Country Dance and Song Society New Family Week at Ogontz Music and Dance for All July 26 - August 2, 2003

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Program Description Staff Class Descriptions & Schedule

New Family Week at Ogontz July 26 - August 2, 2003 Program Directors: Laurie Cumming John Mayberry Staff: Mary Alice Amidon Peter Amidon Karen Axelrod Jamie Beaton jubal Creech Doug Creighton Donald Davis Merle Davis Daron Douglas Anne Goodwin Robin Hayden Dave Langford * Meredith Langstaff Jane Miller Dedo Norris Dan Pearl Deb Small * Advisor, plus: Brad Foster

Program Description: [Back to Top]

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

CDSS now hosts two Family Weeks at Camp Ogontz in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. New Family Week was born last year, when it became clear that there was enough support for a second family session at Ogontz. New Family Week was such a success that we are not only offering it again this year, but we are keeping the name! It seems very fitting that a week in which we all become a new, supportive community of dancing, singing, playing and storytelling people should be called a New Family Week.

Another way the name is fitting is that the program at this week uses a new definition of "family" which includes all types of families. Individuals, couples and families with children are all welcome to attend and enjoy a full program of daytime classes and evening dances, though maintaining a balance of ages in children's classes is always a priority.

Our newest week will once again treat campers to a program of contras and squares, English country, English ritual, step-dance and community dancing, harmony singing, stories, instrumental music and crafts and the unique dramatic form of mumming. Daily classes for each age group allow the children to make friends while engaging in age-appropriate activities led by our skilled staff. Classes for those 13 and up allow a variety of choices in music, dance, singing and crafts. Campers are also encouraged to use some of the unscheduled time for camper-led sessions in music, dance, crafts, etc.

Evening dances will include a range of contras, English and squares to excellent callers and hot musicians, while roving babysitters keep watch over sleeping children. One evening's dance will be camper-led, so bring your instruments or plan to call your favorite dance.

Staff and camper led community gatherings each morning and evening bring us all together to learn from one another while sharing in music and dance. On Friday a parade leads us all in a show-and-tell tour of camp that allows us to acknowledge the joy and excitement of all that has happened during the week.

Swimming at the family-friendly beach, listening to harmonies carried by the wind or enjoying a quiet moment in the green Adirondack chairs overlooking the lake and distant mountains will make Ogontz an unforgettable experience.

Ogontz has its own lake surrounded by hundreds of acres of pine woods, sunny open spaces and a glorious view of the misty mountains beyond. See Ogontz for more description.

Our community will be further enlivened by the Teacher Training Course, taught by Jane Miller and offered to a preregistered group of teachers.

Staff: [Back to Top]

Mary Alice Amidon, a warm and engaging music educator who connects song, dance and storytelling with children's literature. She is also an accomplished singer of traditional song and a multi-instrumentalist.

Peter Amidon is a storyteller, singer, teacher, dance caller and all around organizer of community music and dance. He has extensive experience teaching traditional dance to children, leading shape note and harmony singing, and performing traditional songs with Mary Alice.

Karen Axelrod, from Northampton, MA, plays piano for English country, American and Scottish dance, and accordion for ritual dancing. She is a member of the band Barley Moon with Daron Douglas and Dave Langford. In addition to her life as a musician and mother, she makes jewelry and performs with the improv comedy troupe, the Villa Jidiots.

Jamie Beaton has been indulging his love of singing and Morris dancing for over 20 years, and for the last dozen or so years, has shared his passion for both at many sessions at Pinewoods. Jamie is also an experienced Mummer and medieval drama performer. A native and longtime resident of Ontario, Jamie now lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Deb and his daughter, Maggie. He is also a (fairly) reliable contact for the infamous Bullero Brothers.

jubal Creech credits his first rhythmic training to his mother's heartbeat nine months before his birth. His study of natural rhythms continued while he grew up on Ocracoke Island, NC where his life is always affected by the ebb and flow of the tides. His travels have taken him to China, Gambia and Haiti. He is a dedicated student of West African and Afro-Cuban styles of percussion.

Doug Creighton, of the English country dance band Pleasures of the Town, is an extraordinary musician on the button accordion, flute and concertina. He is a fine step dancer in the Cape Breton style, having studied with well-known dancer Harvey Beaton. He brings a wealth of experience as dancer and musician for numerous display dance teams as well as country dance, and his rhythmically precise style and finesse make him an outstanding accompanist for Morris. He also happens to be the guru of The Button Box.

