August 30, 2007

Making of a star
Sports teams, arts classes and more to help your kids shine
Compiled by Christina Nyquist & Amy Diaz news@hippopress.com

“Back to school” doesn’t just mean a new grade.

It also means a new season of afterschool activities — back to dance, back to art, back to Boy Scouts, back to soccer. Luckily for the kids of southern New Hampshire, there are oodles of activities to get involved in. Is your child a Broadway baby? A young Einstein? A peewee Picasso? No matter what his or her talent, there’s probably at least one organization ready to help his or her star shine a little brighter.

Art
• Currier Art Center, 180 Pearl St. in Manchester, begins its fall session on Sept. 24. It runs through Dec. 4. The center offers classes Monday through Saturday for kids as young as 3 years old (accompanied by a parent), as well as for teens and adults. Prices of classes vary and can run as low a $135. The Center also offers one-day-only workshops, which start at $40 per workshop. Visit www.currier.org or call 669-6144 ext. 122.
• Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum, 8 S. Main St. in Concord, offers art classes for younger children in six week-sessions (priced at $150). Classes last about 45 minutes and run on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call 229-4526 or go to kaleidoscopechildrensmuseum.net.
• New Hampshire Institute of Art, 148 Concord St. in Manchester, offers classes for high school students ages 15 and up. The fall session begins Wednesday, Sept. 5. Prices vary according to class; multi-session classes start as low as $75 and usually require an additional materials fee. Go to www.nhia.edu or call 623-0313.

Art lessons
Here are a few other places that have offered art lessons. Call for more information.
• Drawing and Painting Studio Instruction,174 Main St. in Nashua, 578-9565
• EW Poore, 531 Front St. in Manchester,622-3802
• Jean Davis Art Studio, 22 Lock St. in Nashua, 883-4579

Music
• Bordeleau Keyboard Studios, 48 Maple Dr. in Bedford, offers private and group instruction for ages five through high school in keyboard, piano, organ and digital piano. Call 472-5566.
• Concord Community Music School, 23 Wall St. in Concord, offers music classes for kids as young as six months as well as choruses, instrumental ensembles and private lessons. Tuition varies depending on class or length of lesson. The fall session begins on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Go to www.ccmusicschool.org or call 228-1196.
• The Lidman Music Studio, 419 Amherst St. in Nashua, offers individual lessons for children as young as three years old in viola, violin and piano. Lessons are $95 for 30 minutes, $140 for 45 minutes and $185 for an hour. Go to lidmanmusic.com or call 882-5456.
• The Little Private Music School, 1 Bryce Drive in Merrimack, offers individual lessons, as well as Sunday group workshops in piano, voice, acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass, woodwind instruments and brass instruments. Half hour private lessons are $130 per month, and hour private lessons are $240 per month. Discounts are available for multiple family members and multiple instruments. Call 424-4116 or visit www.tlpmusicschool.com.
• Manchester Community Music School, 2291 Elm St. in Manchester, offers a large variety of musical opportunities for all ages and abilities. Along with private instruction, young musicians have the opportunity to participate in ensembles, orchestras, choirs and group lessons in piano and music theory. The school also offers music therapy sessions to children and adolescents with autism, developmental delays, learning disabilities, physical handicaps and other special needs. The fall term begins Sept. 4 and runs through May. Tuition rates vary depending on the program (group classes, for example, can cost as little as $105) and financial aid is available. Call 644-4548, or visit www.mcmusicschool.org.
• Manchester Music Mill, at 400 Bedford St., Suite 101, in Manchester, offers private and semi-private lessons, as well as clinics, in clarinet, drum set and percussion, flute, guitar and saxophone. Private lessons are $20 per half hour, groups of two or more are $15 per person, per hour, and clinics are $10 per person per hour. Call 623-8022, or visit www.manchestermusicmill.com.
• Mavro Music Studio, 15 Olde Towne Road in Auburn, offers half hour lessons for $16 a session in piano, guitar, drums and electric bass. Ages 7 to adult. Call 483-5779.
• Nashua Community Music School, 5 Pine St. Extension Mill Annex #6 in Nashua, offers classes for babies (Music Pups is open to infants) through teens. Weekly classes can start at $63 (there is an additional materials fee plus a $25 per individual/$40 per family registration fee). The school also offers private lessons in 30 to 60 minute blocks weekly and ensemble classes and choirs. Call 881-7030 or go to www.nashuacms.org.
• Ted Herbert’s Music Mart, 934 Elm St. in Manchester, offers private instruction in half hour sessions for $20 per session in everything from voice to bagpipes, including band and orchestra instruments, guitar, bass, banjo and piano. Lessons are available Monday through Thursday until 9 p.m., as well as Fridays and Saturdays, depending on instructor availability. To set up a lesson, call the lesson office at 669-9191, or for general information, call 623-0153.
• West Brothers Music, which has locations in Amherst and Londonderry as well as Tewksbury, Mass., offers private instruction in piano, drums and percussion, guitar, bass, voice, music theory, history, improvisation, ensemble performance, bagpipe chanter, and even the pennywhistle. Prices and sessions vary. Visit www.westbrothersmusic.com or call 438-1903.

