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Dance Camp--The Original
Posted in Programs at 10:18 AM on July 24, 2010

Every year when summer rolls around I rediscover the magic—and uniqueness—of Dance Camp. It’s close to my heart, an education-arts phenomenon, and it pioneered the shape of summer dance for studios everywhere.

In 1985, during the break between our spring performance and fall registration, our dancers wanted something to do. As an educator I’ve long appreciated the value of studying multiple disciplines, so I pondered.
“Why not have a week-long full-day series of classes centered around dance, but with an expanded curriculum?” Add singing, dramatics, announcements, cheerleading, auditioning, choreography, as well as all the diverse dance styles that we love. And Dance Camp was born.
At that time, nothing like it existed anywhere. The closest things to it were “Little Miss Enrichment School” and “Valley Dance Theater,” two other summer programs I had pioneered in the 60’s and 70’s. (I was a budding entrepreneur of the arts, creating my own summer jobs!)
In fact, the phrase “Dance Camp” was my personal brand name. Local advertisers respected that ownership for several years and wouldn’t allow “copycat programs” to use it in their ads. Eventually Dance Camp went the way of Kleenex, Jello-O, and Walkman—losing their brand identification as they became commonly used.
Dance Camp was an immediate hit, and over the years has grown to a program with five age groups—all eclectic, yet dance-based. Dozens of Dance Camp graduates have gone on to professional careers on Broadway, in touring companies, in dance companies, in film, on television, on radio, on cruise ships, and in the recording industry. And literally hundreds have come back years later and thanked me for the confidence, seasoning, and grace under pressure that they attribute to their dance experience—especially those happy, silly, summer days of dance and so much more.
Each summer I’m inspired once again. Seeing how much our Dance Campers grow in just a week—and comparing where the youngest ones are to the dancers who’ve come to our camp for 12-15 years. It is truly amazing to see how much difference an activity can make in the lives of kids. The benefits last a lifetime.
It’s a huge responsibility—and my absolute passion. I love it!



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