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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 26 - August 2, 2008 Program Directors: Staff: * Advisor |
Program Description: [Back to Top]
Look up our Family Programs for some general information; here is more detail about this particular program and staff.
Welcome to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Individuals, couples and families with children are all welcome to attend and enjoy a full program of daytime classes and evening dances. We once again treat campers to a program of contras and squares, English country, English ritual, step-dance and community dancing, harmony singing, stories, instrumental music and crafts and the unique dramatic form of mumming. Daily classes for each age group allow the children to make friends while engaging in age-appropriate activities led by our skilled staff. Classes for those 13 and up allow a variety of choices in music, dance, singing and crafts. Campers are also encouraged to use some of the unscheduled time for camper-led sessions in music, dance, crafts, etc.
Evening dances include a range of contras, English and squares to excellent callers and hot musicians, while roving babysitters keep watch over sleeping children. One evening's dance will be camper-led, so bring your instruments or plan to call your favorite dance.
Community gatherings each morning and evening bring us all together to learn from one another while sharing in music and dance from staff and campers alike. On Friday a parade leads us all in a show and tell tour of camp that allows us to acknowledge the joy and excitement of all that has happened during the week.
Swimming at the family-friendly beach, listening to harmonies carried by the wind or enjoying a quiet moment in the green Adirondack chairs overlooking the lake and distant mountains will make Ogontz an unforgettable experience.
-- John Mayberry and Laurie Cumming, Program Directors
Karen Axelrod plays piano for English, American and Scottish dance and has been on staff at numerous dance events around the country for many years. She is highly regarded for her creative and rich piano accompaniment. She also plays accordion for the renowned longsword team, Orion Longsword and piano with the bands Foxfire and Woodlark. A professional dog walker -- with a PhD in dog walking from a highly respected internet correspondence school, Karen occasionally appears with the comedy improvisation troupe, the Villa Jidiots.
Laurie Cumming, a founding member and former teacher of Toronto Women's Sword and an accomplished step-dancer, has taught dance at numerous camps, schools and festivals. During the school year, she delights in teaching 5th and 6th grade students as much dance and drama as she can squeeze into the regular classroom studies. Laurie will teach a longsword class at Ogontz this summer, and we hope she'll show us a little of that Canadian step-dancing too!
Andy Davis is a master dance musician (accordion, piano, banjo) and dance teacher, and a fine storyteller and singer. An elementary school music teacher, Andy co-founded New England Dancing Masters whose books and CDs are a staple of the American elementary school music classroom. He will play for the 8-9s' sword dance, and play for dances in class and in the evenings. Andy will also lead the community dance after dinner.
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 host a session on Storymaking in the early afternoon.
Merle Davis has brought her teaching, theatre arts and crafts talents to Ocracoke Island's school and to family dance camps for years. This week she will share her warmth and talents with the 5-7 year-olds in the morning and the 2-4 year-olds in the late afternoon class time, and also lead a special early afternoon time for children 6 years old and under with their parent(s).
Jessica Gagne-Hall fiddles for contra dances across New England with various talented musicians, and she sometimes sneaks the cello into dance sets. She regularly teaches fiddle at Maine Fiddle Camp, at Sandy Island Suzuki Camp and in private homes. Dancing her first contra dance to the band Swallowtail (around 1991) in New Hampshire, Jessica later moved to Maine, where she dove into the local fiddle scenes. She recently completed her Master's in Elementary Education now makes her home in Brattleboro, VT.
Anne Goodwin has recorded two CDs with the a cappella quartet Taproot and has sung with the Balkan ensemble Laduvane, the Festival of Light and Song and many other groups in the Boston area. She has worked in children's theatre as an actress, costume designer and director and has taught art and drama for children in various community settings, at Family Weeks at Pinewoods and Ogontz camps and at Christmas Country Dance School in Berea, KY.
Robin Hayden has been dancing since arriving at Swarthmore College nearly 30 years ago. She lives and dances in South Amherst, MA, and began leading English dances there in 1993. Under her guidance, the weekly dance has become the center of a flourishing community of dancers and musicians. Known for her clear teaching and ability to analyze and articulate what makes good dancing, she has participated in weekends, workshops and festivals across the U.S. and in Canada and the U.K.
Jonathan Jensen is, unfortunately, unable to join us this year.
Dave Langford is an experienced and versatile fiddler, guitarist and fiddle teacher from the Boston area. A veteran of over 20 years of playing for all manner of dance events, Dave combines multiple styles of fiddling with fierce energy and drive. Dave is featured on recordings of the "mega-fiddle-band" Childsplay and currently plays in several musical configurations including The Latter Day Lizards with Bill Tomczak and Peter Barnes.
John Mayberry 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, performance, writing, teaching, directing and almost everything else. He is the Fool of the Toronto Morris Men, a traditional singer, an experienced street theater and mumming performer and a professor of theatre production in the Department of Theatre, York University, Toronto. In 2006 John danced as the fool with the Toronto Morris Men in the Carnival Parade in Santiago de Cuba. He will be guiding the creation of the mummers play this week.
Erika Roderick, has been working with children since she was one herself! She was a camp counselor at summer camps in the Boston and Portland, ME area teaching songs, games, theater and dance and has worked with the children's chorus in The Christmas Revels for years. She attends Pinewoods Camp every year for a variety of sessions and performs English Longsword, Rapper Sword, Morris Dancing and Balkan dance with different dance troupes. Her background in this community leads her to inspire the children she works with to embrace folk music and traditions. She is currently an elementary school teacher in the Boston area, and is very excited and grateful to become part of the wonderful Ogontz experience.
