Summer Camps: What Superheroes, Princesses, and Rock Stars All Have in Common.

Stories have the power to CHANGE us. They make us laugh, make us cry, make us yearn for excitement and adventure… We love stories because we resonate with the characters: with their hopes, dreams, failures and struggles. Stories empower us. Stories inspire us. Stories give us permission to live life DIFFERENTLY.

As the owner of Portland School of Music & Dance, I got to thinking, what if we could harness the power of story in a kids summer camp? The stories that kids seemed to resonate with were all related to superheroes, princesses, and rock stars.

And then I started asking myself, why these stories? What do these stories have in common that make them stand out from other stories?

Here’s what I discovered:

• They have a fighting spirit (fueled by passion, drive, and adventure)
• They make a difference (by using their voice, their position, their influence)
• They inspire others (by their strength, their character, their creativity, etc.)

So, Portland School of Music & Dance built summer camps around these stories! Of course there’s music and creative movement in there, but the camps are built on the foundation that we are changing lives — empowering kids to discover their passion, use their voice to make a difference, and inspire others along the way.

For us, empowering kids IS our story.

Portland School of Music & Dance (formerly MusicWerks Studio) has 3 locations, with the Eliot Neighborhood location being inside St. Philip the Deacon Church.

We offer regular weekly music and dance lessons, as well as outstanding full-day thematic summer camps designed to fuel the imagination and encourage creativity and fun for your child!

We offer FREE Before Care, flexible After Care, and 3 convenient locations! Our camps are $289 for a full-day camp, ages 4 – 14, and run June 20 – Sept 2. Space is limited, so register now.

At our Creative Movement Superhero Moves Camp, we develop Superhero Techniques like strength, speed, flexibility, focus, and stamina!   We learn Superhero Skills like running, jumping, crawling, and climbing!   We discover Superhero Defense Moves like dodging, blocking and camouflaging!   We learn Superhero Character Traits like bravery, honesty, and compassion!   Boys and girls will even meet some real life Superheroes like firemen, policemen, and doctors!

At our Creative Movement Tutus & Tiaras Camp, we develop Princess Ballerina techniques like poise, agility, flexibility and strength! We learn Princess Ballerina skills like coordination, balance, and creative expression! We learn Princess Ballerina character traits like confidence, cooperation, gratitude, and kindness! And our Princess Ballerinas get to twirl across the stage for a final performance for our adoring subjects, in a Tutu & Tiara that was inspired by her own imagination designed with her own hands!

At our Junior Rock Star/Rock Star Camp, kids get the perfect start to learning music or digging deeper in the instrument they already know! The week is jam-packed with indoor and outdoor fun, with our Rock Stars exploring all the rock instruments, discovering how to build a band and name a band, and working together to design posters and press kits!  We develop Rock Star techniques like original song-writing, rhythm patterns, and music fundamentals!  We learn Rock Star character traits like taking initiative, having integrity, working hard, and respecting others! And we have a rockin’ final concert at the end of the week for all our family, friends, and adoring fans!

By Brooke Baker