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Country Dance and Song SocietyFamily Week at Buffalo Gap
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Country Dance and Song SocietyFamily Week at Buffalo Gap
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Family Week at Buffalo Gap July 15 - 22, 2000 Program Directors: Staff: * Advisor, plus: |
Program Description: [Back to Top]
Look up our Family Programs for some general information; here is more detail about this particular program and staff.
As we begin our 2nd DECADE of Family Week at Buffalo Gap, we look forward to continuing to weave the strong community spirit that is a hallmark of this camp and promises a warm, enriching and fun-filled week for campers of all ages. Our "Meet and Greet" gathering on Saturday afternoon will help newcomers to "get their feet on the ground" with a tour of camp and welcoming "buddy" family to accompany them to dinner on Saturday night.
Something new for everyone's use and enjoyment will be our California-style "Casbah" tent. The Casbah will provide a shady, informal gathering spot for impromptu jam sessions, quiet chats or refreshing siestas. Everyone is encouraged to bring old throw rugs, bean bag chairs, floor pillows and colorful Indian cloth hangings to comfortably furnish our new addition to camp!
Many familiar faces and some new exciting staff members will provide excellent leadership and inspiration for dancers of all abilities. Class offerings cover a wide range of dance traditions including contras, squares, English, longsword, morris, dances of historical significance and swing. Nights may be cool, but our evening dance parties will sizzle with the music of our superb staff musicians!
Babysitters allow parents to enjoy the evening dances and after-dance activities with ease.
Swimming, art, nature exploration, stories, song and dance round out the daily schedule for younger campers. All children (age 2 and up) attend two classes a day by age group. After lunch and in the late afternoon, older children may choose to attend a third or even fourth class each day. Nap time is offered to EVERYONE after lunch. Smaller children with a parent may choose to settle in for quiet stories in the Casbah instead, or join the daily nature walk around camp.
Friday afternoon culminates in a gala affair! Events include class Show and Tell, a grand parade around camp and waterfront festivities at the beach.
Class Descriptions: [Back to Top]
Children's classes by age group - 9:00 and 2:45
Children are expected to attend these two classes while their parents are attending classes listed under Adult Classes below.
Ages 2 and 3
Morning and afternoon class times will be full of stories, songs and games with Katy. Bring a favorite book to share, or "group" toys and get ready for many happy adventures!
Ages 4 and 5
Mornings with Leslie Jeanne will include stories, nature projects and exploration. Singing and dancing with Betsy in the afternoon class will help prepare these young campers for the evening community dances. It will also be an opportunity to make up dances and songs, play instruments, have a scavenger hunt, and sing stories.
Ages 6 and 7
Mornings begin with a lively session of singing and dancing with DeLaura and Betsy. We'll dance all of our old favorites and learn new ones to share at community dance time, too. In the afternoons, Leslie Jeanne's stories, crafts and games will blend with the after-lunch nature walk activities, and give these campers opportunities to make some neat stuff to take home.
Ages 8 and 9
It's "Giggles and Grimms" with Megan in the mornings where we'll "play with favorite folktales: dismantle them, reassemble them, personalize them, practice them, and, if we feel so inclined, perform them!" In the afternoons, Henry will lead longsword dance with a flair!
Ages 10 to 12
In the mornings, Bill will share with you the FUN-damentals of dancing contras, squares and waltzes with a partner. In the afternoons, you may choose among the adult classes listed for ages 10 and up.
Early Afternoon classes
This class period offers a chance for families to do something together.
Nap Time for any who will
How's Tricks? (ages 3 and up Younger children should bring a parent) - Megan Hicks
Offered for children who don't need naps and their grown-ups. This quiet story time will feature tricks (with paper, pencils, scissors and string) and tricksters (Jack, Brer Rabbit, Coyote, Anansi, and a Gifted Chicken.)
Nature Walk (ages 4 and up) - Leslie Jean Milbourne and Katy Tarter
See the world of Buffalo Gap through new eyes! From wetlands to highlands, discover who else shares the Buffalo Gap environment with us!
