Enhance Your Children’s Creative Outlets with Casa Romantica’s Spring and Summer Programming

San Clemente, CA – Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, an award-winning nonprofit cultural center in Southern California,  is continuing our mission by providing world-class arts and education during our Spring Break Arts Week and Summer Academies. 

Executive Director Amy Behrens says, “Our goal is to make arts accessible to every child. Whether they are visiting us in person or online, they have a positive space to play, use their creativity and develop their artistic expression which is even more important during all the challenges of COVID-19.” 

The heart of our mission is to bring arts and culture to the children in our community. We ensure this by making almost all of our Casa Kids programming free to the public, removing the challenges and barriers for children to experience visual and performing arts. Some of our opportunities this Spring and Summer include Spring Break Arts Week, Summer Music Festival and Academy, and Summer Dance Workshop. 

Spring Break Arts Week

Continuing our annual Spring Break Arts Week, this year every night will be a different artistic experience focusing on themes of film, music, and dance all while providing opportunities for families to experience world-class arts and culture at low cost. Spring break arts week is a part of our Casa Kids programming and is underwritten by Gloria Widmann. 

• Tuesday, April 6: Film screening of Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (100th anniversary)
  FREE with Registration
  Enjoy a movie night featuring the silent film The Kid starring Charlie Chaplin about a man, The Tramp, who adopts an abandoned child and they become partners in crime. This movie was Champlin’s first full-length film as a director and was the second-highest-grossing film in 1921. 
• Wednesday, April 7: Orchestra Collective of Orange County Quintet: An Evening of Dvorak and Mozart
  $40, Members $35
  A limited number of $1 tickets available for children aged 6-16
  Listen to the music of the beloved composers in a rare evening of live classical music in 2021. This evening will take place outdoors in Casa Romantica’s Courtyard and will feature a quintet of classical performers. The evening will also be kicked off by a musical performance from alumni of Casa Romantica’s Summer Music Festival and Academy
• Thursday, April 8: Jazz Dance from Film to Stage led by USC Professor
  Free
  Learn all about the history of Jazz dance and the importance it has in American culture by a professor at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. This lecture will be great for high school students interested in majoring in dance in college. 
• Friday, April 9: Family Members Night at the Casa
  $25 per family, Members free
  Hang out with your family at the Casa featuring games, a movie, crafts, and pizza in our Courtyard. It will be a night to remember for all ages. 
• Sunday, April 11: D. Yoder Family Sunday Art Fair
  FREE
  A pop-up shop featuring local artists and artisans. This event takes place during our open hours and is free to the public as a part of our D. Yoder Family Sunday program. 

Summer Academies at Casa Romantica

Casa Romantica’s summertime programming is not only award-winning but also a safe space for children of all levels to learn music, arts, and dance.

• Our Music Academy is limited to 25 students
• One-on-one lessons or in small groups of 5 for activity groups
• Our Dance Workshop is also limited to only 10 students per class

Furthermore, both programs are prepared to adapt to a partial or full virtual format if needed because we know that more than ever, arts education is vital for children’s development and well being during times of crisis.

• Music Festival and Academy: Casa Romantica’s annual Music Festival and Academy offers lessons in piano, violin, viola, and cello to children ages 8 – 13 of all skill levels. Activities include daily private lessons, practice, music theory, and group activities in the arts. The Academy concludes with a recital put on by the students.
• Summer Dance Workshop: Casa Romantica’s annual Summer Dance Workshop offers lessons in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop to children ages 7 – 13 of all skill levels. Activities include daily group lessons, improvisation classes, and choreography classes to give dancers creative movement opportunities. The Workshop concludes with a recital put on by the students.

Applications are now open and due May 1st. Students will be asked to submit a video or written statement of interest, a letter of recommendation from an instructor (school or hobby), and a recent report card in addition to filling out the application form.

About Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintains a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature for all ages. Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Classic: La Serva Padrona (2020; classical music), Casa Coastal: Murals of Levi Ponce (2019; visual art), Casa Theater: The Odd-Essy (2019; theater), Casa Kinetic: Culture Shock LA Hip Hop (2019; dance); Casa Coastal: The Art of Baja California (2018; visual art), Casa Theater: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018; theater), Casa Kinetic: Celebrating Tap Dance Legends (2018; dance), Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Contemporary Dance Collective (2017; contemporary dance), The Beauty of the Butterfly (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Carrie Lee Riggins (2016; contemporary dance), Casa Drama: Slings & Arrows (2015; theater), and Open Casa: The Photographs of Douglas Kirkland (2015; visual art). The 2020-21 Casa Captivating season includes an expanded dance (Casa Kinetic), theater (Casa Theater), and concert series (Casa Vibes), visual and performing arts commissions, and an expanded Casa Kids education program.

Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola, and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 6,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.

Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California cultural center. 

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is located at 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672. Hours: Tuesday—Thursday 10 AM—4 PM; Friday—Sunday 10 AM — 2 PM; closed Mondays and holidays. General admission is $5; Casa Members, active duty military with ID, and children under age 13 visit for FREE. For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org