Dance, Music & Spice at Cavell

“Imagine a summer camp with the best calling, music, and dancing this side of the planet, where every person you meet will be a new lifelong friend.”

–John Bolduan

June 13-20, 2026 // Lexington, MI

Variety is the Spice of Camp

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Program Description

Welcome to Dance, Music & Spice at Camp Cavell

Immerse yourself in a week of inspiration and connection at Camp Cavell on the beautiful shores of Lake Huron! Dance, Music & Spice is an intentional gathering for anyone who loves dancing, music, singing, art, nature, and the occasional party. Whether you come to refine your skills, discover something new, or simply be in nature surrounded by folks who share these interests, this week offers something truly special for everyone.

Dancing and Music with Extraordinary Staff

Our staff brings the magic to life throughout the week. Gaye Fifer and Dan Blim will delight dancers with the perfect mix of contra and English dances in both daytime and evening programming. Audrey Jaber, Ben Schreiber, Amy Englesberg, Sam Bartlett and Eric Schedler (Supertrad), Brad Battey, Sarah-Hadley Yakir and Kristen Planeaux (of River Road), Steven Bluestein, Anna Alter, and John Bolduan will play everything from raucous reels to the most sublime English dance tunes.

Beyond dancing, you’ll have plenty of chances to make music alongside the staff during afternoon Happy Hour jams. We’re also thrilled to welcome Nic Gareiss for percussive dance classes, the unforgettable Jamie Bunce returning to lead a singing class, and Dana and Bryce Carlberg back to get us moving with their rapper dance class.

More Than Dance and Music

Looking for a break from dancing and music? There’s plenty more to enjoy. We’re thrilled to welcome Em Moore, who will offer arts and crafts sessions you can attend during scheduled periods or explore on your own. You can relax beneath shady trees overlooking the lake, take a refreshing swim (don’t forget your swim shoes!), stroll along the shoreline, or hunt for the perfect fossil to take home.

Each day will also feature a variety of camper-led sessions. What would you like to add to camp?

Community Contra Lab

Last, and definitely not least, by popular request, we are excited to introduce three new intensives focused on building essential contra dance community skills. Gaye Fifer will lead a Contra Dance Callers Intensive, Sarah-Hadley Yakir and Kristen Planeaux (of River Road) will lead a Contra Dance Musicians Intensive, and Steven Bluestein will lead our Sound Operators Intensive.

Join us for a week of music, movement, creativity, and connection at Camp Cavell: We can’t wait to welcome you.

–Audrey Jaber and Ben Schreiber, Program Directors

Dancers on the dock at sunset. Photo by Linda Lieberman.

Campers gathered around a bonfire on the beach. Photo by Pat McGrath.

Schedule

Arrival & Departure

Saturday Arrival Schedule:

4:00 p.m.	The earliest you can start arriving at camp
4:30-5:30	Welcome party / lifeguard on duty for swimming
5:30	Tour of camp
6:00-7:30	Dinner and Orientation gathering
8:15	Opening night dance and party

Saturday Departure Schedule:

8:00-10:00 a.m.	Brunch
8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Pack up, clean your cabin, bid farewell
12:00 p.m.	Final departure

Draft Daily Schedule

7:45-8:30	Breakfast
8:30-8:55	Daily stretch
9:00-10:00	Class Period 1
10:15-11:15	Class Period 2
11:25-12:00	Gathering
12:30-1:30	Lunch
2:00-3:00	Class Period 3
3:15-4:15	Class Period 4
4:00-6:00	Swimming
4:30-5:30	Camper-led activities
5:30-6:30	Happy hour / music jam
6:30-7:15	Dinner
8:00-10:30	Evening dance
10:31 onward	After-dance activities

Class Descriptions

Period 1

Morning ECD for All—Dan Blim with Amy Englesberg and Ben Schreiber

English country dancing is not just about the individual moves but how they fit together. Being in the right place at the right time can unlock magic moments in dance and provide the best interactions with your partner and set. We’ll explore a variety of dances that offer such rewards, offering advice on how to phrase your movements, and give you time to practice as the dance continues.

Step Dance Repertoire—Nic Gareiss with Anna Alter

Come start your day right with a repertoire class featuring a different step dance from Ireland, England, Quebec, Cape Breton, and Scotland each day. Please note, this will be geared towards more experienced step dancers.

