connection young campers had built throughout their time at the immersive cultural camp.
From high-energy folk dancing and graceful gymnastics routines to bold stilt walking performances and displays of handcrafted creative art, the showcase highlighted the breadth of activities the camp offered, all rooted in authentic Barbadian cultural heritage. Camp director Kahlyka Catwell shared that watching the children transform over the course of the program had been one of the most rewarding parts of her role. She noted that many older participants arrived hesitant, many saying they had only joined because their parents encouraged or required them to attend. But by the final day, every camper had embraced the experience and left with positive memories. “I was very proud of my kids, ‘cause normally, you know, the big ones that say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do nothing. I don’t want to do nothing. My parents forced me. I don’t want to be here.’ By the end of the day, they had a good time. And I’m very proud of them,” Catwell said.
Catwell explained that the cultural immersion program was designed to introduce children to a wide range of traditional Barbadian activities and creative arts. Beyond performance disciplines like dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking, campers got hands-on with a variety of crafts including painting, sand art, papier-mâché projects, and the traditional Bajan “shaggy bear” activity. Performances at the showcase were set to tracks from some of Barbados’ most iconic local artists, and iconic cultural figure Mother Sally was featured as a centerpiece of the event’s cultural programming. Between 25 and 40 children aged 6 to 12 took part in the core camp program, supported by a team of five dedicated counsellors and three specialized skill facilitators.
For 9-year-old participant Kelianna Mason, who tried her hand at dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking over the camp, the experience exceeded every expectation. Introduced to the program by her sister and grandmother, Mason said stilt walking quickly became her favorite activity, sparked by a long-held curiosity about the traditional practice. “I wanted to go to stilt walking ‘cause I seen people on stilts before. I wanted to know how to do it,” she explained. Mason encouraged other young people to join future iterations of the program, noting that it offers the chance to build new friendships and create personalized crafts to take home. “You should go to this camp because you will make new friends. You will have a bunch of activities to do of your choice and crafts to make that you can keep,” she said.
Ten-year-old Oliya Thorne, another multi-skilled participant who also competed dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking, returned to the camp for a second year after enjoying her first experience in 2023. Thorne, who lives in the Ellerton area, said this year’s program helped her grow significantly in confidence, especially under the guidance of stilt walking coach Michael Trotman. “Last year I didn’t have all of my courage, but now this year with Mike as my coach, I have more courage,” she said. Thorne added that the program prioritizes safety alongside skill-building, explaining that campers learned critical techniques like how to fall safely to avoid injury while practicing on stilts. “Yesterday we actually learned how to fall. We wanted to fall if we got on stilts. So, yesterday was the day we actually got to fall. We actually got to fall safely,” she shared.
First-year stilt walker Jakari Cadogan echoed that the early stages of learning the skill came with challenges, but consistent practice helped him master the basics and perform confidently on showcase day. “When I first went on stilts it was hard and it was easy, but all you want to do is keep on marching left, right, left, right. That’s what you want to do,” he explained. Cadogan added that the experience has boosted his overall confidence, and he plans to continue practicing stilt walking after the camp ends. The celebration was expanded to include campers from the nearby Ellerton Primary School summer camp, who kicked off the showcase with an energetic cheerleading routine that got the crowd cheering.
All cultural and skill activities throughout the program were led by a team of experienced local facilitators: gymnastics lead Michael Taitt, dance instructor Geraldine Lynch, and stilt walking coach Michael Trotman, who worked one-on-one with campers to help them build skills at their own pace.