Laurie Cumming, a founding member and former teacher of Toronto Women's Sword and an accomplished step dancer, has taught dance at numerous camps, schools and festivals. During the school year, she delights in teaching dance, drama and visual arts to school age children.

Donald Davis is a nationally recognized storyteller, teacher and dance caller from North Carolina. Donald's stories are drawn from traditional sources, as well as from his memories of growing up in the South. His presence has become one of the highlights of many Ogontz Family Weeks.

Merle Davis is an experienced educator and workshop leader. Her bag of tricks includes theatre arts, literature and crafts.

Daron Douglas plays fiddle with a background of a traditional Appalachian upbringing. She thanks her grandmother for the gift of her ballads and gardening preoccupation. She has played with the Knoxville Early Music Project, the Hominy Mamas and the contra dance band Misbehavin'. Daron has been on the staff of CDSS dance camps and at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. She travels to play for dances with Barley Moon (with Karen Axelrod and Dave Langford) and Goldcrest (with Dave Wiesler and Paul Oorts). She now lives and plays music in New Orleans.

Anne Goodwin is part of the Boston area folk a cappella quartet, Taproot. She has also performed sea chanties, Balkan music and Gaelic songs in her eclectic career as a folk singer. She has worked in children's theatre as an actress, costume designer and director. Anne is joining the staff after many years as a happy camper at various CDSS camps.

Robin Hayden teaches English country dancing in Amherst and Boston, MA. She started dancing almost as soon as she got off the train at Swarthmore College in 1979. Known for her lyrical dancing and dynamic teaching, she has participated in weekends, workshops and festivals across the northeast and in the U.K.

Dave Langford, a fine dance musician on fiddle and guitar from the Boston area, plays with The Latter Day Lizards, Childsplay and Barley Moon (with Daron Douglas and Karen Axelrod). He has performed at numerous dance camps around the country.

Meredith Langstaff, a student from Washington, DC, has attended many CDSS Family Weeks. For the past several years, she has been a member of the teen chorus for Washington Revels.

John Mayberry went to his first dance at two weeks old, carried in a basket. His love of dance, music, performance and craft has led to a career including carpentry, performance, writing, teaching, directing and almost everything else. He is the "Fool" of the Toronto Morris Men, an accomplished traditional singer with many years of experience in street theater and mumming and a professor of theatre production in the Department of Theatre, York University, Toronto. He and Jamie Beaton can also arrange a visit from the Bullero Brothers.

Jane Miller, founder and head teacher of the Price Farm School in Antrim, NH, for 18 years, recently returned to school herself for a Ph.D. She now teaches graduate students for Antioch New England Graduate School.

Dedo Norris is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, regularly playing for dances throughout New England. A piano player for contra dances and an old-time guitar and bass player, Dedo is a member of the Rhythm Method String Band.

Dan Pearl learned calling from the likes of Ted Sannella and Tony Parkes. He aims for an interesting program, clearly taught and lots of fun. Dan has been on the staff at dance camps from coast to coast including at Pinewoods and Buffalo Gap. He is the American Dance Editor for the CDSS News and has served on the boards of CDSS, NEFFA and CDS-Boston, where he currently chairs the committee that runs the Thursday contra in Cambridge. He has led events for dancers of all experience levels as well as workshops in dance composition, caller skills, sound systems, folk dancing and administration.

Deb Small has spent much of her life pursuing her love of hands-on, participatory activities, from knitting, boat-building and professional baking to dancing with the legendary Ha'Penny Morris of Boston and Fiddler's Reach Longsword of Maine. She currently (together with husband Jamie and daughter Maggie) makes and sells hand-made soap through her company, Bolton Soap Works, a part-time venture for now.

New Family Week at Ogontz Daily Schedule click for tentative Detailed Daily Schedule
7:45 - 8:15	Breakfast
9:00 - 9:50	Morning classes, divided by age group
10:00	Refreshments
10:15 - 10:50	Morning Gathering
11:00 - 12:00	Swimming
12:15 - 12:45	Buffet Lunch
1:15 - 2:05	Early afternoon classes/Rest time
2:15 - 3:05	Afternoon classes, divided by age group
3:15	Refreshments
3:40 - 4:40	Swimming Late afternoon classes
4:55 - 5:30	Afternoon story on the lawn
5:50	Dinner
7:15	Community Dance
7:45 - 8:25	Evening Gathering
8:15	Pied Piper/bedtime for children 9 and younger
8:30 - 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 2:15

Ages 2 and 3
Fun crafts, stories and adventures with Meredith. Please bring a book or favorite toy to share with the group if you like.

