Levitt Jam Camp – Jazz Explorers
Dates: Monday, June 8 – Friday, June 12 | 8:30 a.m. – Noon | Augustana University School of Music
Performance Showcase | Friday, June 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Levitt Stage
Audience | 10-12 year olds
Cost | $125 or Pay-What-You-Can
Instructors: Allison Mickelson, Edwin Galindo, and Dr. Pete Hoesing

Enroll now

Join Levitt at the Falls and the Augustana University School of Music for Jazz Explorers Camp — an exciting summer experience where young musicians dive into the vibrant world of jazz. Campers will explore the history, rhythms, and improvisation of jazz through hands-on sessions with expert educators, using voice, movement, and instruments to grow their creativity and confidence. The week will culminate in a special live performance moment on the Levitt stage, where campers showcase their new skills and celebrate their jazz journey with family and friends.

Meet the Instructors

Meet Ms. Mickleson
Allison Mickelson is an experienced music and theatre educator who is passionate about inspiring young performers. Currently teaching music at Eugene Field A+ Elementary School, Ms. Mickelson brings her extensive background in professional theatre to the classroom, creating an engaging and supportive environment for students to explore their creativity. She has performed in acclaimed productions across the country, including Fun Home, Next to Normal, and Elf The Musical, and has worked with prestigious companies like Portland Center Stage and Syracuse Stage. This summer, she will bring her solo show, Off The Map, to Sioux Falls.
With a strong foundation in music education and professional training in acting, voice, and dance, Ms. Mickelson is dedicated to helping young artists build confidence and discover their unique voices. Outside of teaching and performing, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and exploring the world’s cultures and cuisines.

Meet Dr. Hoesing
Peter J. Hoesing (Pete) is an ethnomusicologist who serves as Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Dakota State University. As part of an Ethics and Humanities Faculty Section, Hoesing is also Director of Medical Humanities at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. He previously taught at Grinnell College, Claflin University, and Florida State University, where he earned a Ph.D. in 2011. His book with University of Illinois Press (2021) and award-winning documentary short examine the music of Ugandan traditional healers. His other research and teaching interests span Africa and its global diaspora, especially East African expatriate communities and popular music in the Americas. Hoesing’s research has garnered generous funding from the Fulbright-Hays Program, the Krebs Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, UNCF Programs, the South Carolina Arts Commission, and the South Dakota Humanities Council. Building on a sustained commitment to performance as an essential component of research and teaching, Hoesing’s work has involved intensive study of several instruments, ranging from drum set and singing to Ugandan strings and a wide variety of percussion. As a jazz drummer, he has performed with Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Etienne Charles, Roland Guerin, Jason Marsalis, Marcus Printup, and Marcus Roberts, among others. He studied merengue and salsa with two Dominican artists, Dr. Juan-Ramón Guzman and percussion phenom Julio Figueroa.
With a strong foundation in music education and professional training in acting, voice, and dance, Ms. Mickelson is dedicated to helping young artists build confidence and discover their unique voices. Outside of teaching and performing, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and exploring the world’s cultures and cuisines.

Meet Mr. Galindo
Edwin Galindo is a guitarist and composer from Bogotá, Colombia. He’s in love with the cultures and languages of the world. Currently, he works teaching music and creating content for his specialty, contemporary solo Guitar as he finishes his master’s degree in composition. Starting from training in the classical and Flamenco guitar and from the varied sound context of the music of his country, Galindo wanted to consolidate his artistic experience into his own sound and language, translating the sounds of other instruments and formats and exploring techniques that allow him to fully exploit the possibilities of the acoustic guitar. From the classical guitar, Flamenco, and jazz, he has searched for elements to express the sound of Latin American music genres as a strategy to bring a part of the folklore of his region closer to the academic field and, at the same time, expand the possibilities of the guitar.

Levitt Jam Camp is run in partnership with Augustana University.

Thank you to our sponsor of this event:

Who should sign up for camp?
The Jazz Explorers camp is ideal for students aged 10-12. We welcome individuals with a strong interest in Jazz music, with a collaborative spirit, creativity, and open-mindedness to new experiences.

Is there transportation provided?
Transportation is not available. Parents or guardians are responsible for transportation to and from the Levitt Jam Camp activities.

When is the final performance?

Students from the Jazz Explorers Camp will take the stage as part of a Levitt series concert on Saturday, June 12th, at 7:00 PM. They will perform select songs they’ve developed during camp as the Opening Act for that evening’s Levitt at the Falls summer concert.
The concert features open seating at the Levitt venue, and no tickets are required. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the show for free! The performance will also be live-streamed on the Levitt at the Falls Facebook and YouTube pages. Artist announcements and the full schedule for the Levitt concert season—featuring 50 FREE concerts—will be released in late April.

Are there scholarships available for tuition?
Yes! Thanks to the generosity of donors and sponsors, camp tuition is set up as a pay-what-you-can system. The cost to run our camp is $125 per student. For families for whom this amount is a challenge, there is an option to contribute whatever tuition amount is doable, even if that amount is $0. Families who would like to support another camper are invited to make a tax-deductible donation to the Levitt.

What will a sample camp day look like?
Camp check-in runs from 8:15–8:30 a.m in the lobby of the Fine Arts building, with camp activities beginning at 8:30 a.m. Campers will rotate through jazz-focused activities in age-appropriate chunks—such as rhythm work, improvisation, ensemble practice, movement, and listening—with a snack and brain break built into the morning. Camp concludes with a fun group wrap-up, and check-out takes place at 12:00 p.m.

Will lunch or snack be provided?
A snack will be provided as a part of this half-day camp. Please inform the staff of any allergies or food restrictions. No lunch or breakfast are included.

Where does the camp take place?
Levitt Summer Jam Camp is being hosted by Augustana University in the Fryxell Humanities Center. Students will check in and out at the Fryxell Humanities Center with Levitt staff each morning (M-F) of camp. Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197 Saturday evening camp performance will be held at Levitt at the Falls concert facility. Levitt at the Falls 504 N. Phillips Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Other Questions?
Contact Rose Ann Hofland Levitt at the Falls rhofland@levittsiouxfalls.org (605) 595-8547