More music
Here are a few more places offering your mini-Mozart a chance to learn the tunes.
• The Emerging Artist Piano Studio, 33 Highland Ave. in Derry, 437-2323
• Grow in Tune, 69 Main St. in Nashua, 889-3869, growintune.com.
• Music Learning Associates, 307 Elm St. in Milford, 672-7250
• Rosita Lee Music and Dance Center, 136 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-8940, www.rositalee.com
• Souhegan Piano Instruction, 294 Route 101 in Amherst, 672-4844
• Strings & Things Music Concord, 113 S. Main St. in Concord, 228-1971, www.strings-things.com

Nature
• Amoskeag Fishways, 6 Fletcher St. in Manchester, will offer one-time sessions for preschoolers every other Wednesday starting Sept. 12. Sessions run from 10 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 2 p.m. and are $5 per family. Go to www.amoskeagfishways.org for a schedule. Register at 626-3474.
• Daniel Webster Council of Boy Scouts of America is the NH division of Boy Scouts of America, which was created to educate, build character, develop citizenship and develop personal fitness for boys. To find a chapter, visit www.dwcbsca.org.
• Girl Scouts of Swift Water Council serves girls of NH and Eastern Vermont, and is committed to “building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” To find a troop, visit www.swgirlscouts.org.
• Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, offers one-time classes for preschoolers on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Each session costs $9 per child/parent pair ($6 for Audubon members). Early registration is recommended. Go to www.nhaudubon.org or call 668-2045.
• McLane Center, 3 Silk Farm Road in Concord, offers programs for preschoolers on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 2:30 p.m. Each session is $9 per child/parent pair ($6 for members) plus $3 for additional siblings. Drop ins add $3. Register at 224-9909 or www.nhaudubon.org.

Recreation
• Boys & Girls Club of Nashua, 47 Grand Ave. in Nashua, offers after school programs for school-aged kids as well as arts, sports and fitness programs. Programs are offered at the Grand Avenue location and at some Nashua schools. Call 883-0523 or go to bgcn.com.
• Concord’s recreation department offers several fall programs including preschool dance and gymnastics, a field hockey league and soccer. Cost varies according to class and is less for Concord residents. Some programs are only open to Concord residents. Go to www.ci.concord.nh.us/RECREATION/ or call 225-8690.
• Concord Boys & Girls Club, 55 Bradley St. in Concord, offers after school care and teen programs at its Concord location as well as in Hopkinton and Suncook. The after school program includes homework help, arts, recreation and sports. Call 224-1061 or go to www.concordkids.org.
• Concord Family YMCA, 15 N. State St. in Concord, offers classes (karate, gymnastics, etc.) and sports leagues in two fall sessions, Sept. 10 through Oct. 27 and Oct. 29 through Dec. 22. Costs vary according to program — some are free with membership (which is $99 annually for children 13 and under). Call 228-YMCA or go to www.concordymca.org.
• Greater Manchester Family YMCA, 30 Mechanic St. in Manchester, and the Allard Center, 116 Goffstown Back Road in Goffstown, offer classes in swimming, rock climbing, outdoor adventure, fitness, tennis, gymnastics, dance, and cheerleading and tumbling, with competitive swim and gymnastics teams. An annual membership for children ages 18 months to 12 years is $144, and $244 for ages 13 to 18. The Greater Manchester location also offers a middle school drop-in center Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 6 p.m., for children grades 6 through 8, as well as Friday teen nights from 7 to 10 p.m. Activities include homework time, ping pong, billiards, Dance Dance Revolution, dodgeball and more. The first fall session runs Sept. 10 to Oct. 28. Visit www.gmfymca.org or call 623-3558.
• Manchester Boys and Girls Club, 555 Union St. in Manchester, offers a before school program that starts at 6:30 a.m. and after school programs (featuring arts, homework help, gym activities and more) that last until 6 p.m. Call 625-5982 or visit www.mbgcnh.org.
• YMCA of Greater Nashua, 17 Prospect St. in Nashua and 6 Henry Clay Dr. in Merrimack, offers two fall sessions of sport, art, dance and music lessons and sports teams as well as afterschool care until 6:30 p.m. for kids in grades 1 to 6. The first fall session starts Sept. 4. A variety of classes is offered at the Nashua and/or Merrimack locations. Go to www.nmymca.org or call Merrimack (881-7778) or Nashua (882-2011) for membership information.

