Tune in here every few days to get a glimpse into what your camper is doing at camp, take a peek at the schedule, read the cooking class recipes for the week and see photos and videos of your camper.

WEEK 1

Our first session of camp is off to a great start!  Fun times were had by all, as we jumped right into summer with all our favorite activities and some new ones as well.

Some of the highlights of the week were…

• Tigers, Ligers, Lions and Bears joined all hands on deck to make huge Pirate ships in Elo’s Art class.
  

• We had our first crazy head, hands & feet day and we had VERY CLOSE to 100% participation!
  
• Our new Music teacher Seth introduce all campers the zen-ful musical ways of the Dali Drumma, teaching them how to find music everywhere and make music out of anything.
  
• In Cooking class, we made some pretty patriotic Red, White & Blueberry yogurt parfaits.  Mmmmmmm.  Delicious and Nutritious!   (Click here to get recipe)
  

• Clown Julia introduced campers to the wonderful world of circus, with her beloved Circus Arts class.
  
• We dove into our first swim day with a big splash!  A wet summer day of fun, swimming and popsicles.  Oh Joy!
  
• Scarecrows, Tin Men (er, Tin People) and Group X all ushered the summer in with both an old favorite, in Film Making class, and a new adventure, with Music Recording class.   Their final masterpieces from both classes will be screened/played on Friday at camp and will be sent to you for download/viewing/listening via the BLAST! and BLOG!
  
• We broke in our new and improved L3 (Livin’ Large Lounge) with some new air hockey and dome hockey tables, as well as some other great new games and upgraded equipment.
• We did Magic, Yoga, Tae Kwon Do, Theater, Stunts, Games and more!
  
• We kicked off our Fun Friday season with a blast with our Super Duper First Fun Friday 4th of July Summer Kick Off Extravaganza!   We had a dance party.  We had a visit from our Animal Lady, bearing all sorts of snakes and reptiles.  We had a good ol’ fashioned 4th of July cook-out feast with hot dogs, salad & watermelon.  We made ice cream Sundaes.  We inaugurated the Thank You boxes.  And, we topped it all off with an epic display of Liquid Fireworks!  (check out the video…)
  

All in all, it was a GREAT first week.  Looking forward to a great second half of Session 1, followed by 4 more awesome sessions!

(make sure to tune in frequently for updates and to view photos & videos, as they are added 2-3 times each week.  Go to the Photos tab to see photos)

and… we’ve got some exciting news!

We are THRILLED to announce Super Duper Arts Camp is opening its West Valley location at The JCC at Milken in West Hills!    Check it out here:   www.superduperartscamp.com/milken

We’re also super duper excited about some AWESOME new stuff for 2010, including:

Field Trips!
TWO Overnight Retreats!
JCIT program for pre-teens & teens entering 7th-9th grade!
CIT program for teens entering 10th grade & up!
New Classes!
Performances!
New Fun Friday Themes!
New Activities!

Registration for both WJCC and Milken JCC campuses begins Wednesday, February 3rd, so keep your eyes peeled and check out www.superduperartscamp.com for more info!

See you this summer!

Dance class includes juggling scarfs, perfecting hula hooping skills, and an exciting obstacle course on MONDAY for the olders, and THURSDAY for the youngers.

On WEDNESDAY, Circus Arts class combines a parachute game with the heart of the circus — devised so that every camper gets a chance to use every piece of circus equipment before the end of summer!

In Stunts class on THURSDAY, campers are creating their own action scenes for a buddy action movie!

And of course there is STILL lots more to learn in Tae Kwon Do, Cooking, Art, Theater, Music, Magic, and our latest specialty class — Woodworking — where campers are putting the final touches on their hand made bird houses.

And don’t forget about Friday FunDay which will wrap up the summer in classic Carnival style.

