Special to The Hays Daily News

OSBORNE -- Osborne will host its first Continent Center Arts Week from Monday to Aug. 7.

Throughout the week there will workshops on local history, stone carving, bronze castings, dance and much more from several guest artists.

There will also be a free street concert by Cloverton, which recently became the opening act for Christian recording artist Toby Mac.

The event is sponsored by the Northern Kansas Association, a nonprofit group whose goal is to preserve local history and tourism.

Renowned bronze sculptor Mark Sampsel will host workshops. Under his direction, participants will mold and cast their own bronze work of art. Sampsel is known for his life-sized historic bronzes and busts of Kaw Indians, as well several contributions to historic museums.

"I would like to put a sculpture marker on every trail that reflects the history of all people, before they are visually lost," Sampsel said.

Julie Penz and Neil Dunn, professors of dance at Kansas State University, will host workshops daily in tap, ballet, jazz, and African drumming and dance. Penzt is the director of dance at KSU. She will teach dance skills and choreography. Dunn will instruct in drumming and percussion.

There will also be a guest hip-hop dance instructor from California who will teach modern dance. "JoJo" Angles is also a break dance instructor at a variety of southern California studios and competes nationally in both solo and team competitions.

Daily talks will be given on topics such as local history and genealogy, KSU dance program and scholarships, dance as communication, Continent Center facts and several more.

Classes start at $7 or a whole week will cost $100. For dance, this means that dancers would have roughly four hours a day of professional instruction for the week.

For those attending the sculptor workshop, this cost covers supplies and instruction.

For more information, contact Osborne Dance and Wellness Center at (785) 346-2009