Schedule

DAILY SCHEDULE

Staff

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Emily Troll

Emily Troll plays fiddle and accordion and currently hails from South Portland, ME. An avid lover of French-Canadian and Old-time traditions, she's spent many years at Pinewoods and Maine Fiddle camp honing her skills as informally as possible. You'll often see Emily playing with her all-girl band, Anadama. When she's not playing, she's probably dancing. When she's not dancing, she's probably teaching fifth graders to do long division.
www.anadama.bandcamp.com

STAFF

Annie Fain Barralon

Annie Fain Barralon is a native of the crafts and music/dance community of Brasstown, NC. She teaches a variety of classes including book arts, clawhammer banjo, Appalachian clogging, and waltz clogging. Annie Fain plays banjo and banjo uke for the all-woman string band, Blue Eyed Girl, and has danced with both Loafers Glory Clog Morris and the Green Grass Cloggers. She continues to sell her handmade books, greeting cards, and original watercolors regionally and is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

Géraud Barralon

Géraud Barralon comes from Ardèche in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. Now married to a Brasstown native, he makes his home outside of Murphy, NC. With a background in Django Reinhardt style, rhythmic swing guitar, Géraud has performed for many swing dances in Lyon with a group, Djoukil. He sings original and traditional French song accompanying himself on guitar, fiddle or octave mandolin publishing his first album in 2012 called "Comment faire du feu....avec ce qu'il reste" (How to make a fire with what is left), and his second album in 2019 called "La trace du Poète" (The Poet's Trail). As part of the French Appalachian old-time band, Ida Red Trio, Géraud has played the bass for many contra and square dance both locally and abroad and is now the director for the Cherokee County Junior Appalachian Music program.

Sam Bartlett

Sam Bartlett is a traditional musician known throughout the US for his mandolin, banjo, and guitar playing as well as his original music. His compositions have been profiled on NPR’s All Things Considered and his playing has been featured on the Thistle & Shamrock, and in two Ken Burns documentaries, Prohibition and The Dust Bowl. Sam has recorded with a virtual who’s who of traditional musicians, among them: Garry Harrison, Paul Brown, Eden MacAdam-Somer, Rafe Stefanini, Pete Sutherland, Dirk Powell, Rodney Miller, David Greely, and Rick Good. Sam is also a master entertainer, and author of The Best of Stuntology (Workman, 2008) which is sold internationally and translated into Finnish and German. As an artist, Sam has for the past 20 years played a role in the resurgent interest in the 19th-century entertainment form, the moving panorama, or “crankie show.”
www.sambartlett.com

Mary Cay Brass

Mary Cay Brass

Julia Friend

Julia Friend is a singer of pub songs, sea shanties, and ballads. She loves the power and vulnerability of the human voice. An occasional performer at small folk festivals, Julia is happiest swapping songs and blending harmonies in dark corners in the wee hours of the night. She co-authored CDSS's folk singing starter kit, helped launch Youth Traditional Song Weekend, and generally cheers for singing in all its genres. She lives in New Haven, CT where she hums incessantly and organizes semi-regular singing parties with friends.

* Lisa Greenleaf

Lisa Greenleaf has been treating dancers across the country to her high spirited, witty calling for many years, and is known for precise walk-throughs of zesty and flowing dances. Whether she is presenting cool contras, hot squares, or focused callers' workshops, Lisa engages the crowd with her humor and community spirit.

Scott Higgs

Scott Higgs has been calling and composing English and contra dances for over 25 years -- delighting novices and experts alike. From Seattle to Antwerp, dancers praise Scott's engaging programs, dynamic presentation, and emphasis on fun. His business card says it all: Playful, spirited, elegant, zesty, joyful contra, English, morris, and couple dancing.
www.scotthiggs.com

Cis Hinkle

Cis Hinkle has delighted contra and square dancers since 1985 with her skilled teaching, welcoming manner, playful enthusiasm and masterful selection of dances. She is in great demand at music and dance festivals all over the U.S., England and Denmark, and is currently coordinator for Dance Week at the Augusta Heritage Workshops in Elkins, WV. When not on the road, Cis teaches tai chi classes in her native Atlanta, GA.

