Creative Spaces are fun, flexible, and have something for everyone!
Learn how Mr D's Creative Spaces
Keep Kids Inspired.
SINGING SPACE
Singing is the heart and soul of Mr D's Music Club. It's where we started, really. As a professional musician and singer/songwriter Mr D knows the importance of expression through song. After many years working in and around music education, Mr D noticed how often the traditional approach limited students ability to appreciate music. Once he began teaching his goal was simple. To help children love an appreciate music from all walks of life and to maintain a soulful curious connection. With over 12 years teaching in private and public and an award-winning after school and Music Art and Dance summer camp, he has managed to expand his students understanding, experience and relationship with music. The focus is soulful singing, but the depth is always music appreciation.
The same concept is incorporated with singing programs at Mr D's Music Club and is exactly why they kids keep coming back. At in-person summer camps the kids never quite know what they are going to dive into each week and often start the camp grumbling about the song selections (think David Bowie, Ella Fitzgerald, Neil Young, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton.....). Mr D gets that kids LOVE their top pop artists and he's always been a pushover for a great pop song, but he also gets that unexpected songs can really hit to the core and inspire curiosity about the vast musical universe.
The same concept is brought to Mr D's Music Club Online singing classes. Technique is certainly taught in each class (it always is), but it's learned through a creative, exploratory and dynamic experience where certainly at first the song choices may be questioned by the kids, but soon they become their favorites. And then, the kids started asking "have you ever heard of...." Mr D smiles.
Fall 2020 Singing Space
"Pop Music & Beyond"
Join Mr D for an hour of singing your heart out to your favorite pop songs! During the 5-week session, kids will learn 4-6 fun songs, but more importantly, they will learn to sing with joy and develop confidence to continue singing well beyond our programs. The kids will also be introduced to music outside of their everyday repertoire to expand their music appreciation and knowledge. Offered Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays ONLY. Taught by Mr D!
DANCE SPACE
It's widely accepted that dance is considered the highest form of creative expression we humans have, and music and dance certainly go hand in hand. It's almost impossible to experience one without the other even if it's just tapping a foot, or imagining a stage performance in front of thousands. Even a little jig in private inspires an internal song. Dance is an expression of the self and a movement of the body that makes everything feel like its all connected. Arms and legs, head and feet, torso and hips. Dance also connects the mind, heart and soul. And we need this more than ever right now. Don't we?
One thing we've noticed over the years at Mr D's Music Club summer camps is that dance is what kids are the most shy about. On the first day of camp, half the kids are adamant that they can't dance, others express that they are scared. Yet, time and time again by Friday show time they are ready to go: Proud, Strong, Smiling and Confident. It's what we do.
It's not easy to perform a choreographed dance on stage for the first time (or the 10th). It's also not easy to feel comfortable at home to take a dance class if it's not your everyday activity. We encourage parents to PLEASE help your children to find a space of comfort at home to take an online dance class at Mr D's Music Club.
Please know, we are not a performing arts academy. We are not about technique (you can find that anywhere), but rather we are about feeling the music in your self and expressing it through your movements. Dance is empowering. Sometimes all kids need is a little space and privacy to dance like no one is watching during a pandemic. We see it everyday, and it is beautiful!
Fall 2020 Dance Space*
Kids will learn choreographed combos in different styles and find their inner power and confidence through a series of movements designed to empower children. The teaching artists will guide kids through a series of warm-ups, get them up and dancing in no time and spend the hour movin' and groovin'. Taught by Haleyann Hart.
*Please note, the Dance Space is currently only available on Mondays for 2nd & 3rd graders. It is available all week for 4th-6th graders. We hope to expand the younger kids' dance experience soon.
MUSICAL SPACE
Musical theater is amazing. The lights, the action, the drama, the songs....dancing....beautiful clothes... It's a time to play and it's awe-inspiring. As parents and teachers, we get to see a version of ourselves up there on the stage performing passionately and valiantly from the depths of our hearts. It's easy to think anyone can do it, but it take an enormous amount of courage and hard work to take those first few steps, but it's worth it because kids gain so much confidence and self-esteem from Musical Theater.
