Country Dance and Song Society

From the world of storytelling and the world of community dance and music, we think we have the very best staff possible! Their expertise is impressive and enticing and they are fascinating people! This staff is ready to build a week of fun together with you -- exploring the possibilities of creating stories, songs, harmonies, bands, parties, crafts, art projects, plays and tomfoolery of many ilks.

You will help us style and complete the final design for this new CDSS venture. We have a schedule to accommodate various age levels and interests and upon receiving registrations, we will fine-tune the class offerings according to participants' age groups and needs. A core activity for those 13 and up is the meeting every morning with one of our amazing storytellers, who will rotate among the classes so you'll have a chance to work with each one of them. In the afternoons, in addition to scheduled classes, staff and campers may sign-up to lead one-time activities -- an adventure in spontaneity and surprise.

We welcome all people! Participants under 18 years of age must have a supervising adult accompany them. Families are very welcome. Adults may come singly. The doorway is wide!

Ogontz is truly a magically beautiful and naturally grace-filled mountain setting. We are honored and fortunate to have the musical talents and expertise of the camp owners and family as part of the design team of Storytelling Week. These folks, George and Lynn Kent and Susan Reed, help us combine the fun and healthy life of Camp Ogontz with the CDSS mission of continuing traditions and linking those who love them.

Come! Let's create the story of this new week with delight and festivity! It's a perfect match! -- Merle Davis, Program Director

Storytelling Week at Ogontz Daily Schedule click for tentative Detailed Daily Schedule
7:45 - 8:30 Breakfast
9:00 - 10:15
4-6 year olds	Debbie Block, Susan Reed
7-9 year olds	Len and Judy Cabral
10-12 year olds	Andy Davis / Karen Axelrod
4 groups of teens and adults will work one morning with each teller	Willy Claflin, Donald Davis, Bill Harley, Laura Pershin
10:15 Refreshments
10:30 - 11:15 Morning Gathering
11:15 - 12:15 Swimming, Bookstore staffed
13 and up (younger with a parent) -- Photography	Kenny Raynor
12:15 - 12:45 Buffet Lunch Served
12:45 - 1:15 Bookstore staffed
1:30 - 2:15
All ages	Napping
Stories with Humans and Other Important People (under 10 with a parent)	3 Days with Maynard Moose
Adventure of the Day (under 10 with a parent)	2 Days with Merle Davis
Small Hands Making Small Things (under 7 with a parent)	Laura Pershin, Kenny Raynor
The Lost Songs of Childhood (10 and up)	Bill Harley, Len Cabral
Singing Squares -- Dancing Stories (13 and up)	Donald Davis / Karen Axelrod
2:30 - 4:40 Swimming
2:30 - 3:30 One Shot Classes including:
Flags of Peace and other Crafts	Debbie Block
Summer Mummers and More	Susan Reed, Willy Claflin
Cooking Up Stories	Donald Davis
Dance Basics	2 days with Andy Davis, Daron Douglas
Ballads and Story Songs	3 days with Daron Douglas, Andy Davis
Comedy Zone	2 days with Karen Axelrod
Open Spaces	Led by You
3:35 - 4:00 Afternoon Snack
4:15 - 4:45
Family Band
Open Spaces	led by You
4:55 - 5:30
At the Green Chairs	Donald Davis and others
5:50 Dinner
7:15 Evening Gathering and Community Dance
8:15 Pied Piper / Bedtime for children 9 and younger
8:15 - 8:30 After Glow
8:30 - 10:00 Evening Dance Party
9:30 Evening Song and Bedtime for 10-12 year olds
10:00 Memory Parties

Staff: [Back to Top]

Karen Axelrod is funny, caring, tricky... but watch out when she plays her music! She's beyond the keyboard in her excellence and skill!

Debbie Block is an artist with fibers and fabrics and paper. Her quilts are full of her self and her craft projects offer us cause to think and be thoughtful. Debbie is Bill Harley's wife.

Judy Cabral works with stories and age-appropriate surprises to help children discover the world around them.

Len Cabral brings the flavor and spice of his Canary Islands family heritage to bear on his music and stories. Len and Bill have often collaborated in storytelling.

Willy Claflin and Maynard the Moose tell us about adventures, fairy tales and coming of age. An educator, a folk musician, a word master (and twister!) and a funny, kind man, Willy creates twice the fun when Maynard joins him!

Andy Davis is New England's treasure. He is the music teacher we wish every child could know. Andy teaches dances and harmony singing and will bring us some opportunities to learn and enjoy these at camp.

Donald Davis's stories are like the ties that bind... and this year we'll discover that his cooking skills are pretty good also! From North Carolina, Donald brings a stable and grounded storytelling history to this first Storytelling Week.

Merle Davis loves to make the connections that help people have fun, have good experiences together and hear each other's stories.

Daron Douglas lives on Music Street and that's just right. Daron plays the fiddle like no one else -- and together with Karen Axelrod, she gives the music wings! Daron is also a traditional bearer of Appalachian ballads and stories.

Bill Harley is something of a grown-up kid but we call him a remarkably mature storyteller whose wisdom gives him the power to transcend the ages. Bill is for us all, and he makes us better when we're with him.

George and Lynn Kent are the spirit of Camp Ogontz. They bring four generations of their family to camp -- and every one of them work to make the summer weeks wonderful. George conducts the prestigious Westerly Chorus and Lynn is queen of thrift shop treasure hunts!

Laura Pershin's sparkling smiles welcome the children and the adults who visit her at her children's library in Ann Arbor, MI. Laura's fine stories for children are fetching... but her stories of her colorful Jewish family are her shiniest jewels!

Kenny Raynor is Laura's artistic husband and her partner in playful joy! He has an eye for design and composition and photographic opportunities. Kenny is a creative parent whose pride and joy are their two college-age daughters.

Susan Reed is a songwriter, creative storyteller and leader in the Suzuki world of violin. Susan is an experienced family Suzuki camp director and has been a key planner on the design team.

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/