Country Dance and Song Society English Dance Week at Pinewoods August 26 - September 2, 2000

As of March 30, there is a short wait list at this week.

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English Dance Week at Pinewoods August 26 - September 2, 2000 Program Director: Gene Murrow Staff: Peter Barnes Daniel Beerbohm Helene Cornelius Doug Creighton John Dexter Yonina Gordon Barbara Greenberg Cathy Henson Colin Hume Jonathan Jensen Marnen Laibow-Koser Mary Lea Margaret Ann Martin Meg Ryan Anne Siess Tom Siess* *Advisor, plus: Brad Foster Sharon Green Bruce Hamilton

Program Description: [Back to Top]
The goals of the English Week program at Pinewoods have remained constant through the years: offer well-constructed classes for dancers of all abilities to develop their skills; provide an exceptional opportunity for experienced dancers to enjoy challenging repertory and the thrill of dancing with their peers; enable leaders and teachers to learn from one another to raise the level of dancing throughout the country; provide additional activities that enhance the community experience and help all enjoy the beautiful surroundings and facilities of Pinewoods Camp itself.

This year, we've set ourselves an additional goal for the week: involve more country dancers in the ritual/display genres. Time was, you weren't a "real" English dancer unless you could do some Morris, sword, garland or clog. This year, the teachers of these genres have each fashioned special introductory classes especially geared to "crossover" dancers. Everyone is encouraged to try one out; this is your chance.

Group singing, a dance band workshop, lecture/presentations, gracious afternoon teas, evening dance parties and after-dance late-night activities round out the week's planned activities.

Staff: [Back to Top]
Music
Nearly all of last year's musical "dream team" is returning:

Peter Barnes (piano, flute, whistle) of Bare Necessities and BLT, publisher of the definitive collection of English country dance tunes, staff member and performer at dance events across the U.S. and abroad.

Daniel Beerbohm (clarinet, flute, whistle) of Hold the Mustard and Reunion, with a strong classical background and the color of klezmer and swing music.

Doug Creighton (flute, melodeon) of Pleasures of the Town, an outstanding accompanist for clog and traditional dance, and guru of The Button Box.

Barbara Greenberg (violin) of Hold the Mustard, A Band Named Bob, and Reunion when she's not preparing the next wave of classical and folk musicians as a Suzuki teacher.

Jonathan Jensen (piano, recorder), composer of brilliant English country dance tunes and waltzes, performer with Reunion, bassist with the Baltimore Symphony.

Mary Lea (violin and viola) of Bare Necessities, BLT, and MGM, whose solo CDs of dance music reflect an extraordinary intelligence and scope.

Margaret Ann Martin (piano), teacher at New Haven's Neighborhood Music School, and member of the Playford Consort, MGM, and Jack's 80th.

Gene Murrow (recorder, concertina), president of the American Recorder Society and member of MGM and Jack's 80th.

New this year is NY-area sensation Marnen Laibow-Koser (violin, viola, piano, flute and recorders), member of Contramantra, Contrazz, The Flying Romanos, and Squeezology, a prolific composer and musician for Hat City Morris.

Country Dance

Helene Cornelius needs no introduction to English country dancers. She'll bring her vast repertory, long experience with the Boston Centre and workshops in America and England, standards of good dancing and concise teaching style to two classes each day.

England's Colin Hume is also well known to dancers for the variety of his beautiful dances (collected in over five volumes), his music, his writing about dance in English Dance and Song, the EFDSS magazine, his work reconstructing historical dances and his commitment to good dancing. Now that he's figured us Colonials out, he's also very entertaining!

Gene Murrow has been a country dancer since 1965, and is a regular teacher at Country Dance*New York, Country Dancers of Westchester and dance workshops around the country.

Ritual/Display Dance
These classes will be taught by people who are all active and highly respected members, founders, and teachers of currently performing teams.

After many years' absence, John Dexter will be back to teach Morris. John is an extraordinary teacher of Morris dance style, and, thanks to his founding and shaping of the respected Binghampton and Bouwerie Boys sides and the American Traveling Morrice, is highly respected among the cognoscenti. John was a member of the original Village Morris Men in the late 60s, the team that inspired the founding of numerous new teams throughout the States. He's also a professional violist, performing regularly with the Manhattan String Quartet.

