Country Dance and Song Society Campers' Week at Pinewoods July 30 - August 6, 2005

As of August 1, this week is underway

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Program Description Staff Class Descriptions & Schedule

Campers' Week at Pinewoods July 30 - August 6, 2005 Program Director: Kathy Reid-Naiman Staff: Jan Burdick Ezra Fischer Debbi Friedlander Jackson Gillman Judy Greenhill Sarah Henry Scott Higgs Hannah Naiman Tom Phillips Sue Rosen Julia Rubin-Smith Jennifer Farley Smith * Erik Talvitie Kathy Talvitie * Advisor, plus: Steve Howe Robin Kynoch

Program Description: [Back to Top]

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

Anything can happen at Campers' week and it usually does. Like every CDSS camp there will be music dance and song, like every CDSS family week there will be children and parents. Unlike any other week though there may be grandparents with grandchildren, and people of any age without any children. This makes for a wonderful inter-generational camp experience, and it is a key reason why so many people love this week so much and want to come back year after year.

We have a small but talented staff who will lead classes twice a day for those campers aged 5 and older and run a variety of classes for those of all ages. The campers themselves offer to teach many classes so there are usually too many things happening all the time.

When you arrive at camp you will receive a skeleton program that shows all the staff led classes. After our dance on Saturday night we'll have a schedule planning party where we'll figure out what other classes should go on the daily schedule and when they should be. In the past there have been Irish Kerry sets, morris, rapper, Scottish dance, clog, waltz, salsa, swing and step-dancing, singing of all kinds, storytelling, yoga, martial arts and nature walks, just to name a few, on the schedule.

Though the days are jam packed with music and dance classes there may be times during the day when you would want to enjoy quiet time on the camphouse porch reading, beading, making a costume for the ball or just catching up with an old friend.

Twice a day (mid-morning and early evening) the camp assembles to share songs, stories and an assortment of entertainment from staff and campers. This is a time for everyone to participate and enjoy the many talents that everyone brings to camp.

After a full day of dancing, swimming, singing and playing, the youngest campers (8 and under) with their parents, are helped on their way to bed by a pied piper who escorts them from the camphouse to their cabins with a familiar lullaby. Roving monitors will make frequent rounds of the camp making sure that all is well.

For the rest of the campers the night is young. Tom Phillips will help organize our musicians for the bands and callers Sue Rosen and Scott Higgs will ensure that each evening has a balance of English and American dances. After a few hours of dancing some people will be ready to call it a day but the rest of us will head back up to the camphouse to end off the night with a late snack or refreshments and more dancing and revelry as the spirit moves. Many things happen late at night, some, like the auction, are planned and some are not. There's likely to be a skit night, a pub night, a coffeehouse and who knows what else?

This is my favorite week of the summer, where old friends and new friends meet in an idyllic setting in the pines, where we can leave most of our cares behind, kick back and savor the joys that music, dance and good friends can bring. -- Kathy Reid-Naiman, Program Director

Staff: [Back to Top]

Jan Burdick is a longtime member of Half Moon Sword in New York City. She has been dancing and fooling for over 20 years, and enjoys teaching both new and experienced dancers.

Ezra Fischer has been coming to Campers' Week for fewer years than Erik (see below) , but has still managed to accumulate invaluable experience hosting evening gathering. He is looking forward to all of the songs, stories, jokes and other performances that will be part of Campers' Week. He is currently Project Manager of a central Jersey weekly newspaper.

Debbi Friedlander loves dancing, singing, making music and making STUFF out of recycled materials. She has written lots of songs and has put together cabarets, with children. Debbi was at Campers' Week when it was a new program at Pinewoods more than 20 years ago, and returned with her Kenyan-born daughter, Maisha, last summer. She is delighted to be on staff this summer. During the year she teaches third grade and music in Massachusetts.

Jackson Gillman sparkles with energy, wit and whimsy. The "Stand-Up Chameleon" draws on his talents as storyteller, songsmith and movement artist to engage audiences of all ages. Jackson has been performing throughout the country for over 25 years. He is an active member of the Children's Music Network and has led many workshops at their national gatherings.

Judy Greenhill is a musician, performer and dance caller and with her husband Rick Avery has been performing and recording music for young audiences as Rick & Judy since 1980. She sings, plays guitar, Appalachian dulcimer, spoons and feet. She coordinated the children's activities at Algomatrad Music and Dance camp in 2004.

Sarah Henry is a longtime member and dance leader of Half Moon Sword and Ring o'Bells Morris in New York City. She has brought her high-energy enthusiasm for longsword, rapper, English clog and Cotswold morris to workshops for children and adults in many venues. Sarah is delighted to be making her first appearance at Campers' Week.

Scott Higgs has delighted English dance enthusiasts at Campers Week many times. His sessions make everyone welcome: offering nuances to engage experts, with a light-hearted approach that makes novices feel comfortable and successful. This week, Scott will also lead the English Dance Leaders Course, an intensive program for dance leaders.

Hannah Naiman is many things: she is a contemporary dance major at Concordia University, an aspiring musician, a professional Campers' Week attendee and a veteran teen class teacher (and so much more), all of them good. Stay tuned for raucous dancing, beauteous singing and all-round good times as this year she shares the post as teacher of teens with Julia Rubin-Smith. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Kathy Reid-Naiman teaches early childhood music and movement classes in Ontario. She is the fiddler for Toronto Women's Sword and is one half of the old-time duo Ragged but Right. She has been coming to Campers' Week since 1989 as a teacher or a camper and is very happy to be directing Campers' Week for a third year.

