Dance Camp 2024
Friday, May 24th - Monday, May 27th
King’s Lake Camp in Wasilla, Alaska
We are celebrating our 40th year of creating magic at our annual dance camp over the Memorial Day weekend. We’re pulling out all the stops! This year’s line-up of talented guest artists will delight you! The long holiday weekend is coming fast, so register early and get your dancing shoes ready!
Join us at beautiful King’s Lake Camp in Wasilla, Alaska with guest callers George Marshall and Louise Siddons and guest musicians The Stringrays (Rodney Miller, Max Newman, Stuart Kenney and Mark “Pokey” Hellenberg) and Sail Away Ladies (Betsy Branch, Sue Songer and Linda Game). And as usual, our wonderful Alaskan musicians and dance instructors will fill the rest of your dance weekend. We are lining up great playshops and entertainment, with something for everyone!
Please review this year’s COVID-19 policy. Campers will provide proof of a negative test on arrival. Please bring a current rapid test for each camper. Vaccination and masks are encouraged but not required.
Table of Contents
Dance Camp Guest Artists
Caller: George Marshall
George is from Massachusetts, and was introduced to contra dancing in the early 1970’s. While attending college in Amherst, he founded a contra‑dance band, Swallowtail, with some fellow students and began calling and playing for dances. George is now a full‑time musician/caller/dance teacher, and tours nationally with Wild Asparagus and occasionally calls and plays with several other well-known bands. He plays concertina and bodhran. George’s specialty is teaching and calling the New England‑style contra dances he has collected throughout the country. He is renowned for his knack of matching music to dance and for his smooth, concise teaching and presentation. George also produces music and dance events, including a week-long February dance vacation in the St. Croix. He returns to Alaska for Dancing Bears’ 40th Dance Camp! We couldn’t be more excited!
Caller: Louise Siddons
Louise began her calling career in 2008 in Ann Arbor, MI. Educated in the US, Dr. Siddons is currently Professor of Visual Politics and Head of the Department of Art & Media Technology at the Winchester School of Art at the University of Southampton, UK. She calls and teaches traditional dances, including contra, square, ceilidh, and English country. Louise strives to create a dance experience and atmosphere that is welcoming, fun, and at an appropriate skill level for the dancers present, with a stage presence that is low-key and light-hearted. Since 2017, Louise has primarily been using positional calling, and prefers gender-free calling. We welcome Louise to Alaska!
Band: Stringrays
For our 40th Dance Camp, we’re delighted to host Stringrays, an inimitable foursome of musicians with a shared interest in exploring great fiddle tunes. Their playing is fueled by a love of the living tradition of New England fiddle music and its cousins. Expect dynamic, lyrical improvisation and fresh, dance-inspired interplay. We welcome each the members of Stringrays back to Alaska!
Fiddle: Rodney Miller
A long-time New Hampshire resident (now living in California), Rodney is well-known as both a traditionalist and innovator, with a playful style and soulful tone. He is widely considered to be one of the foremost exponents of New England style fiddling, although his exploratory style invites quite a few surprises. He has toured the world, performed and taught at hundreds of music and dance festivals, and recorded numerous albums, among them the acclaimed New England Chestnuts, Airplang, and Airdance album. He’s also a respected luthier, building violins like the one he’s holding here.
Guitar: Max Newman
Max hails from Fairbanks, Alaska, and now resides in Concord, Massachusetts. He’s spent a good portion of his life playing dances great and small across the continent. His guitar playing is refreshing, fun, and creative, and has allowed him to collaborate with a great variety of traditional musicians. In the Stringrays, he often alternates between hammering down rhythms and trading licks with Rodney. His attention to detail with pairing music and dance is almost as well known as his love for a fresh cup of coffee. His playing has been profiled in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. Welcome home, Max.
Bass: Stuart Kenney
Stuart is a go-to player for bass thump and a distinctive banjo thunk at any contra dance. His long career in several traditional music genres includes cutting his teeth with the legendary Cajun musician Dewey Balfa. He followed that with prodigious output with numerous groups and contra dance bands, including Airdance with Rodney, Undertoe with Karen Tweed, and Celtic groove band The Sevens. He also plays with Quebecois band Tidal Wave. His solo banjo album, The Red Case, has earned him numerous accolades. Stuart’s musical home is at the Guiding Star Grange in Greenfield, MA.
Percussion: Mark “Pokey” Hellenberg
The master of percussion. A phenomenon all unto himself. The beating heart of many a dance band. Mark is known for a singular presence that packs a wallop, but his playing has a sensitive side that we enjoy showcasing, too. For many years, Mark’s day gig was as music producer of the NPR station in Athens, Ohio. Whether playing jazz or accompanying traditional fiddle music, Mark is appreciated for his commitment to energy, fun, and quality. That’s to say nothing of his renown on the ukulele and banjo uke.
Band: Sail Away Ladies
When Betsy Branch and Linda Game sat down to jam together in California in 2023, they both felt like they had been playing together for years. Both of them approach fiddling with high energy and fearlessness. Both love to create beautiful harmonies and improvisations. They spent the week seeking out opportunities to play together. Now, add Sue Songer on piano, and you have Sail Away Ladies, a vibrant and brand-new trio that will make you want to dance all night. All three have been playing for dances for decades, and are excited to collaborate and bring the delights of twin fiddles to Alaska.
