By Judy Peterson and Khalida Sarwari
Summer camps are in full swing, with youngsters participating in photography, gross science, soccer, swimming, web design and even CSI-type activities–the list is endless. Locally, LGS Recreation, the Saratoga Recreation Department and the Southwest YMCA are among the biggest camp sponsors, partnering with numerous outside vendors such as the Los Gatos Tennis Academy and Play-Well TEKnologies, that offers camps for LEGO enthusiasts.
A quick check of schedules shows it’s still not too late to sign up kids for a sizzling summer experience that can be educational, sports-oriented or just plain fun.
CIRCUS CAMPS
The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center, for instance, offers circus camps that promote both gymnastics and fun. At a June 28 circus camp performance, 52 youngsters ranging from 6 to 13 years old wowed an audience of proud parents with their newly-learned feats that included jumping rope while balancing on exercise balls, plus Frisbee spinning and rope climbing, to name a few.
The JCC’s circus camp is taught by former Cirque San Jose artistic director Cheryl Taylor, magician’s assistant Jeanne “Magic Genii” Perry and acrobatics champ Ian Ballard. Ballard was ranked fifth in the world in sports acrobatics in 1986.
Ballard’s son, 14-year-old Garin Ballard, has been attending circus camp for 10 years.
“We get to work with amazing people and amazing, talented kids,” Garin said. “This year I taught the prop station, which consists of the Diabolo Chinese Yo Yo, plate spinning and the Rolla Bolla balance board.” Garin described a Rolla Bolla as a big piece of round PVC tubing with a balance board on top.
Meanwhile, just minutes before the performance curtain rose, the camp’s 52 kids were backstage dressed in glittery costumes and makeup, waiting for their cues.
“I love the show at the end of camp,” 9-year-old Ally Keady said. “This is my second time at circus camp. I like how you can learn lots of new things; it’s very fun.”
Second time camper Greta Tolich, 8, likes to show off her new skills at home and around friends. “Some people ask me to do splits and I can do back bends. It’s easy,” Greta said. “I like learning new tricks on the ropes and silks.”
Parents apparently like the camp, too. Seven-year-old Daria Spokoiny’s mother says Daria arrives home tired at the end of the day. “It’s a good tired,” Victoria Posternak said. “She’s very excited, but her muscles are sore from working so hard.”
Another circus camp, offered in Saratoga through LGS Recreation, is coming up later this month.
There are still openings in July for the JCC circus camp, but August classes are full. Visit svjcc.comfor more information. Visit lgsrecreation.org for more information on the mid-July circus camps that take place at Saratoga Elementary School.
YOUTH THEATER
Kids of all ages can take the stage and become a summer star at camps offered by the Los Gatos Youth Theatre. Now in its fifth summer, LGYT has a three week performance camp for 7- to 12-year-olds that runs from July 22 to Aug. 9. Dear Edwina Junior will be staged during this camp, with campers participating in a full-scale production of the show about a little girl who sings advice to her family and friends.
Older kids have been practicing their roles in 13 since May, with performances at Los Gatos High School scheduled for July 18-21.
“This about middle school and being 13 years old,” director Heather Stokes explained. Stokes is a Los Gatos resident who performed on and off Broadway for 10 years, originating the role of Jan in Grease.
“The lesson in this show is about what a true friend is,” Stokes said. “The lead character and his friends learn the popular thing is to have friends who accept you. Those are the best friends.”
However, getting to that end point involves many trials along the way. Los Gatos High School junior Liat Rubin, who plays Patrice, said she gets snubbed by Evan, who’s played by Saratoga High School sophomore Austin Villanueva.
“We’re best friends in summer,” Liat said, “but he blows me off and doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”
Liat and Rubin agree the show reflects the angst felt by many young teens. “There’s a lot of pressure on kids. Everyone expects good grades,” Austin said.
The show has plenty of singing and dancing mixed with gossip and chatter. There’s also lots of talk about “the first kiss.”
“It has to happen, doesn’t it?” Liat said with a sly smile.
Another theater-focused camp, The Rockin’ Kidz Summer Drama Camp, still has openings for campers. Rockin’ Kidz gives 7- to 12-year-olds an opportunity to practice acting on stage, makes props and costumes and explore story-telling through song. The July 15-19 camp is in Los Gatos; July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2 are in Saratoga. Visit lgyt.net for tickets to 13 and for more information. Visit lgsrecreation.org for information on the Rockin’ Kidz Summer Drama Camp.
THEATRE IN THE PARK
Aspiring actors and actresses in Saratoga can practice their craft at a performance camp organized by the Peninsula Youth Theatre, which is offering two-week sessions all summer long.
The Theatre in the Park camp allows campers to explore all the different facets of theater, from rehearsing for a play, to building sets and props and designing costumes. While they’re busy having fun on stage, kids are learning important skills, said Karen Simpson, executive director of PYT.
“They learn how to cooperate and collaborate to put together a show and end product that their friends, family and the general public can enjoy, which builds self esteem,” Simpson said. “They gain public speaking skills and how to work as a team. And also to a certain degree about deadlines.”
The most recent session, held from June 24 through July 5, prepared students to perform in Peter Pan, the classic tale about a boy from Neverland who can fly. About 30 students between 6 and 8 years old registered for the class.
The age range varies from camp to camp. The next session, slated for July 8 through 19, will be geared toward a relatively older crowd. Kids that want to perform in The Hobbit must be between 8 to 10 years old. The cost per two-week camp session is $450.
Each two-week session culminates with an evening performance at Wildwood Park, 20764 4th St. in Saratoga. Rehearsals are held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at Saratoga Prospect Center, 19848 Prospect Road.
“It’s a lot of fun to both participate in and come and see,” said Simpson. “It’s a very open and inviting environment.”
Visit pytnet.org to register or find more information about upcoming camps.
LIFT-OFF LEGO
There appears to be no shortage of LEGO-building classes and camps, not just during the summer but year-round. The ever-popular toys can go as far as kids’ imaginations will take them. Or in the case of Saratoga, as high.
Play-Well TEKnologies is offering a weeklong camp called Lift-Off LEGO to teach children about engineering. The most recent session in Saratoga was held at the Warner Hutton House the week of July 1 and had 13 kindergarteners and first-graders. The curriculum, which focused on the theme of flight, covered space flight, how airplanes operate and topics such as drafting and gravity. Previous themes include superheroes, green engineering, Jedi engineering, LEGO robotics, and the most popular: Ninjago.
In the classroom, instructors often take a hands-off approach by giving students a skeleton of the project and guiding them, but allowing them the creative freedom to build anything they can imagine.
In just about every three-hour session, the kids are engaged and building something from their imagination, said Dan Merlin, an area manager for Santa Clara County.
“LEGO is a fun way to learn engineering,” Merlin said. “They learn critical thinking and problem solving, creativity, designing different things, working with others. There’s a big social interaction to our camps.”
There are 130 LEGO camps offered by Play-Well in Santa Clara County alone. Merlin said there will be additional sessions in Saratoga this summer for kids in the kindergarten and first grade age group as well as for second through fifth graders.
The camps are typically one week long and cost $159.
To register or find an upcoming camp in Saratoga, visit play-well.org.
Camp Connections
There are still camp openings for the summer. Check out the websites of the many local organizations offering a wide variety of camps for kids in the coming weeks. Visit:• LGS Recreation at lgsrecreation.org
• Saratoga Recreation Department at saratoga.ca.us/cityhall/rec
• Southwest YMCA at ymcasv.org/southwest
• Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center at svjcc.com
