Camp instructor Erika Dierking demonstrated arm movements as she stood before 19 campers and counted out the moves: “One-two-three-four, one-two-three-four.”

Camp Shakes participants pair up to practice dueling with pool noodles in Lander on July 14, 2026. (Katie Klingsporn/WyoFile)

This summer camp wasn’t about dance, however. It was about theater, and specifically, the specialized and timeless theater of William Shakespeare. And the Bard’s comedy “Twelfth Night” demands dueling skills. 

Standing in the Lander library’s Carnegie room Tuesday, Dierking showed campers how to advance on an opponent, how to retreat, how to attack and how to defend. Bend at the knees, glide the feet and stay light.

And just for safety precautions, everyone practiced with pool noodles. 

It was day two of Camp Shakes, a weeklong summer camp hosted by Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company that immerses kids in the Bard. Along with workshopping a play, campers learn about acting, directing, stage makeup and design. 

Camp Shakes participants watch fellow actors read a scene of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” in Lander on July 14, 2026. (Katie Klingsporn/WyoFile)

Teaching kids how to perform Shakespeare is a great exercise in language, Dierking said, and in a modern world of devices, the camp gives adolescents a venue for genuine connections and screen-free interactions. 

With its love triangles and mistaken identities, “Twelfth Night” also has ample opportunities for comedic antics, foolish wit and dramatic soliloquies. And don’t forget swordplay. 

One camper raised her hand and asked the question that seemed to be on everyone’s mind: “When are we going to get out the real swords?”

Katie Klingsporn reports on outdoor recreation, public lands, education and general news for WyoFile. She’s been a journalist and editor covering the American West for 20 years. Her freelance work has...

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