Also on MONDAY, the Totos, Wizards, Flying Monkeys, Scarecrows, and Tin Men used hula hoops in Dance class.  The Tigers, Ligers, Lions, Bears, and Oh Mys learned the Hula Dance in honor of our Friday Funday theme…. ALOHA DAY!

TUESDAY was once again — Silly Head, Hands, and Feet Day!  Many of the campers came decked out in silly spirit.

On MONDAY, TUESDAY, and THURSDAY, groups worked on short plays, introducing script work and using improvisation to tell stories in Theater class.  

And the specialty class this session is Woodworking, where campers are making their own bird houses out of pine wood.

In Cooking class on MONDAY and THURSDAY, campers are learning how to make Hawaiian Fried Rice with tofu and vegetables!  Yum yum…

In Circus Arts class on TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, and THURSDAY, campers had their very own Super Duper Disney Circus this week with lots of favorite music and a “spoonful” of surprises

Alooooooooooohaaaaa!  A favorite Friday Funday of many, Aloha Day finally arrived and was ushered in with the Big Kahuna (that would be Segev) blowing the conch shell to call all campers into the Aloha vibe.

   Campers decked out in aloha gear galore and were treated to a sweet Hawaiian Luau, complete with punch, starfruit, leis, limbo, island music AND getting to make their own delicious tropical smoothies (complete with those cute little umbrellas and everything!).    

Then we travelled through the pacific with workshops in Hula as well as other traditional Hawaiian, Samoan and Tahitian dances.    

To cap the day and end our Luau in style, campers delighted in an incredible Hula performance, then oohed and ahhed to an outrageously awesome fire poi finale.   Cowabunga, dude!

In Stunts class on MONDAY campers learned how to use a quarterstaff and how to choreograph fights — just like in the movies!  Hint hint… Friday FunDay theme

Also on Monday, the Tigers, Ligers, Lions, Bears, and Oh Mys continued their study of partner dancing in Dance class.

On TUESDAY in Science class campers did a very cool experiment with balloons, baking soda, and vinegar.  Try it out with your campers at home by checking out the instructions on the RECIPES tab at the top of the main page.

Film & Video class continued with the “My Dream” videos this week on MONDAY, TUESDAY, and THURSDAY, where dreams have ranged from wanting to be a professional basketball player, to walking the red carpet, to visiting a land of ice crystals!

On TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, and THURSDAY in Circus Arts, campers learned about the history of the circus as well as continuing to hone their newfound skills.  

In Dance class on WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY, Teacher Michelle taught dances from the very popular movie “High School Musical,” leading us up to our Friday FunDay — MOVIE DAY!!!!

Speaking of the movies, our campers continue to develop their acting and public speaking skills in Theater class with memory games, mirroring games, and much more, which all happened on MONDAY, TUESDAY, and THURSDAY.

MOVIE DAY started up with animal lady again who brought some very fun animal friends.

And of course we ended the week with MOVIE DAY — chock full of freshly popped popcorn, lemonade, special Super Duper movie tickets, and a screening of MADAGASCAR! 

We also unveiled the World Premier screening of our Film & Video class films, “What’s Your Dream” and “The Little Beans (try to) go to Super Duper Arts Camp”.   You can view them here…

What’s Your Dream -  http://www.motionbox.com/videos/7a98dfb0181ee3c4f5

Little Beans -   http://www.motionbox.com/videos/7a98dfb21a11eec6f5

(and just for fun or old times’ sake, if you want to check out last year’s video, “All for One”, here it is:  http://www.motionbox.com/videos/069adfb61f1de18f)

On MONDAY, the Totos, Wizards, Monkeys, Scarecrows, and Tin Men practiced Partner Dancing, and on WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY, the Tigers, Ligers, Lions, Bears, and Oh Mys delved into Rhythm and Funk dancing.  

MONDAY and THURSDAY includes yummy Brown Rice Pudding in Cooking class that our campers prepared and enjoyed while learning about the mystery of taste buds and why you can taste certain foods better on certain spots of your tongue!

