Adult & Family Week at Timber Ridge

August 11 - 18, 2013

Program Directors

Gaye Fifer has been calling at dance weekends for several years. Her pleasant style and graceful teaching put dancers at ease and set the stage for a great dance experience. She has also taught numerous waltz workshops at virtually every dance weekend in the East. She now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. and travels whenever she gets the opportunity.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Rachel Fifer

Rachel Fifer grew up dancing and singing in Charlottesville, VA. She graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, with majors in Environmental Studies & Latin American Studies. Rachel sings with the West Asheville Community Choir, run by Suzannah Park and Nathan Morrison and dances on a ballroom dance team in Asheville. She works as an Acrobatic Partner Yoga instructor at a donation-based yoga studio. She specializes in running off to foreign countries, procrastinating, and singing or dancing at inopportune moments. Rachel is a lifelong Family Dance Camp missionary and spends most of her energy converting the lost souls of mainstream America with the gospel of the folk community.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Staff

Adam Broome

Adam Broome (Guitar, Cittern and Vocals) was born and raised in rural England to a life full of music, theatre and dance. His unique songwriting and playing style has been influenced over the years by many musical genres and traditions. Making music his livelihood, Adam tours full time with his band Crowfoot, performing for concerts and dances and leading workshops on DADGAD guitar throughout the U.S., Canada and abroad.

http://www.crowfootmusic.com

CDSS at Timber Ridge

David Cantieni

David Cantieni has brought innovative spice to contra dancers for more than 20 years with his prowess and musicality on flute, saxophone and bombarde in bands including Swallowtail and Wild Asparagus.

http://www.swallowtail.com/David.html

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Jeremy Carter-Gordon can't join us this year

John Devine

John Devine is much loved by the Family Week community as the Pied Piper and as a solid mountain of rhythm guitar for all styles of country dancing from English to New England to Southern, with a not-so-secret leaning toward swing songs and joy. He has one of the most beautiful voices you'll ever hear. He brings a gentle power to all that he does, whether playing guitar, singing songs or tending his farm just over the ridge in northeast West Virginia.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne

Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne is our Earth Educator and Nature Goddess and an environmental educator who relishes exploring, discovering and learning how the earth works, and helping others discover the natural beauty around us. She has worked extensively in her field for over 15 years with preschoolers through college students. We are never separate from nature; Leslie helps us to open our senses to the world in which we live. With daughter, Chenaya, and husband, John Devine, she lives just down the road from Timber Ridge Camp where she and John operate their own nature and music camp.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Daron Douglas

Daron Douglas is a captivating fiddler for American and English dance traditions. She plays with the dance bands Foxfire and Goldcrest. Daron also brings a rich repertoire of songs from her great-grandmother, who was one of Cecil Sharp's informants in the southern mountains. She has been on the staff at CDSS dance camps, at Ashokan and at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. She now lives and plays music in New Orleans.

http://www.allthingscottage.com/daron_douglas.html

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Tresne Hernandez

Tresne Hernandez has been bouncing and grooving ever since her brother first brought her to a swing dance in high school. Her passion for dance has led her to blues, contra, waltz, cha-cha, salsa, West African, tectonics, waacking (hip-hop) and, of course, more swing! She teaches swing and blues dancing at both Wesleyan and Yale Universities, choreographs contemporary dances, and teaches movement classes to elementary school students as part of Recess Rocks! She has also taught at Terpsichore's Dance Holiday and has been known to beat on a Taiko drum or two.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Steve Hickman

Steve Hickman is a world class fiddler, a master hambonist, a passionate historian, and an organic homesteader, specializing in wild blueberries and Shiitake mushroom production. Since the 1970s, he has been the backbone of untold numbers of mid-Atlantic dance bands and has taught hambone to several generations of Family Week campers. He has toured internationally with groups including Childsplay.

