San Diego Mom - Carmel Valley

I don’t know much about this group, but it appears to be community theatre option for children who love to perform, ages 5-17.  They are holding open auditions for ages 7-17 for Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (my favorite show to do!)

Web site: http://www.cyctheatre.org  

Performances are at the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza.  For info call: 619-944-7574 

Past shows have included: Jekyll & Hyde, Les Miserables, Little Shop of Horrors and Ragtime.

Ok, its worth a 2nd post as I’ve written about the World Beat Center in Balboa Park before.  But, if you haven’t been yet to a class at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park you have no idea what you’re missing.   

This week-end I took a group of my friends and it was an unbelievable experience.  Our instructor Nana Yaw Asiedu was exceptional.  Fun, warm, sense of humor, great with kids.  They accomodated us with finding drums for everyone (and we were a huge crowd - nearly 40 or more families) and he had us all engaged. 

The drums were varied, shakers for each child, similarly varied, we learned African language, we heard African Stories, we learned dances.  Nana kept the program age appropriate, but managed to keep adults, children ages 2-12 engaged.

Make visiting the World Beat Center a priority.  You won’t be sorry.  Classes are offered throughout the week.  If you have a private group they will work with you on a class on your own.

http://www.worldbeatcenter.org/Classes_New.html 

A friend shared this new studio with me, Love to Dance located in Carmel Valley on E. Ocean Air.  Now there are cards/brochures available in several local stores about this new studio.  I don’t have personal experience with their programs, but am thinking about taking one of their adult classes offered week days in the mornings.

There’s a nice selection of dance offered for children and parents.  Modern, tap, Ballet and Jazz are all offered and workships for choreography and more. 

They also offer birthday parties on week-ends and even a Friday night family night so you can drop your kids for a substantive but fun evening while you go out.

The web site is: http://lovetodanceinc.com/

I was lucky enough to attend a program that this group created and they were terrific to work with (they taught the children how to be clowns), and in their performance that followed.

They offer everything from unicycle riding to juggling and clowning.  Acrobatics, and more.  They have pre-school aged programs and up to adults.

http://sdcircus.com/sophia_academy/index.htm 

The Athenaeum is a not for profit art library.  They offer a variety of programs including art instruction. 

I don’t have personal experience with this program, but their brochure and web site show wonderful classes for adults ranging from pen and ink drawing, life drawing with live models, oil pastel, watercolor, portrait work and still life.  There are also offerings in other media such as clay, printmaking, sculpture. 

Children’s classes for ages 7 and up are there too.

http://www.ljathenaeum.org 

I just stumbled across this site and its pretty impressive!  This link gives some amazing date night ideas for San Diegans.  I can’t wait to try some of them!

http://www.nearhere.com/dates/ 

Among the suggestions are things like: the Gondola cruise in Coronado (I’ve done this, very fun to see the georgeous homes along the water in the long gondolas), Irish folk lessons in Balboa park to making chocolates in Chuao in Carlsbad.  

This is also a great site for other topics:

They provide an amazing list of running trails, tennis courts, outdoor side trips from town for hiking, surfing, and more.   

The site’s owners Terry and Dave do a good job of providing reviews/descriptions and invite others to join in.  The site has a ton of potential.  I highly recommend bookmarking it and visiting often to check on what’s new.   

The World Beat Center offers a variety of classes all tied to African dance, art, music and culture as a whole.  They offer a drumming class for kids which I have heard great things about.  I have yet to make it to this class as its timing in the late afternoon and location in Balboa Park usually hits nap time.  But, we almost made it one day in the pouring rain and were the only ones to show that day.  The musician was so sweet offering to have us join him for the class instead at his studio, but we opted to wait for a day when there were more kids for the class. 

http://www.worldbeatcenter.org/Classes_New.html

Children’s drumming class 5 mo-6 yrs. Tuesdays 3:00-3:30 pm $5, World beat center, 2100 park blvd. balboa park. 619-230-1190. 

This is my favorite class yet for my daughter.  Aleta is a Northwestern trained actress, teacher.  She is terrific with the kids including a format that incorporates Shakespeare in an age appropriate way, classic literature and the process for writing your own play, rehearsing it and performing it.

She is fun, she includes spontaneous play in the form of improv, tons of movement, face painting when it fits, costumes, and art.  The kids have a ball.  She manages to have all her classes around town meet for their performance in the Dove Library in Carlsbad.  Its great fun to see all they can do - all the ages.

http://aletabarthell.com/kidsact.html 

Aleta offers classes in Encinitas, Solana Beach and I’m hoping shortly in Carmel Valley/Sorrento Valley as well at the Activekidz gym.  Her program is not to be missed.  The kids ask their parents to continue for years because they have so much fun.  She’s special.  

