the Dancing Bears
Contra Dancing in Anchorage, Alaska
Camp in your own tent or RV, or bunk in one of many available cabins. The camp property is large, so there is plenty of room spread out, stroll through the woods, and get away for quiet time when you want to.
Your Dance Camp registration fee includes meals, camping space or cabin, dance workshops, and evening dances.
An action packed three day weekend of Fun!
REQUIRED!
REQUIRED!
It is BEST to use the Button ONLINE REGISTRATION. It will take you through all of the necessary forms you need to Register for Dance Camp.
You may choose to pay by credit card or by physical check, which you will need to mail to the Registation Bears, Bob and Peg at the address shown below. A convenience fee is added to credit card payments.
If you do not use the Online Registration option, you will need to snail mail the forms to the Registration Bears. Address below.
The Registration Form and the Waiver Form must both be filled out and signed and returned to register for camp.
CAMP 2023 ACCEPTANCE PACKET
Dance Campers! We have made many changes since previous years, so please read all about them to help make your Camp experience the best it can be! Please check out all the NEWLY REVISED and UPDATED Camp info by clicking on each of the tabs below! We ask that you read the info thoroughly...even if you have been to Camp before. You can print any pages that you may need. Thank you for helping our Camp to run smoothly.
Acceptance Letter Basic information about Camp—what to bring and what to expect.
Parents’ Information What you need to know if you’re bringing kids to Camp.
Guardianship Paperwork -- THE FORMS AND INFO YOU NEED TO HAVE IF YOU ARE BRINGING MINOR CHILD TO CAMP WHO IS NOT (LEGALLY) YOURS.
Read more about the Dance Camp Auction 2023
Scroll to the Box Below:
Camp Rules -- Yes it does!!
Dance Camp is located at King's Lake Camp
3313 Lakeview Road, Wasilla AK 99654
Buttons to pdf file links
You Want to Go --
Here is what you Need to Do
BUT WAIT ! THERE'S MORE !
Really important stuff
***DO NOT SEND THIS FORM TO THE DANCING BEARS P.O. BOX! **
Send registration form with check to:
Dancing Bears Camp (Make check out to“The Dancing Bears”)
c/o Bob Hume and Peg Faithful
3101 Brookside Drive
Anchorage AK 99517-1867
The full schedule of everything to do at Dance Camp! What! Where! When!
Details of Camp Schedule and Playshops are here.
What are Playshops? They are like workshops, except they are Fun!
King’s Lake Camp. Wasilla AK. May 26-29
Callers
Wendy Graham Settle of Durango Colorado serves up delicious and nutritious dances for all. She hosts folk and social dances in her hometown and calls community dances, and dance camps in the U.S. and abroad.
Jacqui Grennan of Los Angeles choreographs many of the dances she calls, paying special attention to transitions, connectedness and timing. She is the dance organizer for the Fiddling Frog Dance Festival in Pasadena CA.
Bands
Free Raisins. An energetic dance band from Boston, San Francisco and Vermont, the Free Raisins fuse New England roots with a modern groove. They promise a versatile mix of extremely danceable tunes- come out and get your two scoops worth!
KGB. With fiddle, mandolin, guitar and piano, KGB creates subversive music, lulling the unwary with traditional New England contra tunes, then jumping off into Balkan modalities, tango riffs and bluesy jigs.
COVID Policy
The Dance Camp Covid policy is based on Center for Disease Control recommendations and Country Dance and Song Society Community Guidelines. We will assess the situation just prior to opening registration. If you register and become ill before camp, if someone in your household becomes ill, or if you are otherwise exposed to COVID, please stay home - we will refund your fee.
Dancing Bears COVID Guidelines 2023 (updated May 13, 2023)
Vaccination
All campers must have “up-to-date” vaccinations.
“Up-to-date” vaccination is considered both;
--Two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccine or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.
and
--At least one booster, preferably the bivalent booster, within one year.
--Please bring your vaccination card to Thursday dance or dance camp
You will be added to a list and your entry process will be streamlined.
Testing
While we recommend that all campers have a negative PCR test result no more than 72 hours prior to arrival at camp, all campers are required to have a negative rapid antigen test result within 72 hours prior to arrival at camp.
Campers may substitute a PCR or NAAT test for the pre-camp rapid antigen test.
Campers are required to bring a minimum of 3 rapid antigen tests per person. If this is a hardship, let us know. There will be a limited number of test kits available at Dance Camp.
Campers (who do not test ahead of time) will do a self-test with a rapid antigen test upon arrival at camp as directed by the Dance Camp staff. A space for this testing will be provided, with monitors to assist you. We are here to support you.
Masking
Anyone who chooses to mask will be supported.
Other Recommendations
The week prior to camp we recommend that campers wear masks in any indoor public settings to reduce the likelihood of spreading infection or missing camp.