That's why Mr 's Music Club brought Musical Theater to our programs. We want to offer kids the chance to explore this wonderful art-form in a fun, safe and affordable way. It's the same for all of our programs. Mr D's Music Club is the place to go to find your passion, develop your skills, learn technique and then, if it's your thing, to go on to perfect your art.
The Musical Space is no different. It's a fun, interactive experience to explore Musical Theater without the pressure of a performance. Instead, kids get to sing, dance, act and have a blast with amazing Teaching Artists who nurture your children's talent within their comfort zones and help them take risks they never thought they would. It's a win-win.
That's not to say we won't have some kind of performance or showcase at the end of the sessions in the future, but we do want to make sure it's what the kids want to do. Their comfort and experience is the most important thing right now to Mr D's Music Club.
Fall 2020 Musical Space
Kids will have a blast creating a mini-musical with the teaching artists as they explore a favorite Broadway musical or be introduced to something new. Each session will focus on one musical. The kids will learn 2-4 songs, practice dialogue and expressions, and experience the joy of acting, singing and dancing all in one class! Taught by Haleyann Hart or Julia Ribas.
Session 1 - Musical Selections (September 14 - October 16)
2nd - 3rd Grade
"Beauty & the Beast" (Teaching Artist: Julia Ribas)
4th - 6th Grade
"Newsies" (Teaching Artist: Haleyann Hart)
"Shrek the Musical" (Teaching Artist: Julia Ribas)
Session 2 - Musical Selections (October 19 - November 20)
2nd - 3rd Grade - TBD
4th - 6th Grade
"Wicked" (Teaching Artist: Haleyann Hart)
"Oliver!" (Teaching Artists: Julia Ribas)
CREATIVE SPACE
The Creative Space offers kids a hands-on, imaginative or thoughtful experience of their own creativity.
Although everything we do at Mr D's Music Club is centered around creativity, we took an intentional approach Summer 2020 to offer kids a unique way to express themselves during this difficult time.
The summer hit was puppet-making with Risa Lenor. It's no wonder though. Puppets offer us a special way to share our thoughts, worries, humor and ideas. They are a part of ourselves, but not our complete selves. With Risa's gentle guidance and infectious appreciation for puppets, kids found themselves creating a new friend each week. Many whom were brought back in subsequent classes to join their ever growing puppet family.
Creativity is in all forms. Our voices. Our bodies. Our artistic creations. And, possibly, most importantly in our representations of ourselves. The Creative Space offered this to kids this summer and we hope to continue the experience well into the future online and in-person when that day comes again.
STRUMMING SPACE
There's a lot of doubt around the concept of kids being able to learn a pop-song on ukulele in an hour. You know what? They can. Even very beginners. Ukulele is a very accessible instrument for kids and offers them a wonderful stepping stone into the musical world.
Further enjoyment and sense of accomplishment is how the kids spend their time between classes. With just a little practice each week kids make great headway. Truthfully, practice is exactly what a musician should be doing anyhow. Before the kids know it, they can strum and sing some of their favorite pop songs with ease and confidence.
Mr D's Music Club is dedicated to kids learning all aspects of music and playing an instrument is right up there, but we also want it to be fun and accessible. Ukuleles are affordable for families and easy for kids to get the hang of quickly. The second instrument is their voice, which we all have. So, really, ukulele programs at Mr D's Music Club is more than just learning to strum. It's learning two instruments (voice and ukulele) and bringing them together comfortably so the kids feel a sense of legit accomplishment.
In a 5-week session (with some practicing) you and your child will be amazed at what they can do!
ACTING SPACE
Acting is a new offering at Mr D's Music Club as of Summer 2020. We knew kids loved improv games, but we didn't know how creative they could get! With hilarious scenarios created by the Teaching Artists and characters created by the kids there is endless laughter, imaginative story-telling and pure, simple fun each week.
Moving forward we plan to bring more acting into the fold. For younger kids programs (2nd & 3rd grade) will be focused on character development, improv games and the imagination. They will also explore why we love movies so much, talk about the movies or characters that really resonate with them as well as what actors use to make it all look so easy.
The 4th-5th grade program will offer everything above, but also creating storylines and scenes to develop a mini play. It will be a creation all their own guided, supported and encouraged by talented Teaching Artists.