In Circus Arts class on TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, and THURSDAY, campers practiced their routines in a “Circus Ring” in the auditorium in order to feel what it is like to perform in a real circus! (The performers also fit in well on Tuesday with their very silly Crazy Hair Day designs).

Stunts and Games classes on MONDAY and WEDNESDAY explored more tricks of the trade and learned several unique variations on the classic playground game — DODGEBALL!  Also on WEDNESDAY was another great swim day, with of course our special popsicle treats afterwards.

There was also a very cool new project in Art class.  Campers made their own drawings on velvet (photo below) which COME ALIVE when you view them with 3D glasses.  Parents, you can purchase some ChromaDepth 3D glasses at any Party City and view the entire experience of your child’s masterpiece  

Film & Video class is back this session with many brand new filmmaking endeavors including a “My dream is…” series where campers act out their dreams in mini-movies.  Theater class on MONDAY, TUESDAY, and THURSDAY focused on the benefits of group work including mirroring, collaborating, and choreography… watch out parents, Hollywood — or Broadway — awaits!  

And of course there was lots more fun in Yoga, Gymnastics, Science, Tae Kwon Do, Magic, Music, and more… which all led up to MYSTERY DAY on Friday! Campers and counselors dressed as super heroes, detectives, spies, bandits, and in all sorts of disguise as the mysteries of this Friday FunDay unfolded with an amazing magic show and a scavenger hunt that led to a final destination of ice cream treats.

Thanks again for a wonderful Week 7!  And don’t forget to always click the Picasa photo link above to see more events throughout every week…

While 14 of our campers are away at the first ever Super Duper Overnight, the rest of the campers are busy with lots of fun classes and activities.

On MONDAY, special moves were perfected in Fencing Class, while delicious tea sandwiches were made in Cooking Class (cream cheese, apples, and other goodies.. don’t forget to look up the recipe!)

on TUESDAY, it was Wacky Hands and/or Feet Day.  Silly gloves, funny rings, painted hands, two different kinds of shoes, silly laces…  It was a schmorgesborg of wackiness!

This week in Art class, older campers are learning about Octopus’s Garden, looking at exotic plants as a point of departure and making their own acrylic paintings and wire sculptures of plants drawn from their own imagination.  The younger campers are making fairy nests, complete with recyclable materials from our recycling contest and other pieces from nature!

In Theater Class on MONDAY, TUESDAY, and THURSDAY, campers are working on the vocabulary of theater with games and exercises that stress the respect and appreciation for: Props, Costumes, Set, Scenery, Upstage, Downstage, and Stage Left/Right.

WEDNESDAY was another great swim day with free time fun, games, and popsicles for dessert  

On THURSDAY’S Green Thumb Club meeting, our budding gardeners saw the fruits of their labor from last week’s planting as the cucumber and snap pea seeds started sprouting already!

In honor of Hallo-Purim-Ween day, Dance class has been learning special Animal Dances this week.  This special Friday FunDay theme is a free-for-all costume day, so imaginations are running wild! (photos coming soon!)

In Theater, campers continue to work on their storytelling skills, experimenting with different styles, genres, focuses, energies, and subjects — great skills for any young actor or budding comedian to possess!

Potato Tostadas are on the menu in Cooking Class this week and campers are learning how to prepare and devour these tasty vegetarian treats.

TUESDAY was Funny Face Day –  campers and counselors had a “face off” with the wackiest face decorations while they worked on building block games and created Australian Aboriginal drawings in Art.  

On WEDNESDAY, campers continued their Gymnastics skills with the Balance Beam, Mat, and cooperative games, as well as learning songs and steps from around the world in Music and Dance classes (in honor of our Friday FunDay theme!).  

Of course, lots of fun continued during Swim, with a special popsicle treat afterwards to relax.  In Art class, campers used coffee grinds and the juice from flowers to create unique drawings on WEDNESDAY, and used our Earth Day theme on THURSDAY to make beautiful paper mache globes with gifts from mother nature (leaves, sticks, flowers) that our camper artists collected.