Dance Camp Notices and Announcements:
PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH YOUR DANCING FRIENDS!
Please tell your dancing friends that we strongly encourage them to sign up for the listserv if they are not on it already. We will post all the latest info on Camp to the listserv and we would hate for them to miss some significant tidbits because they aren't getting listserv messages. Signing up is easy...just jump online and go to: thedancingbears.org where they will find a white box 3/4 down on the right-hand side of the Home Page to “Subscribe to Listserver”. Clicking on the box will get them to another box in which to type one’s email address.It is also easy to remove one’s name from the list after Camp should one not want to continue to receive Bears and dance-related emails.
DANCE CAMP NEEDS YOUR TALENT! JOIN OUR CADRE OF AMAZING WORKSHOP TEACHERS AND MUSICIANS!
Dancing Bears Dance Camp is Memorial Day weekend, May 26 - 29, 2023. We are looking for folks who want to teach us to dance, as well as musicians who will play for those classes. In past years, in addition to our "usual" dance and music classes, our classes have included yoga, massage, Irish dance, juggling, rounds, and shape note singing--all taught by talented locals. It's a great way to be a part of Camp and you even get paid a little!
We have kids coming to Camp every year so a kid or family workshop could be just the thing. If you have a workshop in mind that you would like to offer, please send me a short description and information on what your workshop would need in the way of music/supplies/space and we'll give it our consideration. If you know of folks who might be interested but aren't on this listserv please share this request with them. contact me via email at [email protected] or call 907-360-9448 (Anchorage).
We will have online registration available again this year. The link will go live on March15. The simplest way to register is to use the
link button labeled Online Registration.
If you choose to use a credit card, there will be an added convenience fee. You are welcome to send a check if you prefer not to incur that cost. Details will be online.
The Playshop Schedule is still being created and is not available at this time.
AGAIN THIS YEAR—DANCE CAMP DISCOUNT RATES FOR STUDENTS 19-25!
We are pleased to offer a discount for students 19-25 —Perky Student Bears (with an ID and registering before April 30)
will be able to attend Camp for only $240. Student Bears on Scholarships will pay half; if you want a scholarship please read the information below.
A REMINDER ABOUT DANCE CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
Cost for this year's Dance Camp will be $330 for Perky Bears and $165 for Perky Student Bears. If you are looking for a way to lighten the financial load for Camp, we have several scholarships available. Scholarships cover half the cost of your Camp fee and entail participating in 7-8hours of Camp work, generally helping in the kitchen, but there are also some for other activities such as helping with the Silent Auction and Camp cleanup.
Scholarships are awarded on a first come, first served basis. A scholarship does NOT guarantee that you will get into Camp...you need to register as usual. You must be CONFIRMED as a Scholarship Bear BEFORE registering as one. The details of the tasks and the registration process may be less confusing if we chat about them. If you are interested in a scholarship or have any questions please contact Barbara Rowland in Anchorage, or email [email protected] soon to get the scoop!
Dance Camp Auction 2023
As you are doing your spring cleaning, be sure to save the good stuff for the Dance Camp Auction.
We are looking for one-of-a-kind gems and treasures that will create a bidding frenzy and raise money for Dancing Bears!
Even if you are not going to camp this year, you can offer items for the auction.
Many of us are getting to a stage in life where we have enough stuff but may be needing a little help with things that are outside our skill set. In addition to the great gems you’re bringing to camp for the Auction, here are some ideas that you may be especially gifted to offer!
Specialized services
Legal
Electrician
Plumber
Massage
Computer lesson/assistance
Set up your new TV
Genealogy
Household help
Handyperson/odd jobs/minor home repair
Help cleaning garage/basement/shed
Deep clean refrigerator
Lawn mowing
Snow shoveling/snow blowing
Raking
Weeding
Planting
“Marie Condo” your closets or drawers
Wash/detail car
Tire changeover
Bike tune up
Lawnmower tune up/blade sharpening
Crafts How-to
Knit
Sew
Crochet
Scrapbook
Bead
Arrange flowers
Calligraphy
Braid hair
Outdoor adventure
Canoeing on local lake
Try out my fat tire bike
Birding
Fly a kite
Fishing lesson
Food
Fresh eggs once a month
Cookies/bread, baked goods/soup - one time only or once a month
Basket of fresh lettuce/berries/veggies from your garden
Made-to-order items
Knitted hats, mittens, felted slippers, etc.
Dance skirt
Wood handcrafted coat rack, etc.
Hand sewn gear
Baked goods
Other
Take a load to the dump
Water your garden while you’re out of town
Ride to/from airport
Pet Sitting
Dog walking
Feed your chickens
Hem your pants/skirt/etc.
Fresh flowers from your garden
If you have an item to offer, just bring it to camp with you. If you have a service to offer, there will be forms at camp registration. If you have questions about the auction, you may email me at:
