Country Dance and Song Society

Celebrating our 75th year at Pinewoods Camp

English Dance Week at Pinewoods
August 2 - 9, 2008

As of April 16, this week has a moderate wait list.

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Class Descriptions & Schedule

English Dance Week at Pinewoods
August 2 - 9, 2008

Program Director:
Brad Foster

Staff:
Laurie Andres
Helene Cornelius
Laurie Cumming
Jan Elliott *
Earl Gaddis
lydia ievins
Atossa Kramer
Tom Kruskal
John Mayberry
Elvie Miller
Naomi Morse
Anna Rain
Gary Roodman
Meg Ryan
Jacqueline Schwab
Andrew Shaw
Tom Siess

* Advisor, plus:
Steve Howe
Sharon Green
Barbara Russell

Program Description: [Back to Top]

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

Join us this year for a wonderful week of English dancing in the magical setting of Pinewoods Camp. This year marks our 75th anniversary at Pinewoods (and 88th Anniversary running summer camps!). The theme this year is looking back at the past and forward to the future, the old and the new, classic and cutting edge. Come share with us the tremendous variety of English country and display dance, with wonderful teachers, superb musicians, in a fantastic place!

Our English country teachers include Andrew Shaw, one of the 21st century's foremost dance reconstructors, returning for his second trip to Pinewoods. All three of Andrew's workshops will focus on a look back at historical dance -- the dances of Henry Playford, Walsh and Kynaston -- with a look at the art of reconstruction itself. For a look forward we have Gary Roodman, one of America's finest dance composers, teaching his own compositions, and Helene Cornelius, our much loved expert on dances old and new, offering a broad survey of 70 years of modern English dance. Rounding out the program, Brad Foster will present two sessions: his own survey of 20th Century English country dancing from Sharp to Skowronski, plus a class in contras and squares (revisiting our Dance Week I and II roots).

Display dance also offers a look back and forward and the return of longsword to English Week. Jan Elliott will present an advanced longsword class covering a traditional longsword dance and its modern day adaptation. Laurie Cumming will offer another longsword class, for all experience levels, in the traditional dance from Greatham. In addition, Jan will teach Bampton morris from its early roots to its modern variations, and Laurie will present contemporary short-sword or rapper dancing. Perennial favorite Meg Ryan will teach English Clog from the traditional repertoire of Pat Tracey, while John Mayberry will lead us through an examination of the roots of Mummers' Plays and the production of a modern play to be performed at the end of the week.

Our musicians offer an amazing variety of styles and textures covering the full spectrum of current English music in America, from classically strong phrasing and dynamic rhythms to cutting edge lyrical and flowing countermelodies. Musicians include Naomi Morse, on violin; Elvie Miller, on piano and accordion; lydia ievins, on violin and nyckelharpa; Jan Elliott, on English concertina; Jacqueline Schwab, on piano; Laurie Andres, on accordion and piano; Earl Gaddis, on violin and viola; Tom Kruskal, on Anglo concertina; and Atossa Kramer, on clarinet, piano and recorder. The musicians come from Washington, Kentucky, Michigan, New York and Massachusetts. Come join us to dance and listen to these superb musicians.

Rounding out the program, Anna Rain will teach Yoga to help us all reach our full physical potential as dancers; Tom Siess will teach a leadership workshop on governance techniques and long range planning for organizations and John Mayberry will lead community singing. John will also lead our camp-wide Gathering, a time for us all to get together as a community to listen, share and learn.

Evening dances will feature a wide range of both favorite and about-to-be favorite English country dances, plus a nightly dance "For Those Who Know," with all the wonderful country dance musicians and callers on staff. Afterwards, you'll have ample opportunities to make good things happen, with possible late night singing, a ceilidh dance and pub sing, a contra or Swedish dance, a potential talent show and the annual fun and fundraising auction to support camp scholarships for years to come.

-- Brad Foster, Program Director

Staff: [Back to Top]

Laurie Andres, from Seattle, WA, has delighted dancers all over the U.S., Canada and Europe with his irrepressible drive and rhythm on accordion and piano. He plays for English country, contra, square, morris and clog dancing, plays Klezmer and Greek music, and performs with several ensembles, including the Limeyland Band, The Rhythm Rollers, Kesslegarden, the Kosher Red Hots and Armonikos. He has been a frequent staff member at one Pinewoods session or another for almost 30 years and has been calling a monthly English country dance in Seattle for over 20 years.

