Last Friday, at the 35th anniversary party and performance of Pam Benjamin’s brainchild, Sense of Wonder Camp, Benjamin shared her mission statement with the audience of proud parents, friends, campers, and counselors — some from as far away as the Ivory Coast, New Zealand, and Poland: “I’m so grateful that all of my passions have come together … to educate young people through creative arts so they can embrace diverse cultures, … inspiring each other, leaving as friends.”
The Sense of Wonder Camp, started by Pam in 1991, still takes place in her backyard and art studio in Vineyard Haven. She directs a camp each summer, and classes during the winter, with art, music, and creative dance offered for children from ages 7 through 12. Then teens become “leaders in training,” joining college-age counselors interested in music and art jobs for the summer — all following the program of activities set by Benjamin each year. Visiting artists and musicians come to the camp for weeklong programs; some stay for the entire week, others may drop in for a single talk or lesson, all at Benjamin’s invitation. This summer, the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers, Erik and Brian Torbeck from Bar Harbor, Maine, returned, and brought their sewing machines to teach the campers sewing and collaging skills to make their own hand puppets. They directed the groups in writing their own puppet shows, and performed them at the end of the week for parents.
This summer also included a talk from local model airplane expert Dick Everett, who explained to the campers his aeronautics experience, and brought in several model planes to demonstrate flying and construction. Omari Contaste, dancer and choreographer from New York, brought his family with him to share his expertise in Caribbean dance, directing the campers to create a play based on environmental issues, using music, dance, and movement from his native culture. Master puppeteer Dan Butterworth returned for another summer week; his marionette the Bugler served as a model for the campers, who used felt, yarn, and various craft items for eyes, nose, hats, and outfits to make their own original designs.
Steve Lohman, master wire and metal sculptor, and wife Penelope MacLean, artist and international chef, come each summer from New Orleans to help the campers construct a large endangered animal from papier-mâché. This year, they created a life-size giant panda bear. On the last day, they unveiled the panda (which was still in progress). Once finished, the panda will head to the exhibit hall at the annual Agricultural Fair, as have previous years’ fabrications of endangered species: the large tortoise, the rhinoceros, and the elephant.
For the final performance and celebration on Friday, music and dance prevailed, as several visiting musicians accompanied singer-songwriting sisters Brenda Cline and Theresa Thomason, who worked with the campers all week to learn and rehearse new songs. Godfrey Muwulya from Uganda led the children in East African dance movements (Godfrey appeared in full Ugandan costume), and Rashidi Omari Byrd taught hip-hop — so the final performances were many. Twelve-year-old Elda Berlin, a camper since 2020, held the mic to lead the younger campers in several songs. She and Theresa Thomason sang, each alone, then together, “Every Child Matters,” written by Brenda Cline: “As we climb life’s ladder … many diamonds we’ll find/ Every child matters/ each day …”
Elda’s dad, the renowned pianist Jeremy Berlin, joined the musicians on the keyboard. The band included Michael Jamanis on violin, Matt Woodson on steel drum, Dr. Aminata Kemp (performer of spoken word) on African drum, Paul Smith from Tortola on keyboard, and counselors Toby Phillips on guitar and Nicholas Mack on drum. Nick gave a brief solo at the beginning of the last song, and counselor Julian Bornstein, son of maskmaker Eric Bornstein, also sang a solo, “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers.
The talented Theresa Thomason, who performs internationally and on Broadway, guided the campers in the last song, Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin …,” beginning in English but then changing to a Cameroon dialect in a call to dance to the audience. Soon parents and guests, sisters and brothers, joined in the dance. Friends and families were all singing and dancing as one.
Thank you, Pam.