Sports
• Bedford Basketball League, www.bedfordbl.com, offers recreational and travel basketball for boys and girls grades 2 through 12. Registration costs $55 for recreational leagues and an additional $150 for travel teams. Signups are going on now for teams that begin play in December.
• Concord Sports Center, 2 Whitney Road in Concord, offers programs for kids interested in baseball and soccer. Their Rookie Baseball League, for ages 5 to 8, has games Sunday mornings beginning September 16 and ending October 14. The cost is $100 for members and $125 for non-members. For ages 8 to 10, the Little League Minor program has Sunday doubleheaders from September 16 through October 21, with optional practices Tuesday evenings, for $150 for members and $175 for non-members. Their first meeting is Monday, Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m., at the Concord Sports Center Party Room. Their Little League Major program, for ages 10 to 12, also has Sunday doubleheaders with optional practices Tuesday evenings, for the same cost. Their meeting is Monday, Sept. 3, at 5 p.m. Private instruction is also offered in both baseball and soccer, as well as school vacation baseball clinics for Christmas, February and April vacations, and a soccer youth skills clinic. Visit www.concordsportscenter.com.
• Conway Ice Arena, 8 Riverside Street in Nashua, offers basic skills classes in skating, as well as hockey and figure skating. Visit www.conwayarena.com or call 595-2400.
• Manchester Regional Youth Hockey Association, www.mryha.org, has teams for a variety of age and skill levels. The association is holding its registration now for the program begins in mid-September (call about registration possibilities after Aug. 31). Price varies according to level. The Intro-Mite program (for kids who are seven and eight) is $300 for Manchester residents. Divisions cost more. Go online and click on “registration” for more information.
• Milford Community Athletic Association, www.mcaa.us, offers soccer and softball in the fall. Softball registration for kids 9 to 16 is open through Saturday, Sept. 1. Soccer for kids 4 to 7 and 11 to 14 is open through Sept. 2. Registration costs vary with program.
• NH Sportsplex, 68 Technology Drive in Bedford, offers a variety of leagues for soccer, baseball and softball, and field hockey. Call 641-1313, or visit www.nhsportsplex.com.
• Tri-Town Ice Arena, 311 West River Road in Hooksett, offers basic skating, hockey, figure skating and synchronized skating instruction. The Tri-Town Junior Monarchs House League is $575 for the season, with a $150 registration deposit, which runs from September 22 to March 23, as well as the NH Junior Monarchs and Lady Monarchs Travel Teams. Visit www.tri-townicearena.org, or call 485-1100.

Soccer
For information about soccer leagues and teams in your area, visit www.soccernh.com.
• The Amherst Soccer Club, which has leagues for older children with tryouts in the summer, is accepting registration for the tots soccer program, which begins its session on Sept. 10. Go to www.amherstsoccerclub.com.
• The Bedford Soccer League provides a fall recreation league for grades kindergarten through high school, a 10-month academy program for first grade through under-10, and a year-round NH Classics program for under-11 through high school for more advanced players. Visit www.bedfordsoccer.org or call 471-6367.
• The Bow Soccer Club offers two levels of competition for players ages kindergarten through under-18. Visit www.bowsoccerclub.com, or call 224-0479.
• Derry Hawks Soccer, www.derrysoccer club.org/hawks, an in-town soccer team, is accepting registration now for the fall session for kids to 5 to 16 years old. See the Web site or call 216-2700.
• Manchester East Soccer League, www.mesl.org, has teams for kids ages 5 to 18. Registration began in March and a $25 late fee will be applied to kids signing up now (who will be put on a wait list).
• Manchester North Soccer League, http://mnsl.org, has recreation teams for kids ages 5 to 18. According to the Web site, there are still spots available for kids 13 and under. (Games for older kids began this week; games for younger kids start Sept. 8). Registration costs $65 per kid or $130 per family.

Note: Many traveling or competitive soccerteams hold tryouts in the early summer. Contact your local parks and recreation department to find recreation leagues (which usually don’t require tryouts). Also, see www.granitestatesoccer.com for contact information for coaches of area teams.

