“It’s a soul-nourishing reminder of the power of music and dance to connect people and bring joy.”

–Ellen Saltonstall
Online events July 18 – July 25!

Join us online for a week of great activities! In addition to CDSS-sponsored workshops and classes, we’re excited to be partnering with Carpe Diem Arts, Amherst Early Music, and Muddy Fork Farm & Bakery to bring you a series of virtual camp events.

Musicians and dancers in the hall at Ogontz

Program Description

The heart of the week is the noontime gathering at the Daily Antidote of Song, which will feature many of our amazing and talented camp staff members. The week also features classes for kids, opportunities to sing, dance, and play music, and a great scavenger hunt you can work on all week. This will be a fun event for all ages! Please join us with your whole family! 

Staff and campers jamming together
Schedule

All times in Eastern Daylight Time

Sunday, July 18
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
Monday, July 19
10:00-10:30 Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
2:00-2:30 Virtual Choir Workshop – Peter Amidon
4:00-4:30 Beginning Sean-nós Irish Dance – Rebecca McGowan
Tuesday, July 20
10:00-10:30 Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
2:00-3:00 Transatlantic Tunes:  Two Takes on Trad – Kate Barnes and Denis Liddy
4:00-4:30 Beginning Sean-nós Irish Dance – Rebecca McGowan
7:30-8:30 Campers’ Night! – Hannah Naiman and friends
Wednesday, July 21
10:00-10:30 Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
1:00-2:30 History of English Country Dance in America, from Colonial Times to the Present – Gene Murrow, assisted by Brad Foster 
6:30-7:30 Community Family Sing
Thursday, July 22
10:00-10:30 Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
4:00-4:30 Beginning Sean-nós Irish Dance – Rebecca McGowan
7:00-8:00 Family Dance – Margaret Bary and Friends
7:00-8:30 Baroque Dance: The Folies d’Espagne and Canaries – Dorothy Olsson and Julie Iwasa
Friday, July 23
10:00-10:30 Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
3:00-4:30 Medieval Chant: À la Mode – Pamela Dellal
4:00-4:30 Beginning Sean-nós Irish Dance – Rebecca McGowan
Saturday, July 24
12:00-12:30 Daily Antidote of Song
Sunday, July 25
10:30-11:00 German-Style Soft Pretzels at Home, Part 1 – Eric Schedler
2:30-4:30 German-Style Soft Pretzels at Home, Part 2 – Eric Schedler
Class Descriptions

Daily Antidote of Song

Presented by Carpe Diem Arts

Join us each day at 12 noon for the inspiration, connection, and joy of singing together!  Our growing community includes song leaders and participants from across the country and around the world — this summer will be 500 consecutive days of singing together. Sing along with CDSS camp favorites like Peter & Mary Alice Amidon, Kathy Bullock, Alex Cumming, Katy German, Kinobe, Elvie Miller, Denis Liddy & Family, Naomi Morse, Hannah Shira Naiman, Eric Schedler & more.

Click here to join.

Songs and Movement for Ages 0-6 – Hannah Naiman

This active and engaging program will kick off the day for kids and their grownups! Join Hannah every morning for a half hour of songs, dances, and fingerplays for kids 0-6 years old. Hannah will be playing a variety of instruments, and kids at home can join in with their own: every class will incorporate home-made percussion instruments with easy to find materials.

Materials: wooden sticks or spoons, jars full of beans or rice.

Virtual Choir – Peter Amidon

Peter Amidon will collaborate with up to 30 singers to create a four-part (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) virtual choir performance that will be posted on the CDSS YouTube channel. In this short Zoom workshop, Peter will lead a discussion on the process, play samples of some of the 100+ virtual choir pieces he created with his church choir over the last sixteen months, and solicit suggestions on which piece the group should sing.  

Check out one of Peter’s virtual choir pieces: “Oh, Had I a Golden Thread” by Pete Seeger, arr. Peter Amidon

Beginning Sean-nós Irish Dance – Rebecca McGowan

Sean-nós (“old style”) Irish dance is improvised, rhythmic, and expressive step dancing, closely tied to traditional music. The footwork is low to the ground. We’ll start with a warmup and then learn and play with basic steps—the focus is on making great rhythm. All backgrounds welcome; no experience needed. Wear a pair of flat hard-soled shoes.

Transatlantic Tunes: Two Takes on Trad – Kate Barnes and Denis Liddy

This workshop will compare and contrast tunes from both sides of the Atlantic with the genius of Kate Barnes and traditional Irish fiddler Denis Liddy.

Campers’ Night – Hannah Naiman and friends

Come gather in the virtual Camphouse for stories, songs, jokes, and games!

History of English Country Dance in America, from Colonial Times to the Present – Gene Murrow, assisted by Brad Foster

Presented by Amherst Early Music

Gene Murrow will present a lecture illustrated with slides documenting the history and growth of English country dance in North America from Colonial times to the present. This lecture will draw on the work of Kate Van Winkle Keller among many others.

Community Family Sing

Presented by Carpe Diem Arts

Join Carpe Diem Arts and Washington Revels for the chance to sing with an extraordinary group of song leaders featuring songs and rounds from the American tradition in celebration of Independence Day (including shape-note, Appalachian folk, blues, and bluegrass), plus International Songs from the LPC-Ecole Songbook… and National Ice Cream Month!

Family Dance – Margaret Bary and friends

A community dance for all ages.  Everyone is encouraged to participate!  Longways sets, circles, squares and even easy contras come to life and ensure a future generation of enthusiastic dancers will continue these multi-generational traditions.

Baroque Dance: The Folies d’Espagne and Canaries – Dorothy Olsson and Julie Iwasa

Presented by Amherst Early Music

We will explore dance phrases from two popular Baroque forms, the Folies d’Espagne and Canaries, including notations by Louis-Guillaume Pécour, and Raoul-Auger Feuillet, with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Marin Marais. A handout will include the dance notations used in the class. Open to: all levels of dancers.

Medieval Chant: À la Mode with Pamela Dellal, voice

Presented by Amherst Early Music

In this class we’ll walk through the basics of Medieval chant, focusing on the special sound and technique of modal singing. We’ll learn the eight Medieval modes and how the resonance and tuning of each creates a universe of color and emotion. No prior experience required; monophonic chant, including Gregorian melodies and music by Hildegard von Bingen, will be studied with an emphasis on how the mode informs the pacing and character of each piece. Geared to all singers.

German-Style Soft Pretzels at Home – Eric Schedler

Presented by Muddy Fork Farm & Bakery

An authentic German Soft Pretzel has a soft and fat belly in the middle, crisp thin arms, a deep reddish-brown shine, and that intensely savory pretzel flavor that only comes from a dip in a real lye solution.

This hands-on workshop will be fun for the entire family! We will ship you the ingredients ahead of the class. Follow along from home step-by-step with owner, baker and experienced teacher Eric Schedler. Visit with Eric and your other Pinewoods friends throughout the day of the class, as we make a dozen soft pretzels. There will be ample time for discussion and asking questions.  We will have one active period of thirty minutes in the morning to mix dough, and a two-hour period in the afternoon to roll, shape, dip, score and bake the pretzels.