Helene Cornelius, from Arlington, MA, a dance leader since 1963, is renowned for her broad knowledge of 20th-century English country dancing. She has led in the search for and presentation of new material, and with her wonderful, understated wit and concise teaching conveys her styling points, which she cares about passionately. Helene is the 2002 recipient of the CDSS Lifetime Contribution Award for her work with English country dance.

Laurie Cumming, from Toronto, Ontario, is a founding member and former teacher of Toronto Women's Sword and an accomplished Ontario step-dancer. She has had many opportunities to share her enthusiasm for rapper and longsword dancing with campers at Pinewoods, the Berea Christmas Country Dance School, Ogontz, Algomatrad and with audiences at schools and festivals. During the school year Laurie finds ways to incorporate her passion for traditional dance into the elementary public school classroom.

Jan Elliott, from Woods Hole, MA, is widely known for her infectious enthusiasm, her broad knowledge of morris and sword and her concise teaching style. Jan has taught morris and sword for 25 years and performed with teams from California to Oxfordshire, England. A founder of Ha'penny Morris and formerly with Muddy River Sword and Commonwealth Sword, all in Boston, she is currently artistic director of Vineyard Swordfish and Clownfish rapper, dances with Thames Valley International and plays English concertina for the Pinewoods Morris Men.

Brad Foster, from Amherst, MA, has been dancing and teaching English country, contras and squares, and morris and sword for over 40 years. He is well known for sharing the joy found in dance, and has taught throughout the US, Canada and Europe, including at Berea, Pinewoods, Mendocino, John C. Campbell Folk School and Augusta. He is Executive and Artistic Director of the Country Dance and Song Society, a post he has held for almost 25 years. He is also a founder of the Bay Area Country Dance Society as well as co-founder of their Mendocino English and American dance weeks.

Earl Gaddis, from Plainwell, MI, has been playing fiddle and viola for a mixture of English, Scottish, American and international dancing for well over 40 years. He is a full-time musician, playing for dance camps, workshops, balls and other dance events throughout the U.S. and abroad. Earl is a member of Bare Necessities and with them has released more than a dozen recordings of English country dance music. He lives in great contentment on ten acres of woods in rural Michigan.

lydia ievins, from Montague MA, plays fiddle regularly for English, contra and couple dancing. Her love for creating rich harmonic lines led her into exploring the vibrant traditions of Swedish fiddling; she has thus discovered that the nyckelharpa makes a striking addition to English country dance. As an avid dancer herself, she infuses her playing with rhythmic clarity and sensitive phrasing to produce eminently danceable music.

Atossa Kramer, from Berea, KY, is a multi-talented musician who has accompanied country dancing for more than 40 years playing clarinet, piano, recorder and accordion. She is a member of the music faculty of Berea College, and is a regular and much-loved member of the staff of the Christmas Country Dance School. In addition to playing regularly for the English dance groups in Berea, she plays for other workshops in the area and is a clarinetist with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tom Kruskal, from Sudbury, MA, fell in love with the anglo concertina at the age of 13 while attending the Berea Christmas Dance School in 1962. Tom plays Anglo concertina and banjo for Orion Longsword and the Pinewoods Morris Men and is leader/founder of youth teams Velocirapper, Candyrapper, Beside the Point, Great Meadows Morris and Sword and Hop Brook Morris. A frequent musician at Pinewoods since 1966, Tom's playing for display dance is strong, driving, rhythmic and attentive to the needs of the dancers and the dance.

John Mayberry, from Toronto, Ontario, 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, theatre, 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. John's experience in the theatre includes juggling, clowning, medieval and folk drama, and scenery and props production.

Elvie Miller, from Watertown, MA, spent her childhood in New Hampshire surrounded by folk music and dance. With a strong background in classical piano, Elvie began playing for contra and English country dances in her early teens, and since then has performed and taught dance music across the country. She is a regular member of contra dance bands Airdance and Night Watch. In 2005-2006, she spent a year tracing the origins of New England dance music in northern Ireland, the U.K. and Scandinavia while studying accordion in traditional music as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow.

