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Country Dance and Song Society1998 Summer Programs |
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Country Dance and Song Society1998 Summer Programs |
Our programs offer a wonderful chance to experience traditional English and/or American dance and music in beautiful outdoors settings. Each program has a unique focus and each offers a different mix of daily instrument and band classes, singing, leadership training, dancing and special workshops. Participants can help create a sense of community by bringing ideas for events, games or parties. There is also plenty of time to swim, canoe and relax with new friends and old.
In addition to their daily classes, these weeks include a time each day for the whole camp to gather for fun, games, singing or presentations. After dinner each evening there is a dance party often with a concert and followed by late-night activities: skits, singing, special parties, an auction, etc.
Our programs are designed to create an accepting social atmosphere that encourages all to join in the dancing, singing and music making. The minimum age for attending these adult programs is 15. We sometimes can accept a limited number of infants and children, so please call for details. Anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Adults without children are also welcome at Campers' Week at Pinewoods and Family Week at Buffalo Gap. We do not consider gender in our admissions policy.
Our family programs provide many opportunities to share traditional English and American dance, music and storytelling as well as the beauty of the outdoors with children. Twice a day children age four and up take classes specifically designed for their age and development while their parents and the teens pursue their own dance and music interests. After classes, there is a morning gathering of the whole camp to dance and sing together. Children not napping after lunch can join their parents in a wide variety of classes. After dinner, there is a family dance followed by singing and stories, and a Pied Piper who leads the youngest ones to bed. Roving babysitters check on the children all evening, allowing parents and teenagers to participate in the evening dance and activities.
All campers over the age of five have a daily job to help camp run smoothly. Parents are generally assigned a job with their children. At Buffalo Gap, housing is in large bunk rooms with one family per room in most cases. At Pinewoods, most children over age six are assigned a roommate in a cabin near their parents. Anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This year we are running three leadership courses. Held simultaneously with our dance programs, they have limited enrollment and give budding or experienced callers or musicians a chance to hone their skills and to consider new points of view. The programs offer group exercises and solo "flight time" as well as time to participate in the concurrent dance week.
The noises of modern life are replaced by music and the sounds of dancers, singers and the laughter from the waterfront and other gatherings. Cars are tucked away, and for a week transportation around camp is by foot. There are no newspapers or radios and the "outside" world fades away. What a treat!
You are at camp! If you've never been to camp before, here's some useful information for making your stay more comfortable.
Camp facilities and all activities are in close contact with the outdoors, but we do provide some modern amenities.
Though your plate will be full of activities while at camp, for those of you who must keep in contact with work or family, there is daily first class mail and UPS service and there is a touch tone pay phone for camper use.
Please let us know if you can offer a ride to camp (see Registration Form). It's very helpful since parking space is limited and those flying to camp sometimes need a ride from the airport.
You may arrive at camp anytime after 3:00pm on Saturday; the program begins with dinner at 6:30pm. Checkout time is 10:00am the following Saturday.
One evening of each week, we hold an auction to raise money for our scholarship fund. You may want to donate an unusual item or service. There are no scheduled activities on Tuesday night; however, there generally are informal, camper-led dances and music or singing gatherings.
CDSS runs a bookstore at each camp that carries a diverse selection of dance and song recordings and books, morris supplies, postcards and more, along with the books and recordings of our program staff.
Guests and pets may not be brought to camp.
You will need to bring a flashlight to negotiate the paths at night. Don't forget to pack your swimsuit, raincoat, sweater, towels, bed linen, and blankets or a sleeping bag (and, at Buffalo Gap, pillows). A battery powered or wind up alarm clock and insect repellant may be useful. If you are on a special diet, you may need to bring your own particular food. An ice chest for drinks and "munchies" to share at after dance parties may be handy.
Bring plenty of dance clothes, especially socks and t-shirts; there are no washing machines and dryers at either camp. Feel free to bring festive apparel; many people like to dress up in the evenings or for special parties. Shoes must be worn on all the dance floors; flat or low heel shoes are suggested. Some people prefer leather or composition soles for country, athletic shoes for morris, hard soles for sword or some clogging and wooden soled shoes for English clogging. It's a good idea to break in new dance shoes before you arrive, and to bring different, sturdy shoes for wearing on the camp paths. With all these different shoes, think about bringing a bag or backpack to carry around with you during the day as you walk from class to class.
The nearest stores are a 15-30 minute drive away.
All campers have a daily job to help camp run smoothly.
Jobs are usually a half hour or less per day, every day, and the same job all week. Jobs are assigned in the month before camp starts and job requests may be made on the Registration Form or with information sent later.
We can't guarantee that all specific requests will be filled,
but please let us know if you have a preference or limitation
(e.g., dust allergy, unable to lift heavy objects, can't stay up
late, can't get up for breakfast). At family sessions parents are
generally assigned a job with their children. General job
categories are:
Dining room: breakfast, lunch or dinner (set/clear tables)
Kitchen (serve food, clear, wash dishes, make coffee/tea)
Sweeping (pavilions, community areas)
Party help (first and last night setup/cleanup)
Clerical (office, bookstore, auction)
Greeters (must be able to arrive by 2:00pm)
Gopher (campstore, auction, lifting)
All meals are prepared by professional cooks and served in the Dining Hall. Some accommodation can be made for people with food allergies if the camp has advance warning. Specific information on special diets will be sent with acceptance letters. You may indicate your choice of a meat or vegetarian menu on the Registration Form.
CDSS is an association of individuals and groups interested in traditional, historical and contemporary English and Anglo-American folk dance, song and instrumental music. The Society's interests include English country, ritual and step dance, American contra, square and clog dance, English and American traditional folk songs and dance music as well as historical dance and music scholarship.
The sales department at CDSS's headquarters offers a wide selection of hard-to-find books, recordings and other items related to English and American dance, music and song -- all available by mail order and at our bookstore at each camp. Our price list is available on request.
We also send consignment orders to events around the country -- call for further details.
CDSS has an active publications program, having most recently published Ted Sannella's Swing the Next and reissued some of our older recordings on cassette.
The Society provides a referral service with information about events throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as advice on programming and organization. Our library and archives are housed at the University of New Hampshire Library Special Collections.
Members receive:
a bimonthly newsletter, CDSS News
a members list
a group directory
a sales catalog or price list
discounts on purchases from the sales department
priority for admission to our summer programs
a voice in the governance of the Society.
Our principal support is our membership; new members are always welcome.
The Country Dance and Song Society
An association of people who Celebrate
traditional, historical and contemporary English and Anglo-American
folk dance, song and instrumental music. Since 1915.
Come Join Us!
Membership Rates:
Individual $35
Limited Income Individual $25
Family $50
Limited Income Family $35
Contributor $70
Group Affiliate $70
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413-268-7426 |
Country Dance and Song Society 132 Main St/PO Box 338 Haydenville, MA 01039-0338 Office Hours 9:30am - 5:00pm EST |
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