Camp Choir—Jamie Bunce

Join Jamie for a daily dose of harmony singing, where voices blend and music comes to life! Each day, we’ll dive into the art of harmonization, exploring different styles, techniques, and the magic that happens when voices come together. The perfect way to wake up!

Period 2

Morning Contras for All—Gaye Fifer with John Bolduan, Sam Bartlett, and Eric Schedler

Join us for fun, accessible dances exploring the range of figures and formations in both older and newer contras. Lovely music will motivate and inspire us!

Appalachian Flatfooting—Nic Gareiss

Learn the art of accompanying Southern fiddle music with your feet! We’ll start with the basic rhythm foundation steps and learn accent steps as we go, with an emphasis on dancing with good musicianship. Flatfooting is an excellent way to improve your rhythm as a dancer and/or musician. You’ll be learning to let your entire body “hear” the music. It’s also an excellent workout, as you’ll be so entrenched in the music, you won’t even realize you’re working up a sweat! This class is suitable for all levels; we’ll start with basics and build up. We will also discuss some of the history and origins of this type of dance and the associated music.

Stitch & Chat: Create Bunting at Camp—Em Moore

Slow down and make something beautiful. This hands-on craft session invites you to create homemade bunting (festive fabric decorations) using simple sewing and assembly techniques. It’s an easygoing, drop-in-friendly class focused on creativity, conversation, and the simple joy of making something together.

Contra Dance Musicians Intensive—Kristen Planeaux and Sarah-Hadley Yakir

Participation by pre-registration only.

Period 3

Afternoon ECD for All—Dan Blim with Eric Schedler, Audrey Jaber, and Brad Battey

English dancing is full of innovative choreography, from new devisers and some unusual figures in older dances. This class will highlight dances with interesting figures and formations for unique dance experiences, and we’ll talk a little bit about what’s in fashion now.

Rapper—Bryce and Dana Carlberg with Anna Alter and Ben Schreiber

Rapper sword dancing is an English tradition dating back to the late 1800s, when steel became flexible. Five to seven dancers are linked together, and the dance is created by dancing the swords in interwoven patterns to jig stepping. (They are only called swords due to their length but are not swords in the way you may be thinking.) Smooth soled shoes are recommended. Note: Daily attendance after the second day of class is requested in order to maintain sets. All levels welcome; groups will be split based on experience.

Community Contra Lab Intensives

Participation by pre-registration only:

Contra Dance Callers Intensive with Gaye Fifer
Contra Dance Musicians Intensive with Kristen Planeaux and Sarah-Hadley Yakir
Sound Operators Intensive with Steven Bluestein

Period 4

Percussive Dance for Contra—Nic Gareiss with Sam Bartlett

Every wonder what to do at the top of the line or when there’s an awkward amount of space between a dance move? Come explore a variety of step dance moves that you can incorporate while contra dancing.

Song Circle—Amy Englesberg

Enjoy the beautiful scenery while sharing songs! We’ll introduce easy-to-learn songs for you to take home with you. All songs will be taught by ear, and we’ll play with lots of different ways to participate in singing: verse/chorus songs for instant singalongs, rounds, and more! Come share your own favorite songs as well!

Contra Dance Callers Intensive—Gaye Fifer

Participation by pre-registration only.

Sound Operators Intensive—Steven Bluestein

Participation by pre-registration only.

Dance Terminology

CDSS camps use a variety of calling terms, including gendered and non-gendered role terms, as well as positional language, at the discretion of each week’s Program Director. Read more about CDSS and dance calling language here.

English country dances	TBD
Contras and squares	TBD

Registration and Fees

Camp fees cover all accommodation, meals from dinner on the arrival day to breakfast on the departure day, and all of the various dance, music, and song events in the program.

This year, all of our weeks have sliding scale pricing for adults to help make camp financially accessible to more people. The fee you choose will not affect your chance of getting into camp.

How it works:

The standard camper fee covers program staff pay and travel costs, facility fees, and all of the other costs associated with running this camp week.
The higher price options allow you to add an additional amount to your registration fee to help make camp more accessible to more people. Thanks for supporting this community!
If the standard camper fee doesn’t work for you, no worries! Feel free to choose one of the lower price options.
If the lower price tiers still leave camp out of reach for you, we encourage you to apply for a scholarship and/or work exchange. See our Scholarships page for more details