Naomi Morse, now in Brooklyn, NY, grew up surrounded by music and dance in the folk communities of New England. She is know for her energetic and driving fiddle playing for both contra and English dancing in many bands, including Night Watch, Housetop and the "mega-fiddle-band" Childsplay. She has toured extensively with the world-music ensemble, Northern Harmony, and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she sings professionally.

Anna Rain, from Hyattsville, MD, is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor who has taught yoga since 2000. She has been dancing since 1984, calling contras since 1992 and is currently infatuated with (in addition to English, Scottish and the odd zydeco romp) Scandinavian turning dances. Anna sings with an a cappella chamber choir and loves to harmonize and sing rounds.

Gary Roodman, from Leeds, MA, discovered English and American dancing in 1976 at Pinewoods Camp -- it changed his life forever. He has been teaching country dancing ever since, and in 1982 began writing English and contra-style dances. He now has seven books in his Calculated Figures series with an eighth in the works, plus three CDs of music for his dances. His dances are being done across the U.S. and Canada, and, he has heard, in Europe and Japan.

Meg Ryan, from Northampton, MA, is a wonderful teacher of Northwest clog and a founding member of Guiding Star Clog Morris. She is also an outstanding performer and teacher of both English and Anglo-American clog dance styles. A member of The New Dancing Marleys, Meg has performed in England, Canada and the U.S. She has studied under some of the masters of the traditions of English clog, including Pat Tracey and Alex Woodcock.

Jacqueline Schwab, currently from Staten Island, NY, is a founding member of Bare Necessities and has been an English country dance musician for over 25 years, and also plays for Scottish, contra, vintage, ballet and modern dance. She is widely known as the pianist on a dozen of Ken Burns's PBS documentaries (including The Civil War, Baseball and Mark Twain) and on almost 50 recordings, including more than thirteen with Bare Necessities (and two more on the way), along with recordings with singer Jean Redpath and fiddlers Alasdair Fraser and Laura Risk as well as on three solo recordings. She has performed for former President Clinton at the White House and at the Smithsonian Institution. A long-time dancer, Jacqueline plays and teaches English dance workshops with Bare Necessities around the country and abroad.

Andrew Shaw, from Hale, near Altrincham in Cheshire, N.W. England, started country dancing as a teenager in the 60s, and developed an enthralling interest in and enthusiasm for the history and performance of the English country dance. Andrew is a master at teaching English country dance and enjoys both historical reconstructions and modern compositions. He teaches at weekends, festivals and other courses at home and abroad, and is widely regarded for his detailed knowledge, high standards, clear instruction and wit. His interest in the dances of the late 17th and early 18th century, particularly those of Nathaniel Kynaston, has led to the publication of three books with accompanying CDs. Andrew runs the Lemmings Reprieve dance club -- a name which oddly but neatly sums up his belief in the life-enhancing qualities of this dance form.

Tom Siess, from London, Ontario, as President of CDSS and long-time board member, led the CDSS board through a series of exercises on governance as well as the major long range plan process that developed the plan of 1993. He has advised many groups on ways to improve their governance, and has taught a workshop on the topic for the Bay Area Country Dance Society's English Week at Mendocino. He is also a regular at this English Week and has been a mainstay of the London, Ontario, folk music scene for more than 30 years.

English Dance Week at Pinewoods
Tentative Class Schedule:

7:45 - 8:15 Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00

Modern English Dances Helene Cornelius

Advanced Longsword: White Boys and Happy Jack Jan Elliott

Yoga for Dancers Anna Rain

10:15 - 11:15

Advanced English Country: Twenty Four New Country Dances for the Year Andrew Shaw