Tom Phillips and his violin are equally at home with English country and contra dance music. He's been playing in New York and around the Northeast for the last 25 years, with his English band, The Dressed Ship, and The Fish Family contra dance band. Tom will play for the English dance classes and lead the evening dance bands for a second year.

Sue Rosen attended her first callers workshop at her first Campers' Week in 1989. Since then she's been back to camp many times and has been calling fun contras and squares all over the place. Sue will lead you through lots of great dances and will encourage you to try calling some too.

Julia Rubin-Smith is a Campers' Week old-timer, despite her youthful looks. She has been singing and dancing for many years, though only recently delved into professionally shaping teenage minds at a high school in rural Peru. She is thrilled to be teaching the teen class with Hannah Naiman, her old partner in crime. Julia will begin graduate studies in International Public Health in the fall.

Jennifer Farley Smith is a song leader, storyteller and social capitalist. When not teaching recorder and singing. she's involved in a number of community-building projects -- including opening a public art gallery in her hometown and producing a benefit concert to help homeless children in the Republic of Georgia. Jennifer is the proud parent of two Pinewoods-raised children. This summer she'll be the welcoming host for our morning gathering.

Erik Talvitie has attended Campers' Week for many years. Over that time, he has accumulated several days of experience planning and hosting Evening Gatherings with his longtime collaborator, Ezra Fischer. He looks forward this year to bringing his seasoned co-hosting expertise to bear once again.

Kathy Talvitie plays for both English country and contra dancing. She plays piano with Hold the Mustard and A Joyful Noise and guitar with Raise the Roof. She has been a regular at Campers' Week for at least 15 years.

Campers' Week at Pinewoods Daily Schedule
7:45 - 8:15	Breakfast
9:00 - 9:50	Morning classes, divided by age group
10:00	Refreshments
10:15 - 11:00	All Camp Gathering
11:00 - 12:00	Swimming, Bookstore staffed
12:15	Lunch
1:30 - 2:20	Quiet activities/Rest time
2:30 - 3:20	Afternoon classes, divided by age group
3:20 - 3:35	Campstore Open
3:30 - 4:20	Swimming, Bookstore staffed, classes
4:00 - 4:20	Tea
4:30 - 5:20	Late afternoon classes
6:00	Dinner
6:45	Singing Games
7:30 - 8:25	Evening Gathering
8:00	Pied Piper/bedtime for children 8 and younger
8:30 - 11:00	Evening Dance Party
9:20	Bedtime for 9-12 year olds

Class Descriptions: [Back to Top]
Children's Classes 9:00 and 2:30
The age groupings for children's classes are tentative; they will be set after registration is complete.

The Youngest (ages 0-4)
These youngest campers will bring a parent or care-giver with them to their morning class with Kathy Reid-Naiman where they'll sing and dance, tell small stories and play rhythm instruments. In the afternoon class period the parents of this age group are encouraged to form a co-operative play group for those who aren't napping.

Littles (ages 5-6)
This group will start their day with Debbi doing many wonderful things like singing, dancing, pretending, acting out stories and adding music to them, gymnastics, playing with instruments and making stuff out of "good junk" that we find around camp. Then in the afternoon they will join Judy for, social dance, singing games, dramatic activities, games and stories.

Middles (ages 7-9)
The 7 to 9s get going with a bang with morris and social dancing, games, string games and dramatic activities with Judy. In their afternoon class Debbi will have them singing and dancing (of course), song writing and putting together a band with Orff and other instruments (bring yours!!!).

Talls (ages 10-12)
This group will start their day off with Sarah experimenting with vigorous rant and rave-like steps in Bacca Pipes - a mix of hopscotch and morris! - with forays into some rowdy English country dances using a similar lively movement and they'll maybe even compose some hopping/tapping dances of their own. In the afternoon they will meet on the storytelling trail, where they'll sing-along, move-along and create-along with Jackson.

Teen Class
This year's teen class with Hannah and Julia will blow your minds with its daringly contemporary contra and English dance moves (the likes of which you've never seen in any forest), and with songs that will melt your hearts and raise your spirits in all kinds of sappy, cheesy, wonderful ways. It's more of the same, with a bit of a twist. We think you'll like it.

Adults (ages 13 and up)
Much of what you will do at camp will be decided at our Saturday evening planning session, but here are a few things that we know will be on the schedule: Sue Rosen will help us get the day off to an energetic start with a morning contra dance class. Later in the day she'll encourage anyone who would like to try their hand at calling to join her callers class. Scott Higgs will teach some of the finer points of English dance and Sarah Henry will invite us to try a morris or longsword dance. Jan Burdick's rapper class will cover basic stepping, various rapper figures to impress your friends and fooling figures for those that will. For a change of pace, Jackson Gillman will offer a storytelling workshop.

Community Gatherings
Jennifer Farley Smith will be this year's host for our morning all camp gatherings and Erik and Ezra will return to the stage once more as our hosts for the evening gatherings. Come prepared to share a song, tune, story or dance.

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/