Country Dance and Song Society Family Week at Ogontz August 2 - 9, 2003

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Program Description Staff Class Descriptions & Schedule

Family Week at Ogontz August 2 -9, 2003 Program Director: Merle Davis Staff: Melanie Cansler David Cantieni Betsy Blachly Chapin Henry Chapin jubal Creech Andy Davis * Robin Davis * Daron Douglas Brad Foster Jonathan Jensen Dave Langford Ann Percival Bruce Rosen Sue Rosen * Advisors, plus: Alyssa Brown Robin Rogers-Browne Simone Serat Suzanne Serat

Program Description: [Back to Top]

Look up our Family Programs for some general information; here is more detail about this particular program and staff.

Ogontz, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, is a camp with a long and rich history of programs for children. It has its own lake surrounded by hundreds of acres of pine woods for roaming, sunny open spaces for playing and a glorious view of the mountains beyond. Its location in one of the oldest and most storied parts of the Granite State makes it a perfect setting for celebrating traditional song, dance and tales. See Ogontz for more description.

A week at Ogontz for families is a pure celebration of nature and music, play and dance together with people of all ages. The serendipities of each day are balanced by the calm serenity of place. The harmonies of CDSS traditions have become richer and fuller in this long-respected and beautiful rustic camp.

The 2003 summer's program is planned and taught by a most enabling staff. There is exciting variety. In dancing, there's English country, African boot, longsword, swing, contra, ritual and historically-rich traditional varieties. Family voices will be raised in harmony, folk tunes and the Pied Piper lullaby. And there is so much to make -- crafts in children's classes, beadwork and design, plays and dramatic productions, bands and jams, drumbeats to match heartbeats, and -- imagine this -- lanterns to shine at night with the fireflies on the rolling Ogontz hillsides.

Twice a day classes are organized by age group. Twice a day also there are classes for multi-ages. Community gatherings each morning and evening bring all ages together with music and dance from campers and staff alike. Afternoon storytime just before dinner will give a unique, personal way to meet staff and to hear the stories that only they could tell.

At Ogontz, think color, wonder, festivity and joyous class achievements when you look towards Friday's parade and celebration! Think refreshment when you read about swimming in Ogontz's spring-fed lake. Think amazement when you anticipate the echoes of camp singing and instruments returning from the mountains that ring Ogontz. Think awe when you look up to all those stars. Think laughter when you imagine the costume barn's bounty and the grassy play places. Think welcome when you hear about the generations of the Kent family, camp owners and hosts. And think warmth when you consider the big campfire, the good food, sunshine and shade, the Summer Barn -- and the people, always, always the people.

Staff: [Back to Top]

Melanie Cansler: A glass artist and designer of beaded jewelry who is teaching and thriving in the American glass movement.

David Cantieni: Double reeds = double the fun of the contra dance sound! Lots of instruments, lots of style, lots of taste.

Betsy Blachly Chapin: Who has the most fun? Betsy, or the kids she is with? A scholar of children amid the children who teach her so much, Betsy brings the sunshine.

Henry Chapin: Take a lot of talent, a bunch of fun, some out-on-a-limb-risk-taking, care-taking, ample listening and staying in tune with his crew -- that's Henry!

jubal Creech : Percussion teacher, composer, team player with events ranging from Shakespeare to the Applejuice Orchestra. Loves the world.

Andy Davis: If all the children everywhere could sing and dance with Andy as their teacher, the world would smile and peace would be a real thing.

Merle Davis: A bit of this and a bit of that ... Program Director Merle's happiest when she can put together her teaching and her arts management backgrounds.

Robin Davis: To have busy hands making pretty things, wholesome things, nourishing things ... Robin loves to help people through the whole experience of making and baking things.

Daron Douglas: "The music, she sweet me so." Ashley Bryan is speaking of his dancing granny. But we are speaking of our Appalachian rooted and grounded fiddling friend.

Brad Foster: Our CDSS Executive and Artistic Director pulls the dance right out of us! Brad simply makes and molds us to dance better than we ever thought we could.

Jonathan Jensen: Music of all styles in every pore. Keyboards, plucked instruments, ocarinas, Jonathan loves to pull together those with like instruments -- be ready!

Dave Langford: Listen past the dancing to Dave's fiddling! Superb and sweet, it gets into your blood and step as well. Ask him about the Latter Day Lizards and, especially, Childsplay!

Ann Percival: Musician, composer, singer, craftswoman, businesswoman, traveler, teacher and Gus's mom! Busy lady! So fun!

Bruce Rosen: Don't be fooled by the coordinator of this year's Slow Jam! Slow doesn't describe Bruce at all. Musician and sound technician extraordinaire.

Sue Rosen: Her style is neat, spirited, clear, comfortable and sure. You get the feeling that Sue's dances, when viewed from overhead, must look like colorful kaleidoscope pictures in endless patterns, varieties and symmetries. How does she do that?