A 20th-Century Survey of English Country Brad Foster

English Clog: Lancashire Irish Jig Meg Ryan

11:30 - 12:00 Gathering

12:00 - 12:45 Swimming, Bookstore staffed

12:45 Lunch

1:15 - 1:50

Community Singing John Mayberry

2:00 - 2:45

Contras and Squares Brad Foster

Cotswold Morris: Bampton Jan Elliott

Dance Reconstruction Through the Ages Andrew Shaw

Leadership: Governance and Planning Tom Siess

3:00 - 4:00

Calculated Figures Gary Roodman

Longsword: Greatham Laurie Cumming

Slow Jam Elvie Miller

Mummers' Plays John Mayberry

4:00 - 4:30 Tea

4:30 - 5:30

Newest and Best Dances from the Henry Playford editions Andrew Shaw

Rapper Laurie Cumming

Dance Band Jacqueline Schwab

5:30 - 6:30 Swimming, Bookstore staffed

6:30 Dinner

8:00 - 10:45 Evening Dance Party (starting with For Those Who Know)

11:00 Optional after-dance activities

Class Descriptions: [Back to Top]

English Country Dance Classes:

Modern English Dances -- Helene Cornelius / Jacqueline Schwab, Earl Gaddis
A sampling of modern compositions from Maggot Pie, first published in 1932, up into 2008, including dances by Marjorie Heffer and William Porter, Pat Shaw, Tom Cook, Charles Bolton, Fried Herman, Colin Hume, Philippe Callens, Victor Skowronski, Brooke Friendly and Chris Sackett, Orly Krasner and more (but not including Gary Roodman, who is teaching his own dances this week).

Advanced English Country: Twenty Four New Country Dances for the Year, Dances from the annual collections published by John Walsh snr. -- Andrew Shaw / Jacqueline Schwab, Naomi Morse, lydia ievins
John Walsh issued his first publication in 1695, so founding what was to become successor to the Playfords as the leading British music publishing firm. To begin with, he seems to have issued country dances as appendices to other kinds of music book, but by about 1705, following the earlier example of Henry Playford, he began to issue annual collections of 24 country dances, in a series which continued in an almost unbroken run until the death of his son, also John, in 1766. Although less than half the issues have survived, a surprising number date from the period of John Walsh snr., and include the dances of Nathaniel Kynaston and the mysterious Person of Quality. Often complex in construction, these dances are not for the faint-hearted.

A 20th-Century Survey of English Country -- Brad Foster / Elvie Miller, Earl Gaddis
A historical survey of dances, with background information on the person behind the dance, starting with Cecil Sharp, moving through Pat Shaw and others of his era and ending with modern composers and reconstructors.

The Newest and Best Dances from the Henry Playford editions of The Dancing Master c1688-1703 -- Andrew Shaw / Laurie Andres, Atossa Kramer, lydia ievins
When Henry Playford took over publication of The Dancing Master on the death of his father John, he began a process of expansion and modernisation of the collection which, by the 12th edition of 1703 -- the last issued by Henry, saw the addition of 250 new longways type country dances, and the deletion of 100 of the old set dances that he had inherited. Written by some of the leading dancing masters and set to music by the popular composers of the day, these new dances include many hidden treasures which this class will go in search of.

Calculated Figures -- Gary Roodman / Atossa Kramer, Earl Gaddis, Naomi Morse
A class devoted to dancing Gary's own compositions, for folks who are familiar with basic English country dance movement and style. We will do many of Gary's better-known dances, a few that are less well known and maybe some new things.

Contras and Squares -- Brad Foster / Elvie Miller, Naomi Morse
As part of our 75th Anniversary at Pinewoods, we are reintroducing some of the old programming when this was Dance Week 1 or 2. This workshop will include modern, fast moving contras, plus old chestnuts and singing squares and dances with an English flavor.

Display Dance Classes:

Advanced Longsword: White Boys and Happy Jack -- Jan Elliott / Laurie Andres
White Boys and Happy Jack is a longsword dance from the Isle of Man. Jan will present the original Manx version and explore how the Vineyard Swordfish adapted it into an unusual five-person dance. For dancers with prior experience in longsword -- this workshop will move quickly.

Cotswold Morris: Bampton -- Jan Elliott / Laurie Andres
In honor of the 75th year of CDSS at Pinewoods, Jan will explore the tradition of Bampton, "Then and Now." Working with newly reprocessed footage from the archival films of camp founder Helen Storrow, we'll dance in the manner (if not the costume) of 1927, comparing it to classic team styles and recent developments in the Bampton tradition.

