Back to Archive. This document has the 1998 information.

English Country Dance and Austrian Longsword with Beverly Francis

Contras, Squares and Danish Country Dancing with Bob Dalsemer

Morris and Rapper Sword with Carl Dreher

English Country Dance and Contras with Mike Richardson

Singing with Doug Olsen

Music by The Guppies (Craig Johnson, Jim Oakden, Kathrine Gardner), Jon Berger, Ruth Anne Fraley, Chris Jong, Mike Richardson, Dick Bagwell and Anise Feldman.

This document last modified: Tuesday, 16-Jun-2015 00:18:31 PDT

Particulars

We're holding the line on prices: Admission $151, $156 for the more modern Cary Lodge (home of late night noise). Offsite admission is $125.

Work-trade arrangements provide a $50 discount for doing some chores to make the camp run more smoothly.

Children welcome -- get in touch with us for prices -- but no special programming provision is made for them. A parents' cooperative will be organized so that everybody gets time to dance.

Click here for a map showing location of the camp, or here for a very complete description of the Monte Toyon site.

Arrive any time after 4:00 pm Friday, October 16. You're on your own for dinner Friday; there are many excellent restaurants in Santa Cruz and some adequate places in Aptos. The welcome dance party begins at 8:00 pm. Food and dorm-style lodging are provided, along with all kinds of country dance and singing fun, until the farewell dance party ends at 4:30 pm Sunday. Camp staff often play or call at the third Sunday Santa Cruz contradance afterward; some campers enjoy visiting that large, friendly dance.

Click here for our registration form, which you can print and mail in, or email in if you send us a check in snail mail.

Questions? Want copies of the flyer for your local dances or ritual teams? Mail our managers, Alan Winston or Vanessa Schnatmeier or phone us at 650/365-2913.

You may have heard BEVERLY FRANCIS interviewed on NPR about country dancing and Jane Austen, or read about her in the New York Times, but you might not know her as a dedicated ritual dancer too.

Beverly has been country dancing since 1974 and began teaching about 20 years ago. She regularly calls English country dances and contras for Country Dance * New York, and has been Mistress of ceremonies at several NYC Playford Balls. Beverly has taught at dances and weekend workshops up and down the east coast (including "True Brit") and in Canada and been a dance leader at CDSS Pinewoods programs (staff at Campers Week 1996).

She was a member of Ring o' Bells Morris team in New York City for fifteen years; one of their team ditties went "Beverly Francis she knows lots of dances." She was a founding member of New World Sword in New York City, performing English and continental European sword dances, and will share an Austrian Longsword dance with us at Fall Weekend.

BOB DALSEMER was born and raised in Baltimore, where he co-founded the Baltimore Folk Music Society and helped start the dance program for the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. In the early 1980's he became a regular dance instructor at the Folk School and moved to Brasstown in 1991 to become Coordinator of Music and Dance Programs. He also served as president of The Country Dance and Song Society from 1990-1996.

Bob is not only a dance leader of national stature, he has been a favorite at local camps, where his warm personality and clear instruction have helped square and contra dancers, cloggers, and aspiring callers at the May Swing and Hey and the Mendocino Country Dance Week. He'll share his zesty squares and contras, and maybe some surprises, with us at Fall Weekend this year. See Bob's Home Page for more information about him.

CARL DREHER, from Dallas Texas, is founder and musician for Winfrey Bells Morris team and foreman of Green Belt Rapper. He served for six years on the board of the Country Dance and Song Society, and is a founder and past president of the North Texas Traditional Dance Society. He also taught English Country and Scottish dancing in Washington D.C. before returning to Texas. His CDSS series, entitled "American Rapper", examined rapper as a performance art, and is the basis for his teaching. He has taught at Pinewoods, Buffalo Gap, and Brasstown dance camps, and many weekend festivals. This is his first West Coast appearance as a teacher.

Carl will teach sizzling rapper sword and Cotswold Morris to all comers at Fall Weekend.

MIKE RICHARDSON, from Seattle, Washington, teaches and composes English Country and Contra Dance, and plays a sprightly fiddle. His composition, "The Road to Dendron", was featured at the Portland English Ball last year, and he's published a book of contra dances, "Crossing the Cascades." Mike's folksy, playful style and intriguing dance selection won him raves at his 1992 Fall Weekend appearance, and we look forward to his English and Contra sessions at Fall Weekend this year. See Mike's Home Page for a fuller bio.

DOUG OLSEN,who was well received at last year's Fall Weekend, and on staff for Mendocino English Week this year, will again lead singing, including a special Sacred Harp session on Sunday morning. Doug's extensive musical background includes many years performing and recording with Oak, Ash, and Thorn, and his sense of humor and good fellowship bring a lot to camp.

Follow this link to read more about the leaders, musicians, and program at the 1998 Fall Weekend.

This document last modified: Tuesday, 16-Jun-2015 00:18:31 PDT Accesses: (none)