Gymnastics
• Gymnastics Village, Amherst. 18 mos. through 18 years. 13 Caldwell Drive. 889-8092.
• Tumble Town Gymnastics, 215 Canal Street, 641-9591
• Cheer Gym, 55 S. Commercial St., in Manchester, 622-6241
• Gheorghe Ghita Gymnastics, Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, 624-0380
• Granite State Gymnastics Center, 71 River Road, Bow, 228-8424, www.gsgymcenter.com
• Gymboree Play Music & Art Program, 211 Loudon Road in Concord, 225-0044 www.gymboreeclasses.com
• Gym-Ken Gymnastics, 184 Rockingham Road in Windham, 434-9060
• Local Motion, 42 Manchester Road in Derry, 425-1122, www.localmotionfun.com
• My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, 126 S River Road in Bedford, 668-7196
• Nashua School of Gymnastics, 30 Pond St. in Nashua, 880-4927
• New England Gymnastics Training Center, 5 Tracy Lane in Hudson, 880-8482, www.negtc.com
• Spectrum Gymnastics Academy, 26 Buttrick Road in Londonderry, 434-8388, www.spectrumgymnasticsacademy.com

Horseback riding
• Apple Tree Farm, 49 Wheeler Road in Hollis, 465-9592, appletreefarm.homestead.com.
• Autumn Hill Farm, 56 Sanborn Road in Concord, 224-1971
• Kilkenny Horse Center, 183 Silver Lake Road in Hollis, 465-7470
• Just-In-Time Farm, 191 Litchfield Road in Londonderry, 432-6262, justintimefarm.com
• Lucky Seven Stables, 254 Litchfield Rd. in Londonderry, www.lucky7stables.com
• Oak Rise Farm, 371 Shirley Hill Road in Goffstown, 656-9730, www.oakrisefarm.com
• Ponemah Acres Farm and Riding Center, 13 Veterans Road in Amherst
• Rock Hill Stable, 104 Pelham Road in Hudson, 577-8822, www.rockhillstable.com
• Star Riding Academy, Amherst, 672-3552

Theater
• The Acting Loft, 516 Pine St. in Manchester, offers several youth and teen acting, dance and vocal classes for kids as young as 5 years old. (Acting Loft also offers adult classes.) The fall session begins Sept. 17. Tuition is $150 per course, with an annual registration fee of $25. Most classes run weekday afternoons and evenings. The Acting Loft is also introducing a fall Sunday workshop series beginning Sept. 23. Workshops run from 10 a.m. to noon and are for older kids and adults. Call 666-5999 or visit www.actingloft.org.
• The Bedford Youth Performing Company, 155 Route 101 in Bedford, offers classes in acting, musical theater, dance, instruments and voice, as well as jazz/blues combo and jazz and rock ensembles. The company also features a class on television work. Classes are offered for toddlers through teenagers, according to the group’s Web site. Registration fees are $25 per child or $45 for a family. Tuition for the school-year-long sessions varies according to the classes. Visit www.bypc.org, or call 472-3894.
• The Majestic Theatre, 281 Cartier St. in Manchester, offers classes in music and drama. Call 669-7469 or go to www.majestictheatre.net.
• The Palace Theatre, on 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, offers youth and teen theater opportunities for ages 8 to 18. Call 668-5888, or visit www.palacetheatre.org.
• The Peacock Players, 14 Court St., in Nashua, offer classes beginning September 9. Kinderdrama Jr. is for ages 5 to 6 and meets Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m., and Kinderdrama Sr. is for ages 7 to 8 and meets from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuition for each program is $80 per student. For ages 9 to 13, Peacock offers Actors in Action, which meets Sundays from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning Sept. 8, and culminates in two shows the week of Dec. 15. Tuition is $165 per student, and actors must have prior experience with Peacock classes, shows or summer camps. Visit www.peacockplayers.org or call 889-2330.

So you think you can dance
Does your future Fred Astaire want to improve his or her moves? Here are some places offering dance lessons of all kinds for kids. Call for more information.
• Beverly Baroody School of Dance, 851 Mammoth Road # 1S in Manchester, 668-8564
• Capital City Dance Center, 128J Hall St. in Concord, 228-1012, www.capitalcitydancecenter.com
• Concord Dance Academy 26, Commercial St., Concord, 226-0200, www.concorddanceacademy.com
• The Dance Studio of Manchester, 300 Bedford St. in Manchester, 669-1929, www.dance-manchester.com.
• Dimensions in Dance, 575 S. Willow St. in Manchester, 668-4196, www.dimensionsindance.com
• New England School of Dance, 8 Main St. in Goffstown, 497-8846• New Hampshire School of Ballet, 1271 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, 668-5330, www.nhschoolofballet.com
• NH School of Scottish Arts, 922 Elm St., Suite 315, in Manchester, 621-9949, www.nhssa.org
• Northern Ballet Theatre Dance Centre, 36 Arlington St. in Nashua, 889-8406, nbti.org
• N-Step Dance Center, 2626 Brown Ave. in Manchester, 641-8767, www.nstepdance.com
• Rosita Lee Music and Dance Center, 136 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-8940, www.rositalee.com
• Sally Zyla Dance Studio, 162 Manchester St. in Manchester, 623-0221
• Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre, 19 Harvey Road, Bedford, 625-9272, www.snhdt.org