Clayton Jennings

Clayton Jennings

Katie Martucci

Photo by Liz ManeyHailing from the rich musical history of the Catskill Mountains in New York State, Katie Martucci grew up singing, and playing fiddle and guitar. The daughter of a jazz pianist, she began performing with her father at a young age. By the first grade, she was writing her own songs and playing for tips. Her musical journeys led her to the Ashokan Western and Swing Week, vocal lessons with Laurel Masse of Manhattan Transfer, a brief stint of collegiate acappella at Skidmore College and ultimately, to the New England Conservatory. Since graduating NEC, Katie has toured the country with her trio The Ladles, founded the Tucci Swing Orchestra (a 9 piece jazz band playing Boswell Sister inspired arrangements of classic swing rep) and begun recording and performing under her own name. Visit www.katiemartucci.com for more details on upcoming projects.

Jeremiah McLane

Jeremiah McLane is a composer, accordionist, pianist and teacher with a diverse musical background including blues, jazz, Celtic, Québécois, French and other roots influenced music. He has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, with The Clayfoot Strutters, Nightingale, and Le Bon Vent and other bands. He currently performs with Kalos, Triton and with his wife Annemieke in the Cassotto Duo. He holds a master’s degree in contemporary improvisation from the New England Conservatory in Boston and in 2005 he started the Floating Bridge Music School, devoted to teaching traditional music from the British Isles, Quebec and Northern Europe, and North America, all genres that have influenced the music of his native New England. Since 1990 Jeremiah has released over thirty recordings. He has served on the faculty of the State University of New York in Plattsburgh, and currently teaches the Summit School for Traditional Music in Montpelier, VT and at the Upper valley Music Center in Lebanon, NH. He also teaches regularly at summer music programs throughout the U.S.
https://www.jeremiahmclane.com/

Julie Metcalf

Julie Metcalf, fiddler and violist, can often be spotted at contra and English dances in the Boston area, either on stage playing fiddle or on the dance floor. Coming from a family of musicians, she was encouraged to make music from an early age; Julie picked up the violin for the first time when she was 4 years old and has been playing ever since. Julie holds a degree in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music, where she studied traditional and contemporary styles music. She has played Celtic chamber music with the Folk Arts Quartet and Mexican music with Boston's Mariachi Palenque. Julie currently performs with the Agnostic Fiddle Insurgency and The Gig Hunters. Julie is also an accomplished jawharp player. She plays jawharps from around the world, as well as other unusual instruments including the marxolin and mouth bow, in concert with Larry Unger.

Max Newman

Guitar and mandolin player Max Newman has made a living as a practitioner of traditional music for the past decade and half. Dance music is his central focus, as well as the community that stems from it. In addition to making music, Max co-organizes several events, including Youth Dance Weekend, a camp dedicated to developing leadership among the next generation of contra and English participants. He also worked for CDSS as the Youth Projects Intern, leading workshops and developing materials for dance organizers, callers, and musicians.
www.maxnewman.com

Anna Patton

Anna Patton grew up in a musical family in northern Vermont and was immersed from a young age in an eclectic mix of jazz, classical, traditional and world music. These days she gets to incorporate many of those influences into playing clarinet for different kinds of dancing, including English, Contra, Swing, and Blues. For the last decade, Anna's innovative dance band Elixir has toured extensively around the U.S. and abroad. She also plays clarinet with other groups like the Julian Gerstin Sextet and the Dunham Shoe Factory. When not on the road, Anna spends her time teaching, arranging, and composing vocal music for the Jazz choir she directs and other choirs around Vermont. Anna also teaches workshops on playing for dancing, aural skills, and improvisation. She received her Masters from New England Conservatory in 2014, focusing on early jazz, free improvisation, and composition in the conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation program. She lives in Brattleboro VT with her husband, Ethan Hazzard-Watkins.
http://www.annapatton.com/

Ben Sachs-Hamilton

Ben Sachs-Hamilton started contra dancing at 12 and started teaching dances at 15. Since then he has called and organized for dances across the northeast. He fosters a welcoming and inclusive space for diverse groups of new and experienced dancers, adding tips on style and safety into his teaching. He currently lives in New York City, where he is an organizer for Village Contra as well as the local shape-note singing group.