Family Week at Ogontz Daily Schedule click for tentative Detailed Daily Schedule
7:45 - 8:15	Breakfast
9:00 - 9:55	Morning classes, divided by age group
10:00	Refreshments
10:15 - 11:00	Morning Gathering
11:00 - 12:15	Swimming
12:15 - 12:45	Buffet Lunch
1:30 - 2:25	Early afternoon classes/Rest time
2:35 - 3:30	Afternoon classes, divided by age group
3:30 - 3:40	Refreshments
3:40 - 4:40	Swimming Late afternoon classes
4:55 - 5:30	Community Song and Story
6:00	Dinner
7:15	Community Dance
7:50 - 8:45	Evening Gathering
8:20	Pied Piper/bedtime for children 9 and younger, Afterglow for others
8:45 - 10:45	Evening Dance Party
9:30	Bedtime for 10-12 year olds

Class Descriptions: [Back to Top]
Children's classes by age group -- 9:00 and 2:35

Ages 2 and 3
Care with smiles, rhythms, stories, making and taking! Merle and Melanie will team up to provide good fun and play for little people.

Ages 4 and 5
Betsy in the morning and Robin in the afternoon -- and always, with these two, the best stories, songs, dancing and things to create.

Ages 6 and 7
What will Ann (in the morning) and jubal (in the afternoon) think of next? The 6 and 7s will have classes full of music and exploring and surprises -- all spelled F-U-N!

Ages 8 and 9
Mornings will bring to the 8 and 9s both far-flung worlds and nearby rhythms as they work with jubal. And in the afternoons Henry will help these folks work together in dance and exciting longsword teamwork. Who said it couldn't be done?!

Ages 10 to 12
Andy starts the day for the 10-12s with his just-right blending of song-drama-dance and music. All members of this group are asked to bring a musical instrument if possible. If not, it's okay. In the afternoon, Ann and David bring forth their bunches of talents and tricks. Expect great singing, swinging and making merry!

Ages 13 and up -- MORNING CLASSES (9:00-9:55)

Contras in the Morning! -- Sue Rosen/Bruce Rosen, David Cantieni, Dave Langford
Better than a strong cup of coffee! A morning dance class with good, solid instruction and music that enables the energy to grow. Sue will have old standbys and new eye-openers.

The Ritual Dance Medley -- Henry Chapin/Daron Douglas
With a day for swords, a day for Mummers, a day for Morris and a day for the class to decide! Henry's talents offer to this class a medley of tradition, knowledge, revelry and joy!

Ages 13 and up -- AFTERNOON CLASSES (2:35-3:30)

English Country Dance -- Brad Foster/Jonathan Jenson, Daron Douglas
Elegant. Eloquent. Engaging. Energetic. Elite. Enigmatic, then enlightened. En masse Englishry. Enjoyment ennobled. The escalating esprit of these three ensures eventual excellence! It's a 10.

Harmony Singing -- Andy Davis
Like pearls on a necklace, Andy's music teachings string important points one unto the next until the strand is luminous, harmonious, smooth and one. New works and old.

EARLY AFTERNOON CLASSES (1:30-2:25)

Napping and resting is highly respected.

Adventure of the Day! (All ages, under 8 with parent) -- Sue Rosen
Everyday will be different. With guests and helpers, Sue will coordinate this time for all ages. Children under age 8 must have a parent buddy with them.

Baubles, Bangles, Beads! (8 and up) -- Melanie Cansler
Basic beadwork and techniques. Not for the very young, but delicious for those with a love of the small and beautiful.

Rhythms and Drums (13 and up) -- jubal Creech
Percussion jams and learning some basic rhythms together ... we'll see (and listen!) where that leads!

Slow Jam (All ages) -- Bruce Rosen
Let's take the slow boat! Easy does it. Make the most of the journey. Have a comfortable musical journey with the master captain of slow jam.

Sweet Honey in the Chairs! (All ages) -- Betsy Blachly Chapin
With her wondrous singing repertoire for families, Betsy will enable all ages to sing old tunes, new ones, rounds, silly and smart ditties, restful and even rowdy songs. Just right for an after lunch ease.

LATE AFTERNOON CLASSES (3:40-4:40)

Lanterns and Fireflies! (All ages) -- Robin Davis
Catch the magic of lighting up the night as you work with Robin to build paper and natural objects into lanterns.

A Summer Play/Mummery/Sun Stories (All ages) -- Henry Chapin
His amazing cast of characters might just include Mother Mud or Lord Tarantula, Brit Busker or the Possum at your door. Henry invites you to join the Ogontz theater of tomfoolery!

Family Band(s) (All ages) -- Dave Langford, Jonathan Jenson
Starting with one group and possibly combining into some smaller groupings, the family band is for all ages and all instruments.

AT THE GREEN CHAIRS (4:55-5:30)

Community Song and Story "These knees have stories, she said, but they'd have to be a mouth to tell you." Brian Andreas, Knees, Strange Dreams, Story People.
This gathering is an opportunity to learn the "knees" -- stories, song and anecdotes -- that have shaped the lives of a number of featured staff members. Everyday, different knees, different mouths.

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

http://www.cdss.org/