Experience Tales Texts & Theater
Faculty
Etienne Cakpo
West African Dance
About
Etienne Cakpo (he/him) is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He is specialized in instruction and performance of traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles, and has been building his dance repertoire for nearly thirty years. He is director of Gansango Music & Dance, a dance company registered in Washington State. Gansango works closely with public libraries, schools and independent arts agencies locally and nationally to make performance of dance and music from Africa available to a wide range of audiences, including young children. In 2021, Etienne was honored with the 2020 Dance Educator of the Year Award from DEAW (Dance Educators Association of Washington). GANSANGO MUSIC & DANCE presents traditional and contemporary dance and music from West Africa – drawing on the stunning talent of multicultural dancers and musicians. Gansango is directed by Etienne Cakpo, originally from Benin and now a choreographer and teacher based in Seattle, Washington. Gansango company collaborating artists perform regularly in the Seattle area, nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages. The company performances fuse music and movement from across the African continent, drawing heavily from the dance and music traditions of Benin, Ghana and Togo, among other countries. More information about Gansango Music and Dance is available at https://gansango.com or contact gansango@yahoo.com Read MoreJesse Watson
Faculty
About
Born in an Underground Railroad house, Jesse Joshua Watson now lives with his wife and sons in Port Townsend, WA. His art has been in 38 Children’s Books, on dozens of book covers, featured in magazines, concert posters, album covers and in galleries and museums up and down the west coast as well as NYC. His work is in collections across the US, Caribbean, Brazil and Europe. Jesse has traveled the world extensively (6/7 continents – guess which one he hasn’t been to*), often engaging in social justice and crisis response in places like Haiti and Siberia. In addition to writing and illustrating books, exhibiting fine art and teaching art to kids, Jesse plays soccer religiously, music frequently and surfs the chilly waters of the NW as often as he can, which, as you probably guessed… is not nearly enough.
Read MoreMargie McDonald
Faculty
About
Margie McDonald is the artistic director for the Port Townsend Wearable Art Show now heading into its sixth year.
Margie’s work in Wearable art and sculpture has been exhibited in the New Zealand World of Wearable Art Exhibition, Bainbridge Island Art Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Northwind Arts Center and Simon Mace Gallery.
Maude Eisele
Faculty
About
Maude is a founding ensemble member of Saltfire Theatre in Port Townsend. Her passion for collaborative theatre has brought her into many theatre ensembles over the years: from Poor Players, a bold and wacky Shakespeare ensemble rehearsing in the shadows of Balboa Park in San Diego…to world and regional premiers with the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company…to the Colorado Shakespeare Company’s touring troupe’s explorations of bullying behavior and its remedies through Shakespeare’s words.
Read MoreMyco Robinson
Faculty
About
Myco Robinson is a Washington born and raised fiber arts educator and eclectic artist. With over 19 years of experience teaching felting with wool locally and globally. Passionate about working with youth and supporting the inherent creativity in every person. They are an ardent weaver of whimsy and delight. As director and lead instructor of Wild Child Arts Education, they run themed kids camps and afterschool programming throughout the Olympic Peninsula. They teach in public and private schools. Frequently working with community arts education organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Read MoreRebecca Elatiki
Faculty
About
Rebecca is a Moroccan-American singer-songwriter, heavily influenced by spiritual and folk traditions from the Middle East/North Africa, South America, as well as contemporary music genres from the West. Born to a classically trained opera singer and a natively born Moroccan father, she brings a unique blend of vocal techniques, and influences. She has facilitated music for concerts, retreats around the world, festivals, sound journeys, and hosts songwriting groups for both youth and adults.
Read MoreWorkshop
Beginning each day with a core subject, students get an in-depth concentration on a genre of their choice. Then they explore by learning about other art forms in their other three classes, seeing how the different arts interconnect.
Each afternoon, the core artist faculty show and talk about the work they do. At the end of the week, students share their creative experiments with the community in a student showcase performance.
2026 Class Descriptions
Giant Puppets with Margie McDonald
Bring Giants to life. Students will work together to create large puppets using simple materials such as cardboard, wire, fabric, sticks and tape. The Giants come to life on stage for Friday’s Student Showcase, accompanied by an invented narrative.
Songwriting and Self Expression with Rebecca Elatiki
Whether you’re new to music or singing, you’re welcome to show up as you are and explore your voice through songwriting. We'll work collaboratively to create a song, with each student contributing their ideas—whether through lyrics, melody, or song structure. Together, we’ll dive into music, melody, singing, and spoken word as avenues for self-exploration and expression. The goal of this class is to empower each student's voice and creativity. No experience needed — just bring your imagination and a willingness to try something new!
Felting with Myco Robinson
Learn how to bring mythological creatures to life through the tactile art of needle felting. Each class of students will have the opportunity to work with a variety of animal fibers. Blending colors and textured materials. Chosen creatures may be found in ancient fables, mythology, modern stories or created from the students imagination. A pop up gallery will showcase their work at the end of camp.