Friday FunDay was Planet Earth Day, so our campers had the whole world in their hands (with the help of our very cool and entertaining “Around the World” lesson). Costumes included different species, cultures, continents, and other gifts from mother nature… it was a sight to be seen!  

In Art class, campers learned about artist Andy Goldsworthy and made their own pieces made from nature’s gifts — sticks, egg shells, flowers, shells, rocks, and more…

And following a new meeting with the “Green Thumb Club” campers talked about their gardening knowledge while relaxing with a Friday FunDay favorite — a delicious ice cream cone.

As always, check the link above to our Picasa photo account to see many more photos from the week.  Have a great weekend!

On TUESDAY, our older campers built upon last week’s work with polymers in Science Class by concocting their own crazy putty and gooshy glubber.  We also had “Crazy Hair Day” which resulted in a lot of glittery, globbery styles!  

Cooking for all ages on MONDAY and THURSDAY includes yummy Oatmeal and Pancake recipes — can be made with or without eggs.   

On WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY, all ages get to learn the famous Moonwalking dance and “Thriller” zombie moves with Teacher Michelle in Dance!  

And in Theater class on MONDAY and THURSDAY, campers continue to work on the core emotions — Happy, Sad, Scared, and Angry, through exercises like “Emotional Ladder” and “Symphony” which help our budding actors control and heighten moments, and feel comfortable with public speaking.  They have also been working very hard on their very own portfolios in Photography class!  Campers were given their own cameras to take photos with, and after they were developed, they arranged them in decorated booklets.   

Very exciting news — The Green Thumb Club was kicked of this week!  Campers were given the option of participating, and an overwhelming majority came to participate in the planting of our new tomato plants in the downstairs courtyard.  Next week we’ll continue to plant the remaining seeds of squash, cucumber, and cantaloupe.  Yummy….

INTERGALACTIC SPACE DAY was an INTERGALACTIC HIT!  Campers and Counselors dressed up as aliens, astronauts, space cowboys, and more.  We also had the Animal Lady come back with some very cute reptile friends.

Campers started the Friday FunDay festivities with Space Station 1:  tasty treats of Moon Pies and ice cream sandwiches.  Space Station 2 included a presentation through the universe with 3D photos and fun facts about planets and stars.  And finally at Space Station 3, campers competed in a camp-wide obstacle course on giant bounce houses and slides.  It was a close competition, but I think last year’s record has been beat!  Way to go, campers

Remember, you can always see LOTS more photos by clicking the PHOTOS link at the top right of this page.  Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Campers dressed as hippies, cave-men, citizens of ancient Rome, and one camper even creatively went back in time to last week’s Friday Funday theme and wore his pajamas.

For our activities, we were paid a visit by Dinosaur’s Rock, who brought a veritable paleontological museum with them, from T-Rex teeth, to fossilized dinosaur footprints (and even fossilized Dinosaur poop!).  We learned about dinosaurs, extinction, fossils and even got to test drive a career in paleontology with a real fossil dig.      We also made shark tooth necklaces with fossilized shark teeth, and each camper got their own real piece of amber to polish from the rough and see what paleontological remnants we could find.

Our other Back in Time Day activity took us a little less farther back than the Jurassic era to the 50′s and the good ol’ days of old time soda shops.   Each camper got to sit at the bar and enjoy an old fashioned root beer float as we all learned how to make ice cream the old fashioned way:  with ice, cream, vanilla, sugar, rock salt & a whole lotta shakin’.      Good times!

And, as we do every friday, we got a visit from “The Animal Lady”, who brought some cute and cuddlies this week, including a chinchilla. (so cute!)

You can enjoy some photos of Back in Time Day and the rest of the week here, at our online photo album. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/sdacphotos

 Remember to check back regulary as photos are being added every day!