Kari Smith has been teaching and dancing or playing music for English and Anglo-American display dance traditions since 1985. She currently also teaches educators to use music and dance in the classroom and to connect classroom curriculum to local communities and arts resources.
Natty Smith, has been a member of Boston's folk music community since he was a young lad, going to Pinewoods and Ogontz with his family each summer and singing, dancing and performing during the year. An accomplished fiddle player, he has thrived playing and dancing for the Boston youth rapper sword dance team Candyrapper and with Great Meadows Morris. He has been a musician for First Weekend at Pinewoods Camp, and has performed with The Christmas Revels in Cambridge for eight years. Now a member of Pinewoods Morris Men, Natty continues to make music and stays involved in the community, even though he now spends much of his year at Middlebury College as a Geography major. He can't wait to return to Ogontz as both a teacher and musician.
Paul Eric Smith, has been calling, dancing and playing for social and display dance for more than 20 years. He is currently a musician for Guiding Star Clog Morris and The New Dancing Marleys. Of late, Paul Eric has been attempting to raise the profile of modern English ceilidh (e-ceilidh) dancing in the U.S.
Bettie Zakon-Anderson has taught many couple dance styles at camps and weekends throughout the U.S. with her husband Steve. She spent many years working as a professional weaver and member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and various artist cooperatives and galleries. She and Steve will teach some hot Swing Dancing. In the early afternoon Bettie will share her passions for all kinds of crafts as you try your hand at various techniques from around the world for making treasures.
Steve Zakon-Anderson 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. His repertoire of dances ranges from some of the latest, greatest choreographies to great old dances that we should never forget. He will lead daytime and evening contra dancing, and he and Bettie will teach you some great Swing 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 11:00 - 11:45 |
Swimming, Bookstore staffed and/or Late Morning Classes |
| 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 | Stories 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 - 4
Erika will make sure that our youngest campers have a wonderful start to their mornings, with some stories, music, and adventures. Merle will take over in the afternoon class.
Ages 5 - 7
Stories, songs, movement, rhythms and projects! Merle, in the mornings, and Erika, in the afternoons, will settle in with these lucky campers and tailor-make their time together.
Ages 8 and 9
In the morning, Laurie will teach an English longsword dance that is a little bit tricky, but really fun, especially with Jessica playing fiddle! The afternoons bring the energy of Jessica!
Ages 10 to 12
Kari’s exciting Northwest Morris class, with Paul Eric playing, in the morning is a perfect match for this energetic group. Wear sneakers so you can jump it up! In the afternoons, Laurie and Anne bring Drama Games to the group for more fun!
Ages 13 and up Morning classes (9:00 - 9:55)
Swing Dance -- Bettie and Steve Zakon-Anderson
Learn to lead and follow great swing dancing moves.
English Dance -- Robin Hayden / Karen Axlerod, Dave Langford
How to choose! Beautiful dances, beautifully taught, to beautiful music so you’ll be ready to sparkle in the evening dances.
Ages 13 and up Afternoon classes (2:35 - 3:30)
Contra Dance -- Steve Zakon-Anderson / Andy Davis, Dave Langford
What could be better than brushing up on your contra dancing, or learning some for the first time to your very own live band, unless it’s...
Longsword -- Kari Smith / Paul Eric Smith
Kari will teach an English longsword dance from her large repertoire of intricately figured dances.
Late Morning Classes (11:00 - 11:45)
Teen Alert (13-19) -- Erika Roderick, Natty Smith
Erika and Natty will moderate and guide this time for the teens to make their statement!
Obsession Session -- You?
A time for anyone to offer to share their favorite passion, pastime, or particular skill. This can be a single session, or several.
Swimming and Bookstore staffed (11:00 – 12:15)
Enjoy the beauty of Ogontz Lake and peruse the recorded talents for sale at the CDSS bookstore (also open 12:45-1:15).
The Early Afternoon Classes (1:30 - 2:25)
Napping and resting (99 and under)
A great time to relax and recharge! Also, family walks exploring camp are great!
Quiet Time with Merle (6 and under, with parent) -- Merle Davis
Merle reads from her books and leads a gentle quiet time for parents and younger kids.
Storymaking (8 and up) -- Donald Davis
Donald is a great story teller, but his mission is to help you tell your stories. Here is a chance to work with a master as you develop your story making and telling skills.
Crafty Crafts (8 and up) -- Bettie Zakon-Anderson
Some of this, some of that. There are projects that you can work on all week and ones that you can do in a day. Come join the fun.
Family Band (10 and up) -- Dave Langford
We will work on tunes and arrangements, on playing for each other and, when the time is right, for the whole camp.
Marley Clog Dance (13 and up) -- Kari Smith / Andy Davis
English style clog dances taught to Kari by the late Anna Mae Marley of Rockville, CT, who learned from her father, a clog dancer in the 1890s. Wear clogs, hard-soled shoes or tap shoes.
The Late Afternoon Classes (3:40 - 4:40)
Mummers’ Play (8 and up) -- John Mayberry
Come be a part of creating this year's original, devised play in the mumming tradition, guided by the seasoned eye of our master of mummery. No acting experience needed, but an appreciation of the bizarre is useful.
Finding Harmony (13 and up) -- Anne Goodwin
Whether you're a seasoned harmony singer or newly curious about what it feels like to sing in parts with other people, Anne will help you explore the endlessly fascinating world of vocal blending. Wear any shoes you like. In fact, wear anything you like.
Reading a Good Book (all ages) --
What a concept! You have time to do this!
Swimming
A great way to cool off after a busy day!
At the Green Chairs -- Donald Davis (4:55 - 5:30)
The whole camp gathers together at the Green Chairs to listen while Donald weaves glorious tales before dinner.
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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