Family Week at Ogontz

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Jennie Kahly

Jennifer Kahly is a certified Montessori teacher and a homeschooling mom. She has enjoyed sharing art, science, literature and fun with kids of all ages. She has taught at Montessori schools, a Waldorf pre-school, a homeschool enrichment center, a local arts council and public schools. She met her husband Brian on the dance floor of the Timber Ridge playhouse. Jennifer has organized and called a few family dances near her home. Jennifer and Brian raise grass-fed beef, goats and chicken on their 150-acre farm they named after an old time tune collected in WV. The highlight of her year was giving birth to her son in the same house where his grandmother was born.

www.facebook.com/PossumTailFarm

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Kappy Laning

Kappy Laning enjoys teaching English ritual dances (rapper, longsword, border morris and garland) to children, teens and adults. She has been inspiring her class participants to work together and create exciting performances at many dance camps over the last 15 years, and in local MD schools over the past 5 years. Kappy has been CDSS's WV Camp Director since 1998.

Family Week at Pinewoods

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Rick Mohr

Rick Mohr's calling and choreography have been pleasing dancers across North America and beyond for 25 years. Known for top-notch contra repertoire, good humor and crystal-clear calling, Rick is also a dance fiddler and a (proud) new father.

http://rickmohr.net

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Contra Dance Callers Course

Paul Oorts

Paul Oorts, a Belgian native, displays his musical versatility on things with strings and on musette accordion. He plays Celtic and continental European repertoire in duo with his wife, Karen Ashbrook, as well as English, Scottish, vintage and contra with Goldcrest and various DC area bands.

www.pauloorts.com

CDSS at Timber Ridge

DeLaura Padovan

For twenty years DeLaura Padovan has been honored to share her enthusiasm and joy at Family Weeks. She is a family dance leader, singer and organic farmer. A pioneer of living life the best way possible, DeLaura spends her time homeschooling two teenage daughters, playing ukulele and marimba, milking goats and creating one thing out of another. DeLaura is a dedicated local foods activist in the King George, Virginia region.

Family Week at Ogontz

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Community & Classroom Dance Leaders Course

Olivia Padovan

Olivia Padovan is a 22-year veteran of CDSS camps and an aspiring physicist. She is starting the fourth year of her Ph.D. program and dancing as much as she can in her free time. She is on UPenn’s performance swing dance team and is working to start a rapper team in Philadelphia. When she's not dancing or doing physics, she dabbles in juggling and fire spinning, just for fun.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Ann Percival

Ann Percival is a pianist, guitarist and singer, erstwhile social worker and artist. Anne’s dancing days started when her Norwegian grandparents took her dancing at the Sons of Norway hall in Brooklyn. At Girl Scout Camp she discovered that she loved singing. She has in recent years found special enjoyment teaching visual arts and crafts. She is a founding member of Wild Asparagus and the O-Tones and is an exceptional dance musician for contras, squares and swing. Her vivacious personality and amazing repertoire of swing, gospel and other songs of many traditions are sure to keep everyone in camp jumpin' and jivin'.

http://annpercival.blogspot.com

Melissa Running discovered she could take folk dance for PE credit in college in the early '90s, and hasn’t looked back. A few years later she started playing for dances and then calling English in the Philadelphia area. She now lives in Silver Spring, MD, calls nationally, plays piano for English and Scottish country dancing, and plays the nyckelharpa for pleasure and for Swedish dancing (and a little Norwegian, and sometimes English). She's written a number of dances and a larger number of tunes. In her other life, she is a technical writer for a government contractor, where she may yet convince her HR person to come dancing after work. Photo by Rachel Winslow.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

English Dance Week at Pinewoods

Charlotte Swavola

Charlotte Swavola, a Chemistry/Human Biology-Anthropology major at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, started contra dancing when a best friend, and fellow CDSS member, took her to a dance in 5th grade, and then to Family Week at Buffalo Gap the following summer. Since then, the music, dancing and community have become more than something to look forward to, but part of what defines her. She now hopes to give back to the community as much as it has given her.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Jaige Trudel

Jaige Trudel (Fiddle, Cello and Voice) has been making music her "day job" for the last nine years, playing for dancers and listening audiences and giving workshops throughout the U.S., Canada and abroad, mostly with her trio Crowfoot. A classical background lends her a well rounded technical pallet and her love for traditional sounds determines how she uses it. She enjoys devoting time to organic gardens and giving astrological readings in between musical projects.

