Dance camps, and summer camps in general are hugely popular in the UK. They’re a fantastic way for your children to spend their summer holidays doing what they love, making new friends, and not having to sit at home being bored while parents struggle to take time off work.
Throughout the UK there’s a wide variety of summer schools which offer differing lengths of courses, from a couple of days, to a few weeks. They offer your children the chance to learn new dance skills, work towards and take part in end of summer performances, or to work on what they are already good at so they can improve further for when they return to their dance school in the new term.
- For street dance styles, there’s Let Me Play, which is based in Birmingham, and provides a street dance camp for 10-21 year olds, boys and girls, for all levels of ability. They’ll spend a week at the Elmhurst School for Dance working towards a filmed performance on the last day.
- Sunshine Studios offer a Hip Hop Dancing Summer School and Dance intensives. They are available for 1 or 2 weeks, and are taken by some of the leading choreographers. They’re available in the North West, and now even in China and Italy!
- The Youth Music Theatre UK hold a week long course in Kingston, Edinburgh, Hemel Hempstead and Godalming this year where your child can work with leading directors, choreographers and composers, create a new musical, make new friends, and develop their skills!
- The Pineapple Performing Arts School offers two 5 day intensive courses for Musical theatre for anyone 9+. You can learn new routines, make new friends, and get to see a West End Show!
If you are thinking that this might be a good option for your children, then don’t forget to buy the right dancewear. In terms of legwear, make sure that your child has some pink or black tights which are suitable for practice and performance. In terms of dance shoes, there is a big variety to choose from, so ensure that you buy a pair of ballet shoes as well as normal jazz shoes, to make sure that they can practise to every kind of dance style, such as street dance. Also make sure to buy some loose fitting hoodies and shirts, as well as the necessary accessories such as a dance bag which must include a sewing kit and emergency kit, as you can never be too much prepared.