Beverly Smith

Beverly Smith is one of the most respected players in old time music today, in demand as a singer, song writer, fiddler and dance caller, as well as a banjo, mandolin and guitar player. Besides her highly praised recordings of early country duets with Carl Jones, Alice Gerrard and John Grimm, her guitar playing has been featured on recordings of fiddlers Bruce Molsky, Rafe Stefanini, Tara Nevins and Matt Brown, and her singing with Mick Moloney, John Doyle, Laurie Lewis and others. She is known as a thorough, humorous, kind and patient teacher and has taught guitar, fiddle, singing and dance at Ashokan Southern Week, Augusta Heritage, Swannanoa Gathering, Blue Ridge Old-Time Music Week, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes and Summer Acoustic Music Week as well as Sore Fingers UK; Haapavesi, Finland; Nimble Fingers, British Columbia; and La Fuente del Musica in Spain. She co-directs the Roots of American Music Week in Mars Hill, N.C and is happy to call Marshall, NC home.
https://beverlydalesmith.com/home#about

Cedar Stanistreet

Photo by David FrantzCedar Stanistreet grew up playing both classical violin and traditional fiddle music, and studied violin performance at the Crane School of Music. For the past ten years he has played for contra dances across North America with bands including Nor’easter, Cardinal Direction, Maivish, and Cloud Ten. His spirited, rhythmic playing and clear tone keep dancers on their feet. In between gigs, Cedar can be found at home in Brattleboro, VT, growing vegetables, baking bread, and birdwatching. He also repairs violins, violas, and cellos.

* PROGRAM ADVISORS, plus

Steve Howe

Life at Camp

ABOUT PINEWOODS CAMP

CDSS has been at Pinewoods Camp since 1933. Located on 25 acres of woodlands near Plymouth, Massachusetts, it provides the setting for educational vacations filled with music and dance. Spacious, wooden outdoor dance pavilions are nestled among the towering pines. Cozy two-person cabins offer accommodations between two beautiful lakes, which are ideal for swimming, kayaking, canoeing and relaxing. The main pebbly beach has a long dock, with deep-water swimming to the anchored raft offshore. Scattered along the shores of the two lakes are other, more private, entries to the water. Gatherings, parties and concerts are held in the lakeside Camphouse, next to the main beach. The open-air, lakeside Dining Hall offers delicious meals and a congenial atmosphere for meeting new friends. With their large stone fireplaces, both the Dining Hall and the Camphouse provide a warm place to gather in cooler weather.

Plan your packing so that you can carry luggage to your cabin over narrow, sometimes uphill paths. There are carts available in the parking areas to help with loading or unloading.

Pinewoods is about a one hour drive from Boston, MA, and about five hours from New York, NY. It is accessible by train, bus and van service.

GETTING TO CDSS PROGRAMS AT PINEWOODS BY PUBLIC TRANSIT

It is easier than ever to get to CDSS programs at Pinewoods Camp from Boston's Logan Airport or South Station! Book a flight that arrives by 1p.m. (or train that arrives by 1:40) and reserve a seat (available after January 1) on the 2:00 van to camp – this is the earliest we will be ready to receive you. The van runs from Logan Airport and South Station right to camp, where the greeters will help you unload at the place most convenient to your cabin. You can also reserve a seat for your 9:45 departure on the last day of camp, suitable for flights, or trains, noon and later. Please reserve your van seats at least 10 days before you arrive. We cannot guarantee space for late reservations. Van seats are $30 in each direction.

ARRIVAL TIME

The program begins with swimming and an informal tour of camp on the afternoon of the first day; followed by an orientation meeting and dance after dinner.