English Clog: Lancashire Irish Jig -- Meg Ryan / Tom Kruskal
Meg will teach steps from the Lancashire Irish Jig tradition, part of her repertoire of material from Pat Tracey. Pat is a traditional clog dancer whose family lived in Lancashire for generations. She learned the steps from her mother, who in turn learned them from Pat's grandfather. He, in turn, had been taught them as a boy in the 1860s. Pat holds the Gold Badge of the English Folk Dance and Song Society for her pioneering work in reviving and promoting clog dancing. The Lancashire Irish was done at social gatherings in the 1940s by descendants of immigrant Irish workers. It lends itself very well to both solo display and group choreography. This class is open to all. Wooden soled stepping clogs or hard soled shoes are recommended.

Longsword: Greatham -- Laurie Cumming / Jan Elliott
Laurie will lead the class through the sprightly Greatham Longsword dance. Enjoy the "fit" of this dance to the music as each figure begins and ends with a musical phrase. This class is open to beginning and experienced sword dancers.

Rapper -- Laurie Cumming / Tom Kruskal
Here's your chance to try an exciting and vigorous form of short-sword dancing -- aka Rapper. You will learn the steps, the figures and some of the performance elements that make rapper one of the most riveting of the English display dances. All are welcome.

Mummers' Plays -- John Mayberry
The main focus of this class will be the development of a new collective Mummers' play to be performed by the end of the week. As a way to get the creative juices flowing, the class will look at some of the dramatic forms which are thought to have influenced the development of the Mummers' play -- Medieval Miracle plays, Commedia dell'arte, Pantomime, literary drama, etc. You do not have to have any acting experience to enjoy this class!

Music and Song Classes:

Community Singing -- John Mayberry
John will host an informal community singing session each day after lunch. Everyone is invited and encouraged to take part. Whether you want to share a favorite song, join in on choruses or just listen, this is the place to be! We will try to strike a pleasing balance between different sorts of songs: choruses, rounds, ballads, etc. Here's a great reason to brush up on those words you've always meant to learn for camp!

Slow Jam -- Elvie Miller
Come and jam with us! All levels and instruments are welcome. We'll play tunes that are easy enough to pick up by ear at a speed that everyone can enjoy. This is also a good opportunity for more experienced musicians to practice the instruments that you don't usually play.

Dance Band -- Jacqueline Schwab
Jacqueline will share her expertise and lead the group in exploring topics brought up by the class, with the goal of becoming better dance musicians. Participants should be able to play a melody or accompaniment on their instrument. An ability to read music is helpful but not required.

Leadership and Special Interest Classes:

Yoga for Dancers -- Anna Rain
Anna will teach elements of yoga, alignment and posture for dancers. Learn basic anatomy of joints and muscles and how to use that knowledge to your dancing advantage. Incorporate strategies to reduce injuries and how to care for them when they do happen. Stand taller! Dance more smoothly!

Dance Reconstruction Through the Ages -- Andrew Shaw / lydia ievins, Atossa Kramer
The English country dance was not a static form; it evolved, flourished and declined over a period of about 200 years. The problems, both musical and textual, of interpreting the mid-17th-century dances published by John Playford are different to those encountered in the early-18th-century dances published by John Walsh, which in turn are different to those of the late 18th-century/early 19th-century dances published by Thompson, Rutherford and a host of others. This class will look at dances from each of these periods in their original notation and at other contemporary material which might help us understand them. It will be a mix of talk (me), general discussion (you and me) and dancing (you).

Leadership: Governance and Planning -- Tom Siess
Local dance organizers and board members often struggle to understand the nature of their role and responsibilities, and they frequently become frustrated at the amount of time they spend at meetings dealing with what seem to be trivial details. This class will explore the basic principles that define what it means to be a board member. It will also outline a systematic approach to long range planning. The approach will be "hands on" -- we will attempt to develop a long-range plan for dance organizations with which the participants are involved.

Gathering -- with MC John Mayberry
An important aspect of camp is building and maintaining our ephemeral, temporary yet profound community over the week. One of the best ways is to gather together every day in this session that transcends mundane announcements through your contributions of songs, jokes, instrumental interludes, brief historical presentations, dance demonstrations, etc. Do you have a song, instrumental piece, recitation or performance to share with us? Let John know so he can put you on the schedule!