Celebrated musical-theater actress and Tony Award Winner Heather Headley attended Showchoir Camps of America (SCA) back in the day. Brian and Scott Nicholson, twin brothers who choreograph for Ariana Grande, are also past campers, along with NSYNC’s Lance Bass—living examples of the transformational impact to be had at SCA, the world-class, immersive experience Dwight Jordan and Susan Moninger started in 1980 to give students, teachers, directors, and choreographers a place to hone their talents during the summer.
Since its founding, SCA, which hosts two camps each summer, has grown to attract participants from nearly 30 different states and even a couple of foreign countries. This growth has prompted exciting changes for 2025. While continuing at Heidelburg University in Tiffin, Ohio, SCA is relocating its Illinois camp from Millikin University in Decatur to Augustana College in Rock Island to better accommodate the housing and other needs of the campers.
After 45 years, this is big news, and they’re thrilled with the new location. “Augustana is a beautiful campus with great rehearsal facilities that have been recently renovated,” Jordan says. “It’s right on the Mississippi River—part of the Quad Cities, home to four communities that all have outstanding show choir programs. We’re excited to bring SCA to this region; the Iowa schools as well as surrounding states have such rich traditions of exceptional programs and now we are right on their doorstep.” This year’s camps are scheduled for June 15-21 at Augustana and July 6-12 at Heidelberg.
A Camp for Everyone
Despite the camp’s impressive alumni roster, Jordan and Moninger emphasize the camps are designed for everyone, not just the select few. Age-wise, the students range from middle/junior high to high school, and SCA welcomes students from novice to advanced, with an emphasis on mutual encouragement and teamwork over competition. “One of the reasons we developed this camp,” Moninger says, “is that early on, there were many competitions getting started, and it quickly became very competitive. We wanted to create an environment that was noncompetitive. Where students from all over the country could come, spend a week together and create bonds that otherwise would never have happened.” The first day the students are divided equally into several show choirs: each group rehearses daily with their own outstanding vocal director and choreographer, developing a show to perform at the end of the week. Each day they also participate in one of many exciting workshops offered in all aspects of singing, dancing, team building and other performance techniques. “If they’re brand new to show choir and don’t have a lot of dancing experience, the first day they can take a class to get ahead in rehearsals by learning dance combinations with steps that give them the basic vocabulary, the style, the posture, how to tell a story when you’re moving,”
Throughout the week, student campers pick and choose the sessions that interest them most, “everything from vocal coaching and stage presence to learning about the music business, as well as many styles of dance including contemporary, hip hop, funk and partner dancing…it’s a wide variety,” Moninger says. Aspiring composers can even have one-on-one sessions with professional composers to improve their songwriting techniques.
Never Too Old, or Experienced, for Camp
From the beginning, SCA has offered a camp for not just students but teachers, show-choir directors and choreographers as well, Jordan says. “We provide them with a well-rounded week of workshops, reading sessions and experiences that are going to help them in show development stagecraft, technical aspects, team building, set design, hiring choreographers, recruiting, fundraising, and of course the musical side of it with choral techniques that can be integrated into their own choral programs. Not only do they have innovative, top-trending workshops to attend, but they also leave with a large network of people they can call or text for input and suggestions or to just be a shoulder to cry on after a challenging day!”
Attendees at both the Augustana and Heidelberg camps can meet with leading costume-design companies on site to see their latest creations and begin designing for the upcoming season. “We have experts there who talk about every element of a show,” Moninger says.
Moninger adds that an additional perk for teachers is the chance to earn Graduate Credit and Continuing Education Credit through the workshop.
The education-and-fun component also resonates in the show the teachers perform toward the end of the week. “They learn a show themselves just like the kids do,” Jordan says, adding that it’s a novel experience for some and a return to the show-choir stage for others. “There’s no better way to learn than to do it.”
A Star-Studded Lineup
Every year, SCA camps feature a Broadway performer who not only performs one evening but does a Q&A with the students. The a cappella group Radius will be making a return appearance to SCA.
Jason Max Ferdinand, a world-renowned professor, conductor, composer, speaker, and director of Choral Activities at the University of Maryland College Park, with be at both locations to share his expertise on conducting, rehearsal techniques, and more for instructors to take back home to their schools’ show choirs. The award-winning director, vocal coach, and Broadway actress Roberta Duchak, currently the North American music supervisor for the Broadway hit “SIX” will be there as well, talking to teachers and students about healthy singing for young performers and how to build stamina without causing injury. “She has all kinds of tips to allow teachers to teach it and for students to learn it,” Jordan says. “We’re excited to have her. She’s a tremendous talent.”
In addition to learning from these industry professionals, students have the opportunity to showcase their own developing talents in the auditioned Student Talent Showcase. There is also an opportunity for students to audition for one of the additional groups that perform on Saturday; the Dance Ensemble and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Lasting Impact
For Jordan and Moninger, it’s hard to overstate the value campers take home from the experience. They see it in the feedback they get from directors who describe how student participants not only come home with the skills to become better performers but bring back a new level of energy. Jordan and Moninger also see it in the campers eager to return years later and share advice with a new group of students. They especially love to see it in the relationships formed during the week. “That’s what we didn’t expect,” Moninger says. “It’s the family aspect, the feeling of belonging, the lifelong friends people make. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
She adds that 45 years into SCA, the experience still excites them. “I still see things I’ve never seen before and things I’ve never heard before,” she says. “I love the creativity that exists in show choir, because it’s never all the same. It’s up to your imagination. We’ll never get tired of the chance to see kids have fun, be creative, push themselves, gain confidence in themselves, strive for excellence, and reach their potential.”
