GoErie.com reports on Shadeland Camp

SPRINGBORO — There’s more going on at St. Sava Camp this week than what a visitor might see in the dining hall and down at the waterfront.

Campers are learning the tamburitza, which is a presentation of ethnic Serbian folk dance and music.

Dating to the 1950s, four weeklong camps are hosted each summer at St. Sava Camp, in the village of Shadeland, near Springboro in Spring Township, Crawford County.

The camp is on the grounds of what once was the Monastery of Holy Mother of God. The summer camp brings together children ages 10 to 17 from the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, which stretches across the East Coast from Maine to Florida.

This week is the last of the four weeks, and the highlight is the camp’s tamburitza group.

“It’s a dance that’s been danced for so many decades,” said the Rev. George Veselinovic, who is serving as camp pastor.

“It tells us who we are, and we’re respecting ... the founders of this camp and our church. We want to keep that spirit alive and honor them,” he said.

The young musicians and dancers must have that spirit.

“Tamburitza comes naturally to me,” said Noah Wright, 14, of Monroeville, Allegheny County. This is his fourth year at camp, and he has a prominent role in the dance group.

“I like to entertain people and see smiles on their faces,” Wright said.

The tamburitza group will perform Saturday during Diocese Day festivities, which start with a 10 a.m. church service. Veselinovic said as many as 50 priests and Bishop Irinej Dobrijevic, the religious leader of the diocese, plan to attend.

A traditional Serbian lunch will be served at noon, followed by the tamburitza performance. Saturday’s events are open to the public and free of charge, but donations are accepted.

For full article, follow the link: http://www.goerie.com/news/20180802/serbian-campers-near-springboro-to-present-tamburitza

Source: Christopher Millette - GoErie.com