Ages 4 and 5
In the morning Mary Alice will lead children in her favorite songs, fingerplays, singing games and dances, accompanied by guitar, banjo and accordion. Each day will feature a daily rhythm band parade. The afternoon class of songs, singing games and adventures will be led by Merle, along with some surprises from Laurie.

Ages 6 and 7
Mornings with Merle will be full of games and wonder, while Anne will lead story drama activities in the afternoon class.

Ages 8 and 9
In the morning, this group will make the rite of passage into the world of ritual folk dance by learning a traditional longsword dance with Laurie and Dave. In the afternoon Robin will lead an exploration of the Ogontz environment in an active, engaged way, and the class will record discoveries through drawing, writing, collecting and identifying, paper-making and photography. At the end of the week each child will have a unique, beautiful and thoughtful record of his/her week at camp.

Ages 10 to 12
In the morning Peter will prepare the 10-12s to fully participate in the adult evening dances by teaching contras, English country dances and square dances. The class will also compose an original dance. In the afternoon class jubal will let loose with a program of world rhythm, including exuberant percussive dances and activities.

Ages 13 and up -- MORNING CLASSES (9:00-9:50)

Morris -- Jamie Beaton/Doug Creighton
Jamie will provide an opportunity for experienced Morris dancers to add to their repertoire, while offering all others a chance to try out the exuberant, infectious dance known as Morris. Doug will accompany with his virtuoso button-box playing.

English Country Dance -- Robin Hayden/Daron Douglas, Karen Axelrod
In the course of the week, dancing some of the most compelling and accessible dances in contemporary repertoire, we'll explore the wide range of expressiveness in this dance form, from the exhilarating vigor of traditional dances to the playfulness of Playford and the simple elegance of modern favorites.

Ages 13 and up -- AFTERNOON CLASSES (2:15-3:05)

Harmony Singing -- Peter & Mary Alice Amidon
Mostly a capella harmony singing from a variety of Anglo-American secular and sacred traditions including English pub songs, rounds, gospel quartet and other old and new arrangements of folk songs and hymns.

Storytelling Workshop -- Donald Davis
From grandparents to grandchildren . . . what we were told and what we tell. Looking at those informal across-the-table conversations that make up the stories of our lives, we will try to search out what we learned from our parents and grandparents as well as what we pass on (knowingly or not!) to our own children.

Daily Special: Contras & Squares -- Dan Pearl/Dave Langford, Dedo Norris
Each day will bring a new surprise theme. Dan will reveal dancing tips and secrets to shortcut your trip to dance nirvana.

EARLY AFTERNOON CLASSES (1:15-2:05)

Books, Songs and Stories (ages 5-9 with parent) -- Mary Alice Amidon
Songs and folktales from around the world. Mary Alice will share an amazing array of picture books of songs and stories, often including music and participation.

Crafts (suggested ages: 8 and up) -- Deb Small
Deb will share her experience in this opportunity for campers to relax and try their hands at some craft projects! We will do several projects that can be finished in one sitting and at least one other that can be worked on after class, if desired.

Cape Breton Step Dance (10 and up) -- Doug Creighton/Daron Douglas
Doug will teach steps from the tradition of solo dancing still common in Cape Breton, the most Scottish part of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia ("New Scotland"). The strathspey, jig and reel steps are danced "close to the floor," in a distinctively crisp style.

Dance Band (10 and up) -- Dave Langford
Campers will have fun exploring tunes, timing, tempo, togetherness and many other aspects of ensemble playing for dancers. Open to all levels of musicianship.

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

Shape Note Singing (All ages) -- Peter Amidon
Peter will lead old and new shape note songs from the Sacred Harp, Northern Harmony and other sources. Books and handouts will be provided. Music reading skills are helpful but not necessary.

Fiddle Styles (All ages) -- Daron Douglas
Daron will be available for coaching, teaching and inspiring any fiddle players in their continuing relationship with their instrument. Open to all levels. Depending on interest, classes may be divided for more individual attention.

Mummers Play (9 and up) -- Jamie Beaton
This class will look at some traditional mummers plays and ritual dramas and use them as a starting point to compose and perform a unique New Family Ogontz Mummers Play. John Mayberry will happily help in the process.

AFTERNOON STORY (4:55-5:30)
Each afternoon Donald Davis will share a story with everyone. Just settle into a comfy seat in the welcoming circle of green chairs near the dining hall.

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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