The Arts Barn brought a whole lot of Appalachian barn dancing to Milledgeville on Feb. 21, at the Georgia Junior Thespian Conference.
Commonly known as “Thes Con,” the three-day conference serves high school theatre students from across the state, including participants from Putnam County High School, Lake Oconee Academy, and Morgan County High School.
With help from Cathy Williamson and Seth Wicker, sisters Lora and Helen Garcia-Carreras led six high-energy, social dance workshops. With 86 students per workshop, five of the sessions reached full capacity, with the line to get in stretching down the street.
Each of The Arts Barn’s Thes Con workshop introduced students to three styles of social dance: a mixer, a circle dance, and a true square dance, with each session promoting an atmosphere of inclusion and shared accomplishment.
Participants learned not only the choreography but also the joy of connecting with new people through movement. Students laughed, cheered each other on, and many were surprised, even by themselves, at how quickly everyone took to dancing.
Thes Con also provided a perfect opportunity for The Arts Barn and The Plaza Arts Center to promote their highly anticipated Broadway Intensive program. The team loved meeting new students and reconnecting with cast members from past Broadway Intensives.
Sharing a booth in the exhibitor hall, the team connected with hundreds of students, encouraging them to audition for this summer’s musical production of Shrek at The Plaza in downtown Eatonton. A life-size Shrek also made the booth a must-visit photo opportunity site, creating a memorable highlight for many attendees.
The excitement continued at the Georgia Junior Thespian Conference, a one-day event designed for middle school theatre students, where the Garcia-Carreras sisters taught four social dance workshops, each involving up to 50 students. Participants learned two circle dances and explored traditional formations commonly found in reels.
Once again, the young dancers enthusiastically embraced the experience, building confidence while enjoying an unforgettable time.
“Our goal is always to create spaces where students feel free to be themselves, take risks, and connect through the arts,” Helen Garcia-Carreras said. “Seeing workshops filled to capacity and watching students leave smiling and talking with new friends reminds us of why we do this work.”
To learn more about The Arts Barn and its upcoming programs, visit theartsbarn.net or follow @theartsbarnllc on social media.