Fall 2020 Acting Space
The kids will take part in fun improv games and use their imagination to create characters, whole new worlds, and fun scenarios. The most important part of this class is for the kids to laugh a ton and have fun with their peers as they learn new acting techniques and experience the joy of expression. Taught by Haleyann Hart or Julia Ribas.
MOVEMENT SPACE
It's a tough call to make if movement and dance are different, but in how Mr D's Music Club approaches it, we see a distinction. That's mainly because we were introduced to OULA, an amazing, empowering program that's all about movement, music, the body and a great workout.
The four pillars of OULA are:
-
Get a workout
-
Process emotions
-
Practice confidence
-
Connect with community
Perfect for a pandemic, right?! The question was, would this resonate with kids? And the resounding answer is YES! It is incredible to see kids dancing their hearts out, getting frustrations out, feeling really powerful and carefully chosen songs and then having the most incredible conversations with each other and the Teaching Artist between songs and at the end of the class.
We always focus on making sure there is connection, interaction and conversation in every class at Mr D's Music Club, but there was something special OULA brought to this experience that really helped the kids connect, identify with their emotions and each other, and be willing to share. These weren't deep thoughts, by the way. It's not therapy. It's more that the kids felt comfortable about talking about all sorts of things like the vegetation in their backyard, their favorite musical, how they felt about going back to school, what they missed the most this summer from years past. It doesn't sounds like much, but it is to a kid.
In every program at Mr D's Music Club the kids' voices, thoughts, ideas, perspectives, observations and opinions matter and count. We want to hear them! In OULA classes, the kids just seem more open to speak up, but that's what moving the body to great, empowering and fun music tends to do, right?
ART SPACE
Art has been a part of Mr D's Music Club since the very beginning. The creativity of kids is simply inspiring and our long-time art teacher, Julie Pollack, knows just how to bring it out in every child. With a few simple items from home (or Julie's treasure chest of creative material at camp) kids can create incredible pieces of art that speak to them and, more importantly, represent them.
The art at Mr D's Music Club has always intended to be an outlet for the kids. With Julie's guidance they learn various art techniques without even knowing it, introduced to new artists and the opportunity to explore various artistic styles. Her knowledge is astounding and the kids' immediately want to listen, learn and dive deep into their art before the class is over. Art is one of our quieter classes, believe it or not, but it's just because the kids are so focused on their creations. In each class the kids are asked to share their work when they are ready and explain how and why the created their masterpiece. Their insights are fascinating.
The best part about art at Mr D's Music Club is there is always a work around. If you don't have quite the right materials, don't worry about. Julie always has a great suggestion for how to make things work or alternative options for materials. We intentionally focus our art program on found objects at home or everyday art materials your kids will likely have so as not to ask families to go out and spend extra money. We want art, and all of our programs, to be accessible to every child who would like to take them. Art is what makes us human, helps us feel and gets us through the tough times.
Fall 2020 Art Space*
It's time to get creative and make some incredible art! Kids will have fun projects they can work on over the course of the session and certainly always outside of class. They will learn creative ways to use found objects and materials from home to create masterpieces! Taught by Julie Pollack.
*Please note, the Art Space is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays ONLY for 2nd - 3rd graders. It is available all week for 4th-6th graders.
COMMUNITY SPACE
This is a Creative Space that is in the making. We didn't get as far as we wanted to Summer 2020, but we still offered some awesome stuff. The best being the Chill Out Space where kids could sign on and talk about their favorite artists or songs, share creative fun videos (dance, music, short films), perform for each other if they choose and take part in fun artistic conversations with each other. Each class was hosted by Mr D, who always had something awesome up his sleeve to share. Teaching artists also joined the fun and shared their favorites as well as participate in the conversations. It's such a fun way to spend an hour at home!
Our goal for the Community Space is to expand into family programs or even ones for adults only. You would be surprised how many parents ask us if we have programs (or camps for that matter) just for them. We are totally open to this, so let us know if your game. With enough requests, we'll make it happen!
At the end of the day, community is what Mr D's Music Club is all about. We love our families. We value and appreciate the kids who spend time with us every day. We respect our Teaching Artists and the amazing talent they bring to our programs. It's these relationships and support that will help keep us going in these uncertain times. Community is also what we offer your children as they navigate this strange world we are in right now and is always the place they can come to and create, express, explore, vent and laugh with friends old and new.