What’s New

The latest issue of the CDSS News is out now! Read an exciting update about Rise Up Singing; hear from the Village Green Dancers, who are celebrating their 50th year in Manitoba; get a glimpse into Dance Musicians’ Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School, and more.

Ken Willson introduces “Winter Grace,” a Jean Ritchie song with starkly beautiful winter images.

Episode 3 of the Flying Shoes Radio Hour features River Road, a trio from the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts. Listen and subscribe!

Ruairidh Greig introduces us to an ancient holiday tradition in the north of England. Teams of performers travel to houses and inns, using a horse’s skull as a puppet while they sing. “Poor Old Horse” is a song from this tradition, collected in Dore, Sheffield in 1970.

Exciting things are on the horizon for CDSS camps! Over the next two years, we’ll incorporate a number of changes and additions to our regular lineup of camp sessions. From shorter, more affordable options (including a new mini-session at Pinewoods) to a beautiful new-to-CDSS location in the Pacific Northwest, there’ll be more to experience and explore! Learn more here.

Starting in 2027, CDSS will take over the long-standing Lady of the Lake June Music and Dance Week in Harrison, ID. The Lady of the Lake board invited us to assume responsibility for June Week to ensure that the beautiful and successful camp they created continues far into the future.

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Lee Murdock introduces “We’re Going to Pump Out Lake Erie,” sourced from Captain Pearl Nye of Akron, Ohio. This tongue-in-cheek song encapsulates the endless toil of canal work.

Thanks to your generous giving to our recent appeals and to demonstrated value and need in our community, the CDSS Board recently approved a $10,000 increase in available grant funding for this year.

See our Community Grants page for more information and how to apply.

We are helping to connect donors with dance and music community members who have been directly affected by natural disasters. If you are one of those affected, please fill out this form to be included in the list.

Cate Clifford introduces “The Old Songs,” a poem by Bob Copper set to music by Peter Bellamy. Cate includes both Peter’s recording and her own version of the lyrics, slightly altered to include singers of all genders.

This second episode of the Flying Shoes Radio Hour features Wild Asparagus, an influential dance band based in Western Massachusetts, and named for a feral crop in the Connecticut River Valley. Listen and subscribe!

We’re excited to welcome the newest members of our governing board. Many thanks to the outgoing board members for their years of service! Learn more about the board and our bylaws.