SUMMER CAMPS:The children at a Fame Camp may be too young to remember the original movie, but they know what they want – what they really really want – and that's to be famous, writes Fiona McCann
THEY’VE GOT big dreams. They want fame. Well, fame costs. And right here in the Helix theatre is where they start paying . . . in sweat.
It’s 10am and 30-odd pre-teens too young to get that reference are working up a sweat by kicking their legs up over their heads in front of a wall of mirrors.
They’re warming up for Fame Camp, a week-long musical theatre summer camp that culminates in a performance tomorrow before family and friends. And even though it’s only day three of the camp, this lot are ready for stardom.
“I just want to be famous,” says eight-year-old Cassia Misfud Naughton, who is so enthused about the idea that she also attended last week’s Glee Camp at the Helix.
Lan Keating, also eight, is more specific. “I want to be a supermodel, a singer and a dancer,” she lists as her aspirations. Wouldn’t she consider a future in law or accountancy then? She shakes her head dismissively. “I just don’t like doing that much work.”
Once the warm-up is complete, the children are split into three groups.
Lan and Cassia are in the “Junior” group, and are ushered downstairs for the first of three classes, this one in singing and drama. Their teacher is Damien Douglas, a former Billie Barry kid and now one half of Class Act Stage School. He shows the group of seven- to nine-year-olds where their diaphragm is, and teaches them a little about voice projection that their parents may not thank him for. Some kids take to it with alarming ease, but Douglas is careful to make sure all get involved. “It’s a balance between pulling teeth and trying to calm them down,” he explains.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the intermediate class of nine- to 11-year-olds is rehearsing one of their dance routines with Douglas's partner at Class Act, choreographer Laura Martin. There's some impressive kicking and spinning going on to tunes from Fame, and it's hard to believe that this twinkle-toed lot are only on their third day at camp. Not all of them are novices to dance classes and camps, however.
“It’s only my second camp, and it’s my favourite,” says Caitlin Hyland (11). Ten-year-old Chloe Jones joined up because “singing and dancing are my most favourite things in the world!”, while Matthew McConnell, one of the five boys on the course, admits that though “I didn’t like it the first day”, Fame Camp has turned out to be “really good”.
They all seem to be enjoying themselves immensely, although 10-year-old Emer Robinson points out that Fame Camp can be hard work too.
“But it’s fun at the same time,” she says, adding that the work pays off “because there’s a show at the end”.
As conversation dissolves into who’s going to get the solos in the Friday show, it’s time to switch classes again, as the “Senior” kids, aged 11 to 13, file in from their other dance class with Laura Spooner.
Twelve-year-old Adam Dunne is among them. "I seen the film Fameand I wanted to dance and sing," he explains as his motivation for signing up. Though he cites the singing as his favourite element of the camp, his teachers also see in him a natural talent for dance, despite the fact that he has never attended classes previously. "He's amazing," is how Laura Martin describes him, "A little Billy Elliott in the making."
It's time for the "Inter" to head downstairs and learn the lines to the Fameclassic, Starmaker. "The trick is helping the good kids get better and giving the young ones confidence," says Douglas, who also emphasises the uncompetitive nature of the course, with all of the children coming together at the end for their performance tomorrow.
They’re already making friends in the various groups, with those who have “camp experience” coaching their rookie friends in some of the funkier dance moves. And despite the fact that show time is only two days away, nobody exhibits any nervousness about taking to the stage.
As Cassia puts it: “The best part is getting to perform on stage.” For the applause? Eight-year-old Emily Gallagher shakes her head. “I don’t mind the clapping, but I don’t love it,” she explains. “But I love performing.”
Fame Camp at the Helix runs until Friday as part of the Kids on Stage series which continues next week with Pop Camp. The courses, which run from 10am to 1pm over a five-day-week, cost €85 per child, with discounts for early booking and siblings. For more information, go to thehelix.ie or call 01-700 7000.