Fiddle: Betsy Branch
Betsy has been a mainstay of the Portland, OR dance community for many years. She’s an accomplished song leader and has taught singing and harmony workshops around the country. She was program director for CDSS Harmony of Song and Dance at Pinewoods for three years. Betsy plays for English, contra, Irish and Scottish dancing, and is a leader in the Portland Megaband. Her primary passion is teaching and mentoring fiddlers and dance musicians. Betsy teaches privately out of her house in SE Portland, and for workshops around the region. When not playing or teaching, she works as a music editor, arranger, and transcriber.
Piano: Sue Songer
Sue has been a contra dancer and dance musician for 30 years, playing piano and fiddle, and based out of her hometown of Portland, OR. She’s organized and directed the Portland Megaband since 1996, and works with smaller open bands in many different contexts and locations. She’s been an instructor at Dance Musicians’ Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School for 15 years, along with Betsy Branch for 10 years. With Clyde Curley, Sue complied the 3 volumes of The Portland Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, comprising of nearly 1,000 contra fiddle tunes, which are widely used in the US and UK. In 2019, the Country Dance & Song Society granted her its Lifetime Contribution Award, and her alma mater Whitman College chose her for its annual alumni Lifelong Achievement Award for her contributions to contra dance music. Sue currently plays with Joyride, The Stage Crew and The Portland Megaband.
Fiddle: Linda Game
Linda has been playing on the dance scene for 30 years. Her effervescent, high energy fiddle style impresses with its great rhythm and sensitive improvisation. Well known as one of England’s top contra fiddlers, she has also accompanied various styles including Appalachian, English clog, tap and modern dance. She plays for contra, English Country Dance and ceilidh with the Linda Game Band, Box of Frogs, and Token Women. A past member of folk-rock and world music bands including The Fold and Zoox, as well as the English Contra Dance Band, Linda has played events and festivals in Europe, Africa, and the United States.
Timing, location, and Logistics
Dance camp starts Friday evening, May 24, 2024 with check-in beginning 3:00 PM. A light dinner will be served for all campers 6:00 – 7:30 PM, and the Friday evening dance will begin at 8:00 PM. The farewell dance on Monday, May 27 will end at 3:30 PM.
King’s Lake Camp is located 3 miles from Wasilla, with a beautiful view of Pioneer Peak across the Lake. We dance on a wonderful rustic wooden floor.
Registration and fees
Getting into Camp: There are 140 adult openings at camp, so we encourage you to register early. We make no attempt to create a gender balance.
The cost of Dance Camp is $340 for “Perky” Dancing Bears whose registration is made online or postmarked by April 30. Admission includes all workshops, dances, nine meals (Friday dinner through Monday lunch) and lodging. Current Dancing Bears members receive a $10 discount. Registration is for the entire weekend only.
Acceptance: Please be patient for confirmation! Out-of-state guests will be processed in a timely manner to help with your planning. You will receive an acceptance letter and Camp information by email, unless you ask for it by USPS mail. Included will be important Camp information, directions to camp, check-in procedures, Camp rules, and maybe a draft Playshop Schedule. Please read it thoroughly before coming to camp! It will help you plan and pack for Camp!
Cancellation: Registrations are not transferrable. If you need to cancel, we will offer the spot to the first person on a waitlist. Your registration fee may be refunded, less a cancellation charge. The later you cancel, the larger the charge: $30 until April 30, $70 from May 1 to May 15, and after May 15, the entire fee will be forfeited. If however, your cancellation is due to illness or circumstances extraordinary, we will consider a possible refund.
Lodging, meals, and activities
Delicious meals: New to our camp this year is catering by Turkish Delight, a sister and brother team who will feed us wonderful authentic cuisine from their home country. (Anchorage folks, if you haven’t had their food, dine-in or take out! It’ll knock your socks off!) The chefs will plan the menu to accommodate basic dietary preferences. If you have very specific requirements (e.g., absolutely no dairy, no animal products, no wheat, no carbs, etc.), we suggest you bring food items to support your needs. (There is limited space in the dining hall kitchen’s refrigerator; please coordinate with the chefs). Vegetarian soup and PBJ fixings will be available in the dining room for campers arriving too late for the Friday dinner.
Accommodations: Campers can choose to sleep in rustic, shared cabins or in their personal tents or RVs. There is limited space in the cabins, which are outfitted with bunks and mattresses. Some have electricity and heating. Cabin space is available on a first-come, first-claim basis. Come prepared for possible cold nights. Sleeping bags and pillows are not provided. There are heated bathhouses with hot water. Bring your own towels and toiletries. For more packing suggestions, see our packing list.
A Lifeguard will be on duty at various times throughout the weekend. See info in the Acceptance Letter.
Absolutely no pets, unregistered guests or alcohol are allowed at King’s Lake Camp, not even in the parking lot!