Musical Creations (age 7 and up) Parents very welcome - Betsy Blachly Chapin
Bring your voice, homemade instruments, found objects and imagination and we will invent soundscapes all over the BuffGap landscape.
Harmony Singing - Leela and Ellie Grace
Using songs from many styles of music (rounds, call and response, traditional American, South African, contemporary folk and more) we will discover the power of voices raised in harmony. In small and large groups, we will practice the fundamentals of 2-, 3- and 4-part harmony using by-ear techniques.
Mummers - Henry Chapin
Come and explore the fun of Mummery! Have a lively, fun-filled time learning and preparing a mummers play to perform at the end of the week. And remember, always expect the unexpected with Henry at the helm.
Woodcarving (ages 10 and up) Also offered at 4:00. - Tully Larew
Create a one-of-a-kind Buffalo Gap souvenir to take home. From hearts to hound dogs, barrettes to butter knives, Tully has something to offer carvers of all abilities. Carving knives will be available to borrow or purchase (for about $10) from Tully. Please sign up for only ONE carving class per day.
American Pie - Brad Sayler with Steve Hickman and John Devine
Sample a different slice of American Folk Dance each day: classic contras, squares, couple dances and not-so-British dances by Englishmen such as Pat Shaw and Colin Hume.
Adult classes (Ages 13 and up unless otherwise noted)
English Country Dance 9:00 - Brad Sayler with Lynne Mackay and Steve Hickman
We'll cover the basic movements used in English Country Dancing, then explore dances that make this such an exciting dance form: from Sharp to Shaw, waltzes to hornpipes, and Well Hall to Dublin Bay.
Appalachian Clog and More 9:00 - Leela Grace with Ellie Grace and David Cantieni
Bring comfortable, hard-soled shoes and get "Feet-On" experience making music with your feet. This class features a brand of Appalachian Clog that is spiced with percussive dance traditions from around the world.
Beginning Border Morris 2:45 (Ages 10 and up) - Brad Sayler with Charlie Pilzer
Learn some of the dances from the border region between England and Wales. These energetic dances are great for both performers and audience with their emphasis on eye-catching stick-clash sequences and large sweeping figures.
Fold Under Pressure 2:45 (Ages 10 and up) - Megan Hicks
Learn basic origami techniques to use as the basis of individual projects which may take the form of dolls, puppets, wall hangings, light catchers or wearable art.
Savoy Swing 2:45 (Ages 10 and up) - Ann Percival and David Cantieni with John Devine and Steve Hickman
Learn good partnering techniques and great moves to some hot tunes!
Contra and Square Dancing 2:45 - Bill Wellington with Leela and Ellie Grace
Advanced Longsword and Morris 4:00 - Henry Chapin with David Cantieni
This class will explore the morris tradition from Litchfield and learn the Longsword dance from Handsworth.
| Family Week at Buffalo Gap Daily Schedule |
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| 7:45 - 8:15 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 - 9:55 | Morning classes, divided by age group |
| 10:00 | Refreshments |
| 10:15 - 11:00 | Family Gathering |
| 11:00 - 12:00 11:00 - 11:45 |
Swimming and/or Late morning class |
| 12:15 | Lunch |
| 1:30 - 2:30 | Early afternoon classes/Rest time |
| 2:45 - 3:45 | Afternoon classes, divided by age group |
| 4:00 - 5:30 4:00 - 4:50 |
Swimming and/or Late afternoon classes |
| 6:00 | Dinner |
| 7:15 | Community Dance |
| 8:00 - 8:45 | Evening Gathering |
| 8:30 | Pied Piper/bedtime for children 9 and younger |
| 8:45 - 11:00 | Evening Dance Party |
| 9:45 | Bedtime for 10-12 year olds |
David Cantieni, wind instrumentalist from Massachusetts and father of toddler, Gus, is perhaps better known as one of the founding members of Wild Asparagus. Veteran of countless dance camps, we are pleased to tame him for his debut at Buffalo Gap Family Week.
Betsy Blachly Chapin is a masterful musician from New York City where she is and has been a Music Specialist in and around the Bank Street School for a long time. Guitar in hand, with an endless repertoire of songs, Betsy particularly captivates young, very young and medium-aged children. Betsy is an excellent trap drummer and percussionist, to boot.