Theater Creation with Maude Eisele
Explore a variety of theatrical means for telling stories. Our emphasis will be on playful exploration that employs the poetic body, voice, and imagination to create brand new, collaborative works of theater. Participants will wear a variety of creative hats, including actor, director, and writer. All levels of experience welcome and encouraged!
West African Dance with Etienne Cakpo
Learn basic dance moves and drum rhythms from the Benin-Ghana coastal region of West Africa. This class is appropriate for boys and girls of all experience levels. The dances have graceful and strong movements that require undulation of the back and bending of the knees. Dances integrate traditional, social and spiritual dances as well as modern movements commonly found across West African countries.
Painting with Jesse Watson
Want to jump into your own portal to anywhere? Not a problem! Never painted? Not a problem! Learn easy tips and tricks on how to paint your own landscapes and more from an artist who has spent a lifetime making all the art mistakes so you don't have to. Use a paintbrush like a pro in no time. Make color work for you! Find out how much fun it is to paint in this workshop with Jesse Joshua Watson.
FAQ
What to Bring & What Not to Bring
Cell phones and electronic devices are not allowed at Centrum Youth Programs. In case of emergency, Centrum's program manager and staff carry phones and will notify you as soon as possible. You may leave a message for your student at any time with Program Manager Alyssa de Leon (360) 385-3102 x120. You will receive contact information in an email prior to the start of the program.
Lunch is provided. The safety and comfort of your children is our highest priority. Meals at Fort Worden State Park feature locally-grown, organically-produced food prepared to the highest standards at the Fort Worden Commons.
If you have any more questions about Tales, Texts, and Theater, please contact Alyssa de Leon at 360-385-3102, x120, or adeleon@centrum (dot) org.
Past Faculty
Angie Tabor
Faculty
About
Angie Tabor (they/them) is a performing musician, music educator and composer based in Port Townsend, WA. They are known for being highly versatile, performing with jazz ensembles, symphony orchestras, music theater productions, and Top 40 & tribute acts. They can also be heard performing on steelpans with their Caribbean-infused trio, Caribe. As a music educator, they have taught grades K-12 and college. In 2017, they founded the Port Townsend Steel Bands – communty-based beginning and intermediate steel bands devoted to sharing the enchanting sounds of the steelpans with the community while honoring the traditions and history of the instrument. Angie also maintains a studio of private students.
Read MoreDanielle Fodor
Faculty
About
Danielle Fodor is a visual artist who works with the communities and individuals to create vibrant visions of today and tomorrow. She has worked with hundreds of volunteers to paint murals and public plazas, designed giant puppets and banners, and written and illustrated indie comics and zines. Her work transforms people and places by celebrating common ground, expressing unspoken emotions, and nourishing the connections between people, place, and the natural world. She lives in Irondale, WA.
Read MoreEtienne Cakpo
West African Dance
About
Etienne Cakpo (he/him) is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He is specialized in instruction and performance of traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles, and has been building his dance repertoire for nearly thirty years. He is director of Gansango Music & Dance, a dance company registered in Washington State. Gansango works closely with public libraries, schools and independent arts agencies locally and nationally to make performance of dance and music from Africa available to a wide range of audiences, including young children. In 2021, Etienne was honored with the 2020 Dance Educator of the Year Award from DEAW (Dance Educators Association of Washington).
Read MoreMargie McDonald
Faculty
About
Margie McDonald is the artistic director for the Port Townsend Wearable Art Show now heading into its sixth year.
Margie’s work in Wearable art and sculpture has been exhibited in the New Zealand World of Wearable Art Exhibition, Bainbridge Island Art Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Northwind Arts Center and Simon Mace Gallery.
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro
Faculty
About
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro is a New York and Seattle-based performer, director, teaching artist, and creator of original works of theater. She is a graduate of Princeton University and of Giovanni Fusetti’s Lecoq-based Helikos School of Theatre Creation in Florence, Italy. Her specialties include mask theater, mime, clown, commedia dell’arte, improvisation, physical comedy, movement-and ensemble-based creation and more. Marisol has been a director, assistant director and producer for numerous theatres, art centers and schools throughout the country.
Read MoreOllie Brickman
Faculty
Taylor Dow
Faculty
Yaw Amponsah
West African Drumming
About
Yaw Amponsah is a master percussionist from Ghana. Coming from a musical family from West Africa he is at home in the world of rhythm. A versatile player, Yaw can play many styles of music from Ghana including Highlife, Agbadja, Kpanlogo and more. His specialty is the music of the multi-part percussion ensembles of the Ashanti people. These sets of drums and corresponding rhythms can be made up of eight or more independent percussion parts. He is the leader of Anokye Agofomma and a member of Manghis Khan quartet and has been a lead drummer with Gansango Music and Dance for more than a decade.
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