Arrival time is after 3:00pm on the starting Saturday. Departure is by 10:00am the final Saturday.

PACKING SUGGESTIONS

You will need to bring a flashlight to find your way around at night. A battery powered or wind up alarm clock and insect repellent may be useful. If you are on a special diet, you may need to bring your own particular food. An ice chest for drinks and snacks to share at after-dance parties may be handy; there is some refrigeration available. A specific packing list is sent with acceptance information.

Don't forget to pack your swimsuit, raincoat, sweater, towels, bed linen, and blankets or a sleeping bag. An extra blanket could be needed.

STORES

The nearest stores are a 15-30 minute drive away.

HOUSING

All participants are assigned on-site housing in the month before camp starts. Space is limited; we can't guarantee that all specific requests will be filled. Requests may be made on the Registration Form or with information sent later.

A cluster of cabins on the Hill
(photo by Bruce Holmes)Most housing is in double-occupancy cabins with bathrooms close by. There are some buildings with several single rooms, as well as a few houses with a variety of bedrooms and bathrooms. Double cabins tend to be quieter than singles or houses.

General housing categories at Pinewoods are:

• Quiet or party areas
• Double or single occupancy
• Double cabin
• Building with bathroom
• Specific area or building

For Family and Campers' Weeks, housing will be assigned based on the age of the youngest family member; most children over six are assigned a roommate in a cabin near their parents.

JOBS

In the cooperative spirit of camp life, all campers have a daily job to help camp run smoothly.

Jobs are usually a half hour or less per day, every day, and the same job all week. Jobs are assigned in the month before camp starts; you have the opportunity make specific requests about your job assignment either on the Registration Form or later with your Registration Status Form.

We can't guarantee that all specific job requests will be filled, but please let us know if you have a preference or limitation (e.g., dust allergy, unable to lift heavy objects, can't stay up late, can't get up for breakfast).

At family sessions parents are generally assigned a job with their young children.

General job categories are:

• Dining room: breakfast, lunch or dinner (set/clear tables)
• Kitchen (serve food, clear, wash dishes, make coffee/tea)
• Sweeping (pavilions, community areas)
• Party help (late night party setup/cleanup)
• Clerical (office, bookstore, auction)
• Greeters (must be able to arrive by 2:00pm)
• Gopher (campstore, auction, lifting)

PHONE & COMPUTERS

Though your plate will be full with activities while at camp, for those of you who must keep in contact with work or home, there are options. There is first class mail and UPS service. We do ask that laptops and cell phones be kept out of the awareness of other campers. Even if you can't, others want to enjoy this time away from the reminders of work-a-day living.

There is a touch-tone phone for camper use; you will need a calling card to make long distance calls. Cell coverage is ok.

Fees

The fee for the week is TBA

DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

Online payments can be made with Mastercard or VISA. We can only take the amount you approve, so balance payments need to be initiated by you.

Mailed-in registrations can be paid by Mastercard, VISA or by check, made payable to CDSS, in U.S. Funds. Mail to CDSS, 116 Pleasant St Suite 345, Easthampton, MA 01027

A deposit of $150/person/week, if not paying full amount, is needed with registration.

Full cost depends on the Week and, at family programs, the ages of children.

Full payment for sessions starting before August 1: due May 20

Full payment for sessions starting on or after August 1: due June 20

There is a fee of $25 on any late payment.

Deposits/payments are processed upon receipt. In the case of cancellation from the wait list or from a session, a refund will be issued as per our cancellation policy.

SCHOLARSHIPS

We offer work scholarships to any camper in need, and named scholarships to practicing teachers, leaders and musicians. Please read about our scholarship programs before applying. Scholarship applications will be considered at the time of registration and should therefore accompany the Registration Form.

Donation in support of Scholarships are needed and gratefully accepted. If you are able to help another person benefit from our programs, you can do so by making a contribution along with your registration or at our online store. In addition, at each week of our summer camps, we hold auctions which raise money for future scholarships.