http://www.crowfootmusic.com

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Josh Van Vliet

Josh Van Vliet's dancing passions include swing, blues, salsa, waltz, tango and contra. He enjoys focusing on partner connection, musicality and dance fusion. Josh has taught swing and blues dance at both Wesleyan and Yale Universities, as well as Camper's Week at Pinewoods, and Terpsichore's Dance Holiday. A musician as well, Josh plays swing and contra guitar, most officially with the contra dance band Jetstream. Josh also has a bad cookie baking habit.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Dave Wiesler

Dave Wiesler began his musical journey as “the guy who could figure out the chords” in his high school garage band. Nearly 20 years later he discovered playing folk music for dances, and felt that the job description had been written just for him. At home in a wide range of styles, Dave is in demand for contra, English and Scottish country dancing, swing, waltz and vintage dance; and his music has taken him across the country and into Canada, Scotland, England, France and the Galapagos Islands. Dave is a prolific composer of tunes and songs, and is also a capable guitarist and singer. He lives in Newark, DE, with his wife and two young sons who don't let him practice nearly as much as he'd like.

http://www.azaleacityrecordings.com/davewiesler/

CDSS at Timber Ridge

Nicholas Williams

Nicholas Williams (flutes, accordion, piano, vocals) studied world music, composition and improvisation at York University in Toronto. Since graduating in 1998, he has immersed himself in the traditional dance music of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and Québec, as well as the classical music of North India. A member of the band Crowfoot for 9 years, he has performed across North America and the U.K., and has recorded as a producer, band member, and a guest artist on many CDs, including two solo releases. Nicholas lives in the Eastern Townships of Québec where he co-directs the 'Jeunes musiciens du monde' music school.