This program looks like it could be amazing.  My kids are still too young for it, but the classes are offered by the theatre in Solana Beach called North Coast Repertory off Lomas Santa Fe.  http://www.northcoastrep.org/school/index.html

I would love to hear from Moms who may have had kids experience these classes.  The classes I believe begin at 3rd grade age level/9 yrs of age and extend through high school age.  The kids get to write their own plays and perform them.  They have the opportunity to work with professionals.  I suspect the learning environment is special.  They also offer summer camps.

This program appears to be a national franchise and classes are offered in a variety of locations around town.  See their web site for more: http://www.dramakids-sandiego.com/ClassReservationPage.html

I don’t have experience with teachers or programming, but considered it for my daughter as it was offered so close by at the Recreation Center in Carmel Valley.  I’d love to hear from Moms if they liked this program.   

The Scripps Performing Arts Academy originated in Scripps Ranch and in 2007 opened a branch in Carmel Valley/Sorrento Valley.    http://www.superkidslive.com/

I’m pretty sure this program too begins at age 5 and up.  My daughter participated in the week long summer camps and I was very impressed that they were able to work with kids so well in such a short time and have such a solid performance.  More importantly, the kids had a great time.  

The school year program includes a weekly set of rehearsals for a quarter essentially with a performance at the end.  Performances are in Scripps Ranch at their theatre.

I’ve been happy with the instructors and the administration.  One stop shopping here with musical theatre, ballet, jazz, etc. under one roof.  They even do birthday parties.   

The Boys and Girls Club in San Diego is very active, many different locations.  We have several in our area - two in Carmel Valley and another in Del Mar and Solana Beach.  There are after school activities for various age ranges - primarily school age not younger. Arts (dance for 2 and up; acting for 6 and up), sports, swimming, volleyball and more. 

http://www.bgcsdto.org/Allred.htm  This is the link to one of the Carmel Valley locations and the drop downs there will take you to the other locations as well.  There is even some transportation from schools to the facility if you are a working parent and need someone to transport your children.

I don’t have any personal experience with the programs, but I have spoken with some of the folks administering the programs and they were very nice.  Seems worth a look.   

These concerts are supposed to be great.  We haven’t made one yet as my kids are too little to sit that long.  But, I’ve heard they are well worth attending.  http://www.classics4kids.com/

This dance school is located in the Vons shopping center near Valley Centre road.  I confess, dance is something near and dear to me.  I danced ballet, jazz and modern through my childhood and into college.  I care a lot about good instruction and a fun environment. I think Francine Garton who runs this place manages both well.

I took an adult Ballet class from her and really enjoyed it.  My daughter took a few classes with Miss Melissa and adored her but hated Ballet.  Ah well.  But, I’ve heard mostly good things about the program.  The costumes, dress rehearsals for the recitals, however, are pricey.  For whatever reason, they are sparing no expense there.  And I don’t understand that for the life of me.  The kids are very young.  Seems very unnecessary.  I confess, I don’t know if its any better elsewhere on that point.  They may all do it for all I know.  But, short of that, I recommend the place highly. 

Visit their site for schedules, etc. http://royaldanceacademy.com/index.html 

I haven’t been yet, but I hear these shows are terrific for young kids.  The Junior Theatre performs in 3 locations; balboa park, Chula Vista and La Jolla. The closest destination for us in Carmel Valley is La Jolla and the building is in downtown La Jolla.

Information on show times and what shows are playing when here: http://www.juniortheatre.com/shows/2006-2007/

The shows are kids doing kids shows.  They offer classes in each location as well.  Here is the class information: http://www.juniortheatre.com/classes/ 

I was really interested in trying one of these classes, the drama class but haven’t yet.  Getting in and out of La Jolla is a major pain in the a-ss regardless of time of day.  I’m just not a big fan, I opted to drive up to Encinitas to the YMCA for drama classes instead which was also bad late afternoon because the 5 fills up after 3:00 pm.  But, I hear the classes are great and I’d still like to try them out. 

Located in Solana Beach and also Scripps Ranch, this program I’m told is terrific.  Encouraging students to learn how to draw familiar objects giving them confidence in artistic skills, and then build on that developing inherent creative skills.  I’ve heard several families  rave about this program and its pretty close to Carmel Valley just up the 5.   http://www.northsandiegomonart.com/

Laura Kauffer runs this program locally, but its a national and even internationally franchised program.  I took this class at Beth Am in Carmel Valley and loved it with my daughter.  The instructors are energetic, they love working with the kids and are primarily Moms who love music and have some music or teaching background. 

I know 3 of the instructors personally and highly recommend these classes.  The program comes with a CD/Tape of the music, a songbook and the class themselves are active, full of instrument and props and just great fun.  http://www.sandiegomusictogether.com/

Classes are now offered in several other locations as well - including the JCC in La Jolla, Solana Beach and Point Loma.