Family Week at Pinewoods

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

–Ellen Saltonstall

July 19-26, 2026 // Plymouth, MA

Bring your whole family tree to these woods

Program Description

Family Week at Pinewoods provides many opportunities to share community dance, music, and storytelling, as well as the beauty of the outdoors, with friends and family of all ages. This is a great way to spend time with your children, your grandchildren, your nieces and nephews, or other children dear to you.

Along with contra, English country, and community dancing, there are often classes in morris, sword dancing, and percussive dance, as well as many opportunities for singing, storytelling, jam sessions, and musical processions. There will also be crafts and many surprises. Family Week never fails to fill us with a level of inspiration that sustains us through the year.

Schedule

Sunday Arrival Schedule:

3:00 p.m.	The earliest you can start arriving at camp
4:30-6:00	Welcome party / lifeguard on duty for swimming
6:00	Tour of camp starting from the Camp House
6:30	Dinner
7:30	Orientation gathering
8:00	Bedtime for ages 9 and under
8:15-10:45	Opening night dance
9:15	Bedtime for ages 10-12
10:45 onward	Opening night party

Sunday Departure Schedule:

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

Draft Daily Schedule

7:45 a.m.	Breakfast
9:00-9:55	Class Period 1
10:00	Refreshments
10:10-11:05	Class Period 2
11:15-12:00	Gathering
12:30 p.m.	Lunch
1:40-2:30	Class Period 3
2:35-4:00	Swim time
2:35-3:15	Teen class
4:00-4:15	Snack time
4:15-4:45	Story time
4:50-5:30	Jamming and camper-led activities
6:00	Dinner
7:00-8:15	Community dance and evening gathering
8:00	Bedtime for ages 9 and younger
8:20-10:30	Evening dance
9:15	Bedtime for ages 10-12
10:45 onward	After-dance activities for ages 13 and up

Class Descriptions

Period 1

Ages 2-3: Songs, Stories, and Dancing!—TBD

Join in the fun of interactive storytelling, silly games, and music and dance activities!

Ages 4-5: Sing and Play!—Erica Morse

We will sing songs, play singing games, and learn finger plays. We will enjoy singing picture books and make simple crafts. Come ready to sing and play together!

Ages 6-7: Musical Frolics—Ann Percival

We will create a piece of community art, sing, dance, and frolic in all things musical.

Ages 8-9: Longsword—Erika Roderick with Natty Smith

How do wooden swords stick together to make a star? It’s your turn to learn! We will work as a team to learn a traditional English longsword dance and will get to perform it for our camp community! Make sure to wear shoes or sneakers that stay on securely.

Ages 10-12: Social Dancing Fun—Katy German with Owen Morrison and Aaron Marcus

We will learn aspects of community, contra, and English dancing, with a focus on giving weight and being playful. We’ll also sing songs and play games.

Ages 13 and up: English Country Dance for All—Margaret Bary with Jacob Chen and Anna Patton

Celebrate the day by joining hands with others to share the joy of English country dance. Inspired by glorious tunes, repertoire will range from 17th-century Playford to modern choreography. Margaret will offer clear instruction to orient beginners, along with style tips and challenges for more experienced dancers. All levels are welcome.

Ages 13 and up: Ritual Romp for All—Laurel Swift with Naomi Morse

We will explore three different worlds of ritual dancing: rapper, longsword and morris. In sword dances—both rapper and longsword—you are linked together in common motion, and in morris, you dance individually but are linked in and space and spirit. All ages and abilities will be accommodated.

Period 2

Ages 2-3: Merrymaking for Little Hands and Voices—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Ages 4-5: Singing, Dancing and Storytelling—Margaret Bary

Lively songs and dances with a sprinkle of silliness mixed in. We’ll have a barrel of fun, engaging our imagination with stories and creative explorations.

Ages 6-7: Singing, Dancing, and Games—Katy German

We will learn songs by ear, community dances, and music and social games. Come ready to play, move, and share!

Ages 8-9: Musical Adventures—Jacob Chen

Class description coming soon!

Ages 10-12: Morris—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Ages 13 and up: Clog—Laurel Swift with Eden MacAdam-Somer

Class description coming soon!

Ages 13 and up: Morning Cup of Dance—TBD with Naomi Morse and Owen Morrison

Start the day off right with fun and flowing contras and squares. Learn new figures and revisit favorites from the past. Level up your swing! Gender neutral. All welcome.

Period 3

All ages (under 9 with a parent): Community Art—Ann Percival

This is a class for everyone! We will gather and make art—chatting, laughing, and sometimes singing. Using a variety of media, we will have a relaxing, creative time together. No previous art experience necessary!

Ages 8 and up: All-Comers’ Chorus—Anna Patton

For anyone who is excited to raise their voice in song: an all-comer’s chorus! We will spend the week working up a short set of charming and accessible harmony singing arrangements in two, three, and four parts. All songs will be taught by ear with word sheets. The repertoire will be mostly American songs that fall under the “folk” umbrella. Some will be “insta-songs,” and a few will be more challenging pieces we will return to often through the week. No prior singing experience is needed.

Ages 10 and up (younger with permission): Family Band—Eden MacAdam-Somer

Musicians of all ages and abilities are invited to join this week’s family band, led by Eden MacAdam-Somer. We’ll work with familiar tunes, learn some new ones (maybe even write our own!), develop our sense of rhythm and groove, arrange some medleys for dances, explore harmony and improvisation, and more, depending on the needs and interest of participants.

All ages (under 9 with a parent): Nature Walks—Aaron Marcus

So many curious creatures, soils, and pond waters share Pinewoods Camp with us. Did you know that Pinewoods is part of a really special ecological region teeming with beautiful rare and endangered species you might not see elsewhere? What’s it like to be an aquatic fern living under the surface of Round Pond? Can plants “hear” (spoiler—they can!)? Have you ever observed carnivorous plants, as they digest tasty pond life? And what even is pond slime? How is our landscape changing, and how do our lands change us? What are your questions? We will find new topics and questions to explore every day, and hopefully leave with a renewed sense of wonder.

Late Afternoon

Ages 13-17: Teen Class—Ann Percival and TBD

Class description coming soon!

All Ages: Stories—TBD

Class description coming soon!

Ages 10 and up: Instrument / Singing Jam—Various Staff

Bring your instrument, bring your voice! A different theme every day for jamming in Ampleforth.

Camper-Led Activities

What do you want to share? What are you good at? Bring your skills and lead a one-time session. Some ideas: sign language, fairy garden tour, jam session, grandparent social hour at Pinecones, lawn games at the dining hall…

Dance Terminology

English country dance	TBD
Contra 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.