'American Idol' grooms kids at camp

August 01, 2007 Shouting "Good, good, take it home now" from a chair in front of an outdoor stage, dance instructor Masau Dibinga directs about a dozen teenagers as they gyrate and bust hip-hop dance moves. Welcome to the first Idol Camp, a 10-day performance arts retreat run by the producers of "American Idol" for 12- to 15-year-olds with budding dreams of Hollywood fame, a zeal for being on stage and -- in many cases -- an encyclopedic knowledge of the highest-rated U.S. television show. The creators and producers of the TV reality search for the next pop star are planning to expand their summer camp over the next few years and are filling a void left by steep budget cuts that have squeezed arts programs in U.S. public schools.

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