CDSS at Timber Ridge

* Advisors, plus

Steve Howe

Adult & Family Week at Timber Ridge

Tentative Schedule

7:45-8:30	Breakfast
9:00-10:00	kids can be dropped off at their class at 8:55 Childrens' Morning Classes 9:00 Age 2-3 Songs, Stories and Play: Jennie Kahly -- We will explore and create together by sharing stories and making a book. Age 4-5 Song and dance, stories and crafts!: Olivia Padovan -- In addition to learning fun and simple songs and dances, we will exercise our acting skills and make beautiful art. Age 6-7 Stories and Nature: Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne -- We will learn stories revolving around the natural world and work together putting the stories into action through play-acting. Age 8-9 Longsword: David Roodman -- Come people give ear to my story, We have called for to see you by chance, Five heroes I bring blythe and bonny, Intending to give you a dance, Timber Ridge's our habitation, It's the place we were all born and bred, There are no finer kids in the nation, And none are more gallantly led. The 8 to 9s will be learning longsword dancing! Age 10-12 Rapper: Kappy Laning / Jaige Trudel -- Rapper is an English tradition from the late 1800s. Its fast moving figures and team work make it an excellent experience for this age group. Each dance that is taught is based on notes from traditional dances with input from the group when possible, and changes made to fit the energy and needs of the group to create an exciting dance that is fun for all. CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Teen Potpourri (13-17): Ann Percival, David Cantieni Teen Potpourri (13-17): Ann Percival, David Cantieni Music by: Steve Hickman, John Devine Singing, dancing, stomping and frivolity. We can't tell you too much because these teens just may want to surprise you! CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Morning Contras (18 & up): Gaye Fifer Morning Contras (18 & up): Gaye Fifer Music by: Adam Broome, Nicholas Willliams Wake up gently with smooth, fun dances and wonderful music. CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Advanced English (18 & up): Melissa Running Advanced English (18 & up): Melissa Running Music by: Daron Douglas, Dave Wiesler, Paul Oorts For those familiar with the repertoire and those who learn patterns well. We'll do familiar dances from talk-throughs only, and save some intensive teaching time for the unfamiliar gems--dances you can sink your teeth into. CDSS at Timber Ridge
10:00	Refreshments
10:15-11:15	teacher will pick up children at snack and bring them back to Gathering after class teacher will pick up children at snack and bring them back to Gathering after class Age 2-3 Creative Play Time: Charlotte Swavola -- We will sing, dance, play games, tell stories and enjoy a wonderful week! Age 4-5 Songs, Stories and Play: Jennie Kahly -- We will explore and create together by sharing stories and making a book. Age 6-7 Stories, songs, and … science?!: Olivia Padovan -- We will learn tantalizing tales, stupendous songs, and daring dances from around the world. We will also perform some fun, simple, and safe scientific stunts that can be done anywhere! Age 8-9 Stories and Nature: Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne -- Stories about the natural world will be told, along with making nature crafts. Age 10-12 What Makes It English?: Melissa Running / Daron Douglas, Paul Oorts -- Modern English Country Dance uses moves that are also used in contra and other types of social or folk dance. What's different about how we do them in English? We'll dance familiar figures in several dance styles, in both classic and unusual dances. CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Challenging Contras (13 & up): Rick Mohr Challenging Contras (13 & up): Rick Mohr Music by: Adam Broome, Nicholas Willliams, Jaige Trudel Get your dance buzz going from intricate moves, close timing and unexpected choreography. A few brain-benders, a variety of surprises and a whole lot of fun! CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Morris (13 & up): David Roodman Morris (13 & up): David Roodman Music by: David Cantieni Come and learn morris dances new and old. Get airborn! Bring sneakers, enthusiasm and a passion for jumping around with bells! CDSS at Timber Ridge
11:30-12:15	All Camp Gathering with songs, singing, games and stories
12:30-1:15	Lunch Buffet
1:00-1:30	Canoeing in the River
1:30-2:15	Bookstore staffed
1:30-2:30	99 & under Nap, rest, snore, dream
	Nature Exploration (All ages, under 8 w/parent): Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne Nature Exploration (All ages, under 8 w/parent): Leslie Jeanne Devine Milbourne We will explore the different ecosystems at camp, including the beautiful Cacapon River and the amazing fossil pit. CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Community Art (All ages, under 10 w/parent): Ann Percival Community Art (All ages, under 10 w/parent): Ann Percival A judgment free zone where we'll create fantastic art using paper towels, paint, string, glitter, mirror, fabric, glue sticks and imagination! CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Community & Classroom Dance Leaders
	Contra Dance Callers Course
2:45-3:45	Swimming and handwork at the pool
	English for All (13 & up): Melissa Running English for All (13 & up): Melissa Running Music by: Daron Douglas, Dave Wiesler, Paul Oorts Here is my plan: do a bunch of awesome English dances. Teach as much as necessary to make sure everyone has a good time. Then get out of the way so the band can rock the house. Sound like fun? See you there! CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Community & Classroom Dance Leaders
	Contra Dance Callers Course
3:45	Children's snack
4:00-5:00	Swimming at the pool
	Family Dance Band (11 & up): Ann Percival, David Cantieni Family Dance Band (11 & up): Ann Percival, David Cantieni All instruments welcome. If you are 11 years old or older, comfortable playing in the common keys (G,D,A,C) and want to have fun with dance music in an ensemble setting, come join us. Playing by ear will be stressed but not required -- here's a chance to leave your written music behind. The Family Dance Band will usually play for a dance or two during the evening program; it will also work out some other tunes plus get a handle on the parade music. CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Open Calling (13 & up): Gaye Fifer Open Calling (13 & up): Gaye Fifer Music by: Daron Douglas, Dave Wiesler, Paul Oorts New callers, or callers who want more practice, are welcome to come and give it a try. Folks in the caller's course are welcome as well. We'll have great music, some feed-back for those who desire it, and a need for dancers! CDSS at Timber Ridge
	Swing/Blues (13 & up): Josh Van Vliet, Tresne Hernandez Swing/Blues (13 & up): Josh Van Vliet, Tresne Hernandez Music by: Steve Hickman, John Devine Swing dancing is all about energy in motion. Experience the juicy stretch, the graceful sharing of weight that makes Lindy Hop so exciting. Blues Dancing originated around the same time as Lindy Hop and represents the slower, smoother side of swing dancing. We'll start with the basics of blues and lindy hop: moving with a partner, add some key techniques for partner connection and musical interpretation (which you can bring to any partner dance!). Then on to the learning the 8-count swing out and some cool swing moves! As lindy hop and blues dances often meld together, you will be able to meld the two as well. All levels of dance experience welcome! CDSS at Timber Ridge
4:45-5:45	Bookstore staffed, Swimming in the Pool, Canoeing in the River
5:15-5:45	Sing for your supper
5:45-6:45	Dinner buffet
6:45	Parade to the Playhouse
7:00-7:35	Community Dance
7:35-8:15	All Camp Gathering
8:15	Pied Piper/Bedtime for children 9 & younger
8:30-11:00	Evening Dance Party
9:30	Bedtime for 10-12 year olds
11:00	After-dance Activities

