Your news: Mamma Mia, It's Shrek at Des Plaines arts camp

What happens when everyone's favorite green ogre meets the dancing queens? An explosive two weeks of pop music, exciting dancing and artistic creativity at the Des Plaines Park District's Dance and Arts Camp and Camp Remix.

During the two weeks at camp, 27 dancers, ages 6-15, designed costumes, props and set pieces to coordinate with the camp themes: "Shrek Forever After" and "Mamma Mia." Dancers from both camps then performed a program of 12 routines on July 23 at Prairie Lakes Community Center in front of an audience of family and friends.

Dance and Arts Camp and Camp Remix are two-week camps that run in conjunction. During the morning, younger dancers created wall hangings including individual two-foot gingerbread men, tie-dyed T-shirt costumes, and focused on learning dances to the music from "Shrek Forever After" in the afternoons.

Camp Remix learned more complex dance routines in the mornings to the music from "Mamma Mia," and designed oversized wedding gifts and tie-dyed T-shirts in the afternoons.

The camps met daily for lunch and to learn the opening number, "I'm a Believer," and the closing number, "Mamma Mia." In addition, Dance and Arts Camp performed jazz, hip hop and lyrical routines to "Get Back," "Shrek Rap," "Click Click," "Shake Your Groove Thing," and "Isn't It Strange." Camp Remix performed to "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!," "Super Trouper," "S.O.S.," "Our Last Summer," and "Honey Honey."

The last two weeks of Dance and Arts Camp and Camp Remix are in session now, with a final show Friday, Aug. 6. The dancers will perform to music from "Up" and "Fame." The performance is free to the public and a great opportunity to see what the Des Plaines School of Dance has to offer.

The Des Plaines School of Dance will have an open house on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Leisure Center, 2222 Birch Street. Everyone is invited to sample free dance classes taught by the professional instructors on staff. Attendees will receive a $5 coupon good for any 2010 Fall School of Dance Class. A complete schedule of classes is available at desplainesparks.org. For more information about classes and registration call (847) 391-5711.

Submitted by Lisa Haring, Des Plaines Park District