Scholarships
Scholarships: Bears on a tight budget who are willing to give time and effort may apply for a scholarship. In exchange for approximately seven hours of work (in the kitchen, washing dishes, etc.), you may attend Camp for half the registration fee ($165). Important guidelines: You must first communicate with Barbara Rowland of your wish to receive a scholarship. Call or text 907-223-2327 or email at barbara@alaskabike.com. Verbal or email confirmation is required before you register as a “Scholarship Bear.” Scholarship acceptance does not guarantee you will get into Camp. Register immediately - scholarships are awarded on a first-come first-served basis.
Kids and families
If you are planning to be a guardian for a friend’s child at camp, please complete and notarize the following document. Please bring the form to camp.
Guidelines for families
Some families bring full-time caregivers for young children. Non-dancing caregivers may attend Camp for a reduced cost. Childcare is not provided. Caregivers are responsible for supervising children at all times.
Each evening will start with two all-ages dances; after that, callers will move on to dances designed for experienced dancers. Front packs or “snugglies” that are soft are welcome on the dance floor.
Lake activities are at the discretion of the parents; children may not venture near or in the water unless a caregiver is physically present. Please bring a personal flotation device for any child that will be playing on the dock or on or in the lake.
Toys and clothing should have name tags, and toys should be removed from commons spaces after use.
Unregistered guests are not allowed at camp.
Camp rules! Yes it does!
And here are some we need to follow...
The Salvation Army requires that the Dance Camp Community abides by the following rules:
Keep King’s Lake Camp facilities and buildings alcohol-free and drug-free, including a tobacco-free and smoke-free environment - no smoking in the cabins.
Pets are not allowed in camp, not even in your car or RV.
The speed limit is 5 mph on the Camp Road.
Do not drive beyond the gates. No parking is allowed at the cabins. Cars are to be parked in the designated parking area only.
Fire lanes cannot be blocked at any time.
The use of firearms, BB guns, slingshots, bows & arrows (anything that shoots projectiles) and fireworks is prohibited. Don’t bring them.
Don’t harass the wildlife.
All cabin users will sweep and clean their cabins prior to leaving.
Any water activity, such as swimming or boating, is done at the individual’s own risk. Personal flotation devices are required for everyone who plays on/in the lake.
Dance Camp 2024 COVID-19 Policy
Looking out for each other comes first
(We would like to acknowledge and thank you for your participation last year - No reported cases!)
For ALL pre-camp and camp events: (23 May, Thursday evening dance, and Camp 24-27 May);
Proof of a negative, rapid/over the counter covid test will be required to enter the Thursday evening dance. (If negative test Thurs.; no need to retest for the camp.) Please provide your own tests & bring extra tests to camp in case symptoms develop. (Proof could be a photo of the negative test.)
We encourage all participants to be vaccinated for Covid, but will not require documentation. Dancing is a close contact, some-what aerobic activity. The 2023-2024 updated vaccine reduces the risk of infection and severe symptoms. Staying up to date helps to safeguard members of our community who are immunocompromised and/or at high risk for complications of COVID-19.
Masking will be optional, and is encouraged at the Thursday night dance in Anchorage to safeguard our campers and visiting talent. Please bring a mask in case you develop symptoms.
We encourage hand washing before, during and after dancing. Surprise us with your 30 second songs!
If you attend any of the events and subsequently test positive for COVID within a 5-day period, please email akdancingbears@gmail.com so we can inform other participants in a timely and helpful way.
Attendees or staff members who test positive for Covid-19 are not permitted to attend the event. Obviously, anyone who is symptomatic will wisely choose not to attend any DB event. If you test positive for Covid-19 just PRIOR to Dance Camp 2024, please immediately contact Barbara Rowland (907-223-2327) for a potential refund.
If you have recently tested positive, but are asymptomatic and currently testing negative, you may attend camp.
In addition:
We recommend that folks tighten their exposure circle in the days before camp.
We encourage you to wear a mask while at airports and while on the plane.
If you leave camp, please be considerate of your community and practice precautions.
You will be asked to acknowledge you have read and accept these guidelines when you register.
We reserve the right to change this policy based on evolving CDC guidelines.
Here's the government website to check if your COVID test kit expiration date has been extended: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list
Dance Camp Auction
As you are doing your spring cleaning this year be sure to save the good stuff for the Dance Camp Auction! We are looking for unique, unusual, divine, one-of-a-kind items 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, Music lessons
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 one time only or 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
Decadent Desserts
You can also contribute to the Dancing Bears by donating and/or buying Decadent Desserts during the weekend. An assortment of donated treats (baked goods, mixed nuts, dried fruits, etc.) will be available each evening in the dance hall. You can record "purchased" treats on a tally sheet that will be counted at the end of camp.
Even if you're not able to join us for camp, you can still send Decadent Dessert donations with other campers. Pre-portioned items are appreciated. Don't feel constrained by the label "Decadent Desserts" -- hungry dancers love sweet and salty treats!
Packing list!
Please see the attached list for suggestions for packing.
Acknowledgements
"Positional Calling; Building capacity for a more inclusive Contra Dance community" was made possible, in part, with funding by Rasmuson Foundation through the Harper Arts Touring Fund, and is administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts.
