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Country Dance and Song SocietyFamily Week 1 at Ogontz
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Country Dance and Song SocietyFamily Week 1 at Ogontz
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Family Week 1 at Ogontz July 29 - August 5, 2006 Program Directors: Staff: * Advisors |
Program Description: [Back to Top]
Look up our Family Programs for some general information; here is more detail about this particular program and staff.
Folks often ask us how our two boys ended up, as teens and adults, so deeply immersed in the world of traditional song and dance. Our answer is that they grew up surrounded by a community of singers, dancers and musicians, particularly at the summer week-long CDSS Family Camps of traditional song and dance.
Imagine, a hundred or so children, teenagers and adults awaking in their rustic cabins in the foothills of New Hampshire's White Mountains, wandering down the hill overlooking the fog lifting over lake and mountains, joining together for a hearty community breakfast, splitting off to age-specific sessions where children dance and sing with children, adults with adults, all led by some of the best community dance and song leaders and musicians in the country. Then all regroup for Morning Gathering that brings together the intentional community family of all ages for a sharing time that is a songfest and a dance and a concert all rolled into one. And that is just the beginning!
Ogontz Family Week 1 is led by a stellar staff of some of the very best dance leaders, dance musicians, singing leaders and storytellers around. Children's classes include Anglo/American singing games and dancing, creating a cranky show, Northwest clog, storytelling and more. The adults (those 13 and up) will have daily class choices in all kinds of dancing: morris, contra, English country and Northwest morris/garland. There are also harmony singing, storytelling, family dance band and circus sculptures classes; and a mummers play production for all who will. There is daily swimming in Ogontz's pristine lake, two daily all-camp gatherings of dance, song and storytelling, a nightly pied piper for the 9 and unders, and contra and English country dancing each evening for 10s and ups. We have not scheduled in, but we also highly recommend the ever-popular health-enhancing activities of napping, reading, taking walks or simply hanging out.
We can attest from personal experience: this is a life-changing experience for your whole family. -- Peter Amidon and Mary Alice Amidon, Program Directors
Mary Alice Amidon is an irrepressibly joyful and engaging musician/educator who connects song, dance and storytelling with children's literature. Mary Alice will be leading the 8-9s in dancing and singing, and, with Peter Amidon, will lead harmony singing for 13 and up.
Peter Amidon is a dance/song leader, performer and publisher who is passionate about the community building power of song, dance and storytelling. He has become one of the leading music and dance icons of Brattleboro, VT. He loves leading dance with 10-12 year olds and helping Mary Alice Amidon lead harmony singing.
Stefan Amidon has been percussionist for the cutting edge contra dance band Popcorn Behavior/Assembly since he was 10. Now a jazz percussion student at Oberlin Conservatory, he has just returned from a Northern Harmony singing tour of Europe and is in demand as a dance percussionist at dance weekends and recording studios around the country. Stefan works with pre-school children as part of his Oberlin work study program.
Karen Axelrod plays piano for English, American and Scottish dance and has been on staff at numerous dance events around the country, including CDSS camps, Monte Toyon and Berea. Highly regarded for her creative and rich piano accompaniment, Karen also plays accordion for Orion Longsword. When not playing music, she performs with the improv comedy troupe, the Villa Jidiots, and makes jewelry.
Donald Davis is a superb storyteller who traces his stories to his memories of growing up in the southern Appalachians. He is happiest when his stories remind you of your stories. In addition to his storytelling, Donald will teach the 6-7 class with Merle Davis.
Merle Davis's bag of tricks includes theatre arts, literature and crafts which she will share with the 6-7 class (which she'll teach with Donald Davis). Her warm presence lights up the whole camp.
Brad Foster is a sweet and friendly guy with a bottomless well of dance leading experience who teaches dance with grace and panache. He will lead both English and morris dance classes. The Executive/Artistic Director of CDSS, he is a big (tall) reason why traditional dance and song are alive and well in the U.S.
Steve Hickman is a sublime dance fiddler, a ridiculously sublime teacher of hambone and a master gardener/farmer. Watch out for his transformational, paradigm shifting English fiddling.
Kevin McMullin (along with his wife Karen Kaufman who will be coming as a camper) define the Wisconsin community dance scene with their annual Joining the Circle dance camps and Kevin's busy schedule playing for dances throughout greater Wisconsin. Kevin is a great dance fiddler, singer, storyteller and a prolific composer. He will work with Bettie Zakon-Anderson on the music and storytelling end of the 8-9's cranky class.
Keith Murphy has been immersed in music and dance since his childhood days in Newfoundland. Now Keith's groove guitar, power mandolin and rhythmic piano playing drives dances across the country and shapes the sound of Nightingale, Childsplay, Assembly and more. Keith also grew up with mumming; don't miss helping Keith create the 2006 version of an Ogontz-based mummers play.
DeLaura Padovan, a Family Week veteran, brings light and life to bird and beast and flower, not to mention the lucky children and adults who get to be with her at Ogontz this summer. She will sing and dance with both the 4-5s and the 6-7s.
Olivia Padovan has been singing and dancing at Buffalo Gap, Ogontz, and other summer folk camps since she was 4 years old. Now 17, she is looking for the perfect school: one that offers both a strong physics program and a vibrant contra dance community.