Henry Chapin hails almost equally from Pinewoods Camp and New York City, where he calls family dances, directs Revels productions, plays multiple musical instruments, sings, dances and encourages others to do the same. Master of Tomfoolery and quintessential Parade leader, Henry will help us culminate our end of the week festivities in fine style!
John Devine returns by popular demand to lead not only the Bedtime Train as our Camp Pied Piper, but a dance band class before lunch, too. He'll also provide singing and rock solid guitar accompaniment for various classes and the evening dances.
Ellie and Leela Grace from Columbia, MO, have grown up playing, singing and dancing their way across North America as part of The Grace Family. For over 15 years they have charmed audiences with their light-hearted, exuberant dancing and electrifying spirits. Taking Appalachian clogging to unchartered limits, Ellie and Leela are bound to dance right into our hearts!
Steve Hickman, making his debut as Program Co-Director, promises not to talk too much, but to fiddle and hambone with the great enthusiasm that is his hallmark.
Megan Hicks has 110 years combined experience as a writer, storyteller, origami enthusiast and maker of wearable art. She lives in Fredericksburg, VA where she works as a children's librarian and contra dances as much as she can.
Tully Larew, our stalwart, patient and inspiring woodcarving master, returns to start HIS 2nd decade at Buffalo Gap. Over the last 10 years, Tully has created a passion for woodcarving in campers young and old. He has probably done more to secure a place for woodcarving in future generations than anyone else in the country -- maybe the world.
Laura Lengnick is a Washington D.C. area fiddler who lives with a special passion for playing dance music. Known by many school children as "Dr. Laura, the Soil Scientist," she enjoys teaching about soil ALMOST as much as playing for dancers of all ilks and ages.
Lynne Mackey got her first keyboard at age 4 and went on to play her way through both Juilliard and Eastman Schools of Music. From Chopin to Cecil Sharp, Lynne has yet to find a piece of music (or an unfrosted cinnamon PopTart) she didn't like. She has been playing piano for English country and contra dances in and around Charlottesville, VA, since she moved there several years ago.
Leslie Jeanne Milbourne is an environmental educator who relishes exploring, discovering and learning how the earth works. She teaches an integrated environmental and garden-based science program at Center School, near Philadelphia, PA. Her daily nature walks have been a favorite at Buffalo Gap in past summers.
DeLaura Padovan, child charmer and Program Co-Director, returns ready to dance and sing, albeit with her arms full of her newest "bundle of joy," due to arrive in late April.
Ann Percival, vocalist par excellence and rhythmic backbone of Wild Asparagus is Gus's mom. Ann's vivacious personality and amazing repertoire of swing, gospel and other songs of many traditions are sure to get everyone in camp jumpin' and jivin'!
Charlie Pilzer, multi-talented musician from Washington, D.C., was instrumental in initiating CDSS camps at Buffalo Gap. Wearing many hats and working for many years as Camp Director, Charlie's steadfast support (and that of his wife, Cecily!) has been a major influence in creating the wonderful tradition we call Buffalo Gap Family Week.
Brad Sayler, from Charlottesville, VA, will grace us all with his clear teaching and dry sense of humor, on and off the dance floor. It is Brad's conviction that everyone should have at least one opportunity a day to "work up a really good sweat," and he intends to provide that in his Border Morris class. His repertoire of "stupid human tricks" is not to be missed!
Katy Tarter returns from Kentucky for her third consecutive year on staff. Katy is a shining star among young adult community dance leaders. She is an avid dancer and singer with a wide repertoire of songs and Appalachian singing games. Katy has been a resounding favorite of teens and younger campers of all ages.
Bill Wellington, caller, musician, storyteller, singer and father, is an entertainer of national renown. Springing from roots in both New England and West Virginian dance and music traditions, Bill's lively calling and zany musical style are all his own!
Class Descriptions
Staff & Schedule
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413-268-7426 |
Country Dance and Song Society 132 Main St/PO Box 338 Haydenville, MA 01039-0338 Office Hours M-F 9:30am - 5:00pm EST |
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