Family Week at Agassiz Village

“You will have so much fun and gain a bigger family by the end of the week.”

–Kristen Planeaux

August 8-14, 2026 // Poland, ME

The week children take their families to

Program Description

Agassiz Family Camp brings to mind the aphorism It ain’t good because it’s old, it’s old because it’s good. It’s an embodiment of an intergenerational living tradition. Whether you’re one of the families with three generations coming to camp, or a first-timer exploring and creating your own family traditions, we want you to be a part of this magical experience of dancing, singing, and playing in the woods of Maine.

Kids and adults take separate classes in the morning, focusing on age-appropriate skill development and bonding with peers. Afternoons are all-comers sessions, where we build community and intergenerational connection. And all-camp gatherings are a chance for campers and staff to perform music, tell jokes and stories, and highlight what they’ve learned and built during camp.

In addition to music, ECD, morris, singing, contra, bal folk, longsword, waltz, stories, mummers’ play, and crafts, you’ll also have a chance to swim, hike, nap, jam, socialize, and after-party. We dance together as a community, then sing sequential waves of children off to bed, giving adults a chance to dance while monitors keep track of the dreamers.

Come recharge, reconnect, relax, and renew as we gather together to share joy and reinvigorate traditions and invent new ones. As Shaw says, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

–Sophia and Luke Donforth, Program Directors

A camper jumping in the air in front of the Agassiz Village sign

Schedule

Arrival & Departure

Saturday Arrival Schedule:

3:00 p.m.	The earliest you can start arriving at camp
4:30-5:30	Welcome party
5:30	Tour of camp
5:50	Dinner
7:10	Community dance
7:30	Orientation gathering
8:00	Bedtime for 9 and under
8:15-10:30	Opening night dance
9:15	Bedtime for 10-12
10:45	Opening night party
12:30 a.m.	Bedtime for teens

Friday Departure Schedule:

7:45-8:15 a.m.	Breakfast
10:00 a.m.	Final departure

Draft Daily Schedule

7:45 a.m.	Breakfast
9:00-10:00	Class Period 1
10:15-11:15	Class Period 2
11:20-11:50	Gathering
12:15 p.m.	Lunch
1:30-2:30	Class Period 3
2:45-3:45	Class Period 4 / swimming
4:00-5:00	Class Period 5 / swimming
5:10-5:30	Stories and shenanigans
6:00	Dinner
7:00	Community dance
7:30	Evening gathering
8:00	Bedtime for 9 and under
8:15-10:30	Evening dance
9:15	Bedtime for 10-12
10:45 onward	After-dance activities
12:30 a.m.	Bedtime for teens

Class Descriptions

Period 1

English Country Dance—Gaye Fifer, with Karen Axelrod and Naomi Morse

Join us for a wonderful mix of old & new favorites from the repertoire, danced to incredible music. We will explore tempos, timing, formations, figures, and connection in an accessible and welcoming environment.

Embodied Harmony Singing—Lexi Ugelow

In this workshop we will explore basic elements of music theory through embodied play and activities using the through-line of American Appalachian-style harmony singing. Participants will learn about rhythmic and melodic content, and will leave with a stronger foundation for further understanding and engagement with the musical language. We will integrate these concepts using our bodies as the instruments, through voice, body percussion and movement. All levels of musical background are welcome.

10-12’s Morris Dancing—Sam Overbeck

In this class, we’ll try our hand at both the Cotswold and Northwest morris styles, and may write a dance or two of our own. Get ready to jump, clash sticks, and wave hankies!

8-9’s Singing? Crankies?—Helen Kuhar

In this class we will be exploring various folk traditions through song as well as through the art of the Crankie! We’ll be joining together to collaborate on a big final crankie that we will get to share with our community at camp.

6-7’s Class TBD—Desiree Halcomb

Class description coming soon!

4-5’s Song and Dance—Alex Deis-Lauby

Singing games, finger plays, and story songs! Come prepared to sing and dance and explore movement! Nature themed!

2-3’s Art—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Period 2

Contra—Alex Deis-Lauby, with Mo Brachfeld and Helen Kuhar

Contra for all! We’ll dance contras that wake up our brains and our bodies: a lot that flow, a few that challenge our brains, and some that make our bodies think. Expect to mostly dance and learn a few tidbits along the way.

Shape Note and Shaker Singing!—Lexi Ugelow

Come learn a repertoire pulling from these two American traditions rich in singing! We’ll have a short lesson in reading shapes, so although we will be using scores, sight reading is not required, and all musical levels are welcome.

10-12’s Social Dance—Gaye Fifer, with Fiona Stowell and Amy Englesberg

Enjoy dancing contra, English and waltz, playing with connection, and stretching our abilities to dance in new ways with each other.

8-9’s Longsword—Sam Overbeck

In this class, we’ll be learning a traditional Longsword dance from England. Along the way, we’ll play games, think about the different ways to step to music, and learn about why these dances have been done for centuries!

6-7’s Crafts!—TBD

Class description coming soon!

4-5’s TBD—Desiree Halcomb

Class description coming soon!

Ages 2-3: Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!—Cecily Mills

This class will focus on making music with our voices and moving our bodies. Expect call-and-response-style participation, songs with stories in them, and a chance to get your wiggles out. And perhaps an animal noise or two.

Period 3

Community Band for ages 8+ (younger, if passionate, with an adult)—Cecily Mills

We’ll learn some new tunes and have some fun with some familiar ones! This class will be taught by ear and include plenty of repetition at leisurely mid-afternoon tempos. We’ll pull from the contra, English, morris dance, and couple dance genres. Melody and backup musicians at all skill levels are encouraged to participate, as long as they can tune their instruments themselves or get help from an attending family member.

Waltz and Couple Dancing—Luke Donforth, with Sarah Hadley-Yakir and Amy Englesberg

More than just the last dance before a break, waltz is a beautiful couple dance with a wealth of opportunities from elegance to silliness. We’ll work on moves, connection, flourishes, musicality, and more. We’ll also bring in other couple dances (polka, schottische, swing, etc.) as driven by participant interest.

Period 4

Storytelling workshop—Renee Brachfeld

Class description coming soon!

Rapper Dance—Sam Overbeck

Ages 8 and up; under 10’s please bring an adult

Join us as we dive into Rapper Sword Dancing, the thrilling tradition with flexible swords and quick stepping. All experience levels welcome, we’ll learn a traditional dance from Northeast England, as well as newer figures and techniques. Throughout the week, we’ll assemble these figures into a dance (or dances) full of spins, jumps, and twists. Hard-soled shoes are best.

All-Comers Sing—Lexi Ugelow

Facilitated by Lexi, this group will be run similar to a sing-along and is a chance to learn a repertoire of songs by ear. There will also be an opportunity for campers to share songs with one another. We know that among us all, there is quite a beautiful breadth of song knowledge. Whether it is a round or song with a simple chorus, come share your favorites!

Period 5

Art for All—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Mummer’s Play—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Teen Class—Mo Brachfeld

Class description coming soon!

Dance Terminology

Contras and squares	TBD
English country dance	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.