Kari Smith is a teacher's teacher -- a rare combination of distinguished scholar/educator and a cracking good dance teacher. You won't get better Northwest clog, morris and garland dance teaching anywhere else. She is also a beautiful ballad singer and a lovely human being.
Paul Eric Smith, known by many as the jolly master of ceremonies of the annual Marlboro Morris Ale, will provide fine music for Kari's classes on his Castagnari accordion. He calls the perfect repertoire of ceilidh dances from the U.K.
Becky Tracy's fiddling is a striking combination of power and beauty; one's feet barely touch the ground when dancing to her fiddling. Becky fiddles for two superb dance bands: Nightingale and Wild Asparagus, with whom she has traveled the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Europe. Becky will lead the dance band class in addition to her fiddling for dancing.
Bettie Zakon-Anderson, who has taught at many dance camps including Augusta, Pinewoods and Ogontz, remembers making a cranky at home as a child with her sister, just for fun. Bettie has found that when she listens to songs of the (often Amidon) CDs with her children, that pictures and stories pop into her head, and she imagined that it would be great to get these song/pictures out into the world via a cranky. And so she will, with the help of Kevin McMullin and the Ogontz 8-9s.
Steve Zakon-Anderson is a master contra dance caller and teacher. His repertoire of dances ranges from some of the latest, greatest choreographies to great old dances that we should never forget. Steve teaches and calls with great skill and humor, and never fails to weave in choice tidbits from his great store of knowledge of the history of contra dancing.
| Family Week 1 at Ogontz Daily Schedule click for tentative Detailed Daily Schedule |
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| 7:45 - 8:30 | 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, Bookstore staffed |
| 12:15 | Lunch |
| 12:45 - 1:15 | Bookstore staffed |
| 1:30 - 2:25 | Early afternoon classes/Rest time |
| 2:35 - 3:30 | Afternoon classes, divided by age group |
| 3:30 | Refreshments |
| 3:40 - 4:40 | Swimming, Late afternoon classes |
| 4:55 - 5:30 | Storeis at the Green Chairs |
| 5:50 | Dinner |
| 7:15 | Community Dance |
| 7:45 - 8:30 | 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 |
| 11:00 | Optional after-dance activities |
Class Descriptions: [Back to Top]
Children's classes by age group -- 9:00 and 2:35
Ages 2 and 3
Olivia Padovan will take great care of and lead these children for these two hours.
Ages 4 and 5
These children are in for a feast of dance, song and storytelling with Stefan Amidon in the morning and Delora Padovan in the afternoon.
Ages 6 and 7
Delaura Padovan will lead singing and dancing in the morning; in the afternoon Merle and Donald Davis will lead a potpourri of crafts, storytelling and maybe a little theater.
Ages 8 and 9
Mary Alice Amidon will lead singing and dancing in the morning. Bettie Zakon-Anderson and Kevin McMullin will lead the children in designing and drawing the scroll to create a musical cranky show.
Ages 10 to 12
Peter Amidon starts each morning with a story and then prepares the 10-12s for their part of the evening dances. In the afternoon Kari Smith leads the group into the robust and hearty world of Northwest clog morris.
Ages 13 and up Morning classes (9:00)
English Country Dancing -- Brad Foster / Steve Hickman, Karen Axelrod
Northwest Morris and Garland Dance -- Kari Smith / Paul Eric Smith
The morris dancing of the industrial northwest of England -- including garland, stick and sling dances -- is vigorous and disciplined, with fancy footwork to show off the percussive sounds of iron-shod clogs and a wide range of figures capitalizing on typically large sets of 8, 12, 16, or more dancers! Experienced dancers and newcomers alike will enjoy the expansive, dramatic and energetic style of the NW garland dance. Bring indoor NW clogs if you have them.
Ages 13 and up Afternoon classes (2:35 - 3:30)
Contra Dance -- Steve Zakon-Anderson / Becky Tracy, Keith Murphy
Morris Dance -- Brad Foster / Steve Hickman
The Early Afternoon Classes (1:30 - 2:25)
Napping and reading are highly respected. Also, family walks and hikes around camp are great.
Circus Sculptures (6 and up, 6-7 with a parent) -- Kari Smith
For 6 and up; 6s and 7s must come with parents.
Ogontz Community Dance Band (9 and up) -- Becky Tracy
For folks who already know how to play an instrument.
Storytelling Traditions (13 and up) -- Donald Davis
Stories and songs the way they've been passed along through the ages .... a folkloric journey.
Drumming (13 and up) -- Stefan Amidon
"Mr. Rhythm" leads a percussion ensemble.
The Late Afternoon Classes (3:40 - 4:40)
Mummers Play (8 and up) -- Keith Murphy
Help create the 2006 version of an Ogontz-based mummers play.
Harmony Singing (13 and up) -- Peter and Mary Alice Amidon
The best in heart-felt community singing.
At the Green Chairs -- Donald Davis (4:55 - 5:30)
Everyone gather 'round the green Adirondack chairs and listen to Donald Davis spin his tales.
Staff
Class Descriptions & 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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