For sword, we have Yonina Gordon, a very active and loyal English dance enthusiast known by many dancers here and in England. She's foreman of the venerable Ring O'Bells Morris, and long-time performer with Half Moon Sword and New World Sword, two highly respected teams with international reputations.

Cathy Henson will teach garland and Northwest. After dancing with Rural Felicity Garland & Northwest, she founded Ashegrove Garland (Asheville, NC) and went on to dance with Goatshead (London, ONT) and Ha'Penny Morris (Boston, MA) before returning to Asheville and starting Loafers Glory Clog Morris. She has taught at regional dance weekends, Pinewoods 4th of July weekend, Boston Centre workshops, and Mendocino.

For clog, we nabbed the well-known Meg Ryan, outstanding performer and teacher of both English and American-derivative styles. A member of The New Dancing Marleys, Meg has performed in England, Canada and the US. She has studied with masters of English clog including Pat Tracey and Alex Woodcock.

Song
Returning to lead the informal group singing are Tom and Anne Siess, who have been mainstays of the London, Ontario, folk music scene for more than twenty years. Tom was chair of the Home County Folk Festival for 10 years and Anne was Volunteer Coordinator for many of those years. Tom is currently President of the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS).

English Dance Week at Pinewoods Tentative Schedule:
9:00 - 10:15
English Country	Colin Hume
Intro to Longsword	Yonina Gordon
Intro to Garland	Cathy Henson
Clog - Advanced	Meg Ryan
10:30 - 11:45
ECD - Dancing the Best Well	Gene Murrow
ECD - Complex Dances Old & New	Helene Cornelius
Rapper for All	Yonina Gordon
Intro to Clog	Meg Ryan
2:00 - 2:25
Presentation
2:30 - 3:30
English Country	Colin Hume
Choreographer's Workshop	Gene Murrow
Longsword - Advanced	Yonina Gordon
Morris for All	John Dexter
Dance Band Workshop	Barbara Greenberg
3:35 - 4:10
Tea and Singing
Susan Murrow, Tom & Anne Siess
4:15 - 5:15
English Country	Colin Hume
English Country	Helene Cornelius
Advanced Morris	John Dexter
Northwest for All	Cathy Henson
8:00
Couple Dances/Unprompted Sets
8:15
Evening Dance Party
11:00
After-dance Activities

Class Descriptions [Back to Top]

English Country Dance
In place of the usual self-graded classes, we will offer sessions addressing specific aspects of country dancing. The registration questionnaire will be explicit in describing what will be covered, the style of teaching and what skills will be expected of dancers in each session.

Among the sessions already planned are Dancing the Best Well, a class covering the top 20 "chestnuts" of the repertory, and Complex Dances Old and New devoted to dances that require an extended effort to master.

Ritual/Display Dance
Three classes are specifically designed for country dancers who would like to try these genres for the first time: Introduction to Longsword with Yonina Gordon, Introduction to Garland with Cathy Henson and Introduction to Clog with Meg Ryan. The pace, repertory and attention to basics will make these sessions the ideal forum for expanding one's dancing capabilities.

John Dexter will teach two Cotswold Morris classes: one specifically for advanced dancers, and one for all. Experienced cloggers will meet to learn new repertory and style in Meg's Advanced Clog. Yonina will bring her performing skills and preparation disciplines to the Advanced Longsword class. She will also teach a Rapper for All class. Cathy will teach a Northwest morris dance in the Royton style taken from the notes of Roy Dommett.

Choreography
Composers of new dances in English country dance style need a willing group of experienced dancers to try out their new creations, offer constructive criticism and help shape and document the dance in its final form. Gene will conduct the Choreographers' Workshop based on a program he inaugurated with Pat Talbot back in the 80s and on the "Potter's Porch" sessions in the greater NY area. Choreographers and dancers who enjoy Terpsichorean midwifery are welcome.

Music/Song
Each day, there will be opportunities for all to join together in song, under the enthusiastic leadership of Tom and Anne Siess. There'll be singing on the Dining Hall porch following lunch, at tea time in the Camphouse and at various other times and places as the spirit moves us.

Dance musicians who already possess reasonable facility on their instrument are encouraged to join Barbara Greenberg for her Dance Band class. Barbara will repeat her very successful series which focused on meeting the mutual expectations of the musicians, the caller and the dancers.

Program Description Staff Class Descriptions & Schedule Top

413-268-7426 FAX: 413-268-7471

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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