English & American Dance & Music

August 11 - 18, 2013

Is there still room?
For up-to-date info about availability and wait lists,
see our main Dance & Music Camps page.

Printable information

Description of Classes: a 2 page description of the classes

Daily Schedule: a 1 page daily timetable

For accepted campers: Links to a few important pages and surveys.

Program Description

Photo by Barbara Dyskant

CDSS at Timber Ridge is a wonderful week of connecting with traditions and rituals, while building community with new and old friends. The culture of participation and involvement is contagious! We have a great program for adults, children, families and young adults featuring a mix of English and American dance, border morris, clog, song, music, arts and crafts, nature walks and more. Adults can participate in their classes all day, while children enjoy age-appropriate dance and music options.

The teaching/calling staff is entertaining and inspiring, the musicians are superb and the schedule allows you to do as much as you could possibly want. In addition to classes, there are two all community gatherings (morning and evening) where we share stories, songs and talents. There is time during the day for a nature walk, swimming, canoeing and hanging out with friends. After dinner, we parade to the hall for a community dance which includes everyone in the fun. The evening dances combine English and contra, with bedtimes for the younger ones at appropriate intervals and adult dancing into the night. After the dance, there is always a late night activity which gives everyone a chance to shine and play.

On the last day, we have show and tell, a big parade, a pool party and lots of dancing. We would love to have you come to join in our week of traditions, making them yours as well

-- Gaye & Rachel Fifer, Program Co-directors

A Gathering in the shade by the pool.

Special Courses

Also offered during this week: DeLaura Padovan's Community & Classroom Dance Leaders Course and Rick Mohr's Contra Dance Callers Course. Pre-registration is required for each of these Courses.

Printable Information for Accepted Campers

Acceptance Information: Details for getting to and being at camp.

Welcome letter with more information about the program.

Class Questionnaire: Please give us an idea of the classes you will take. Also available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cdsstr13

Family Bio Sheet: Use this or create your own with information you want to share and that will help others get to know your family better.

Parent & Guardian Form: Needed for each minor at camp.

Rides: Do you need or can you offer a ride? Also included with class questionnaire Survey

If you have not already, please do sign the Waiver.

To pay any camp Balance Due

A Typical Day

At each of our Family programs, a typical day includes two classes tailored to age groups. Morning starts with age specific classes for children age 2 and up, while parents and the teens pursue their own music and dance classes. Also, the whole camp gathers to sing and dance together before lunch. Children not napping after lunch may join their parents in a wide variety of classes designed for mixed age groups. After dinner the whole community comes together for a family dance followed by singing and stories.

As dusk settles, a Pied Piper leads the families with children age 9 and younger (8 and younger at Campers' Week) to their cabins where the parents put their children to bed. Preteens stay halfway through the evening dance before their bedtime comes. Adults and teenagers can enjoy the evening dance and later activities, while roving monitors listens for wakeful children. If a child is uncomfortable, the monitor will alert the parent at the dance. Each family is expected to prepare their children for these scheduled bedtimes.