Posts tagged Week

family time is precious, and it is difficult to find something for the whole family can do together. For music fans young and old, travel to the camp music, often leaving loved ones behind. Would not it be nice to the contrary, the road to adventure

Country Dance and Song Society (CDS) offers family weeks in three different camps? – Pine forest near Plymouth, Massachusetts; Timber Ridge in West Virginia and in the mountains of New Hampshire Ogontz White – that offer vacation folk music for the whole family.
“Family Week tends to be people with a high interest in dance to attract or make music, or both,” says Mitzie Collins, 66, of Rochester, New York, attended Family Week for many years both as a coach and as a participant .

Thanks to Collins and other like-minded musicians that Family Week began. A mountain dulcimer and teachers, Collins organized camps for adults visited by CDSS, and she and other parents have music with words. “My God, we have a good time Would not it be found that do wonderful our children”
They approached CDSS administration, which initially concerned about how children could be integrated into a warehouse. But it was 1970 and change in the air. CDSS and some interested campers were born, with a structure and family week.
At the time, Collins did not share his love of music with his family. She had no idea how quickly Family Week would blossom into something truly extraordinary.

sweetness and beauty

“in a camp for adults, you’re a bit self-centered and family week this is not only you,” says Nawal Motawi, 43, a tile artist Ann Arbor, Michigan. “There is a softness and beauty to people.”

Motawi family attended week for about five years, starting when her son, Kitson Dong, had three years . “At Family Week, we spend much time together and I find that I enjoy his company in another way,” she said.

Kappy Laning, 51, is director at Camp Timber Ridge and attends Family Week with a combined family includes her husband, Sam Droege, 49, his son, Stuart Hean, 16, and two step-daughters, Anna, 14, and Wren, 15, her mother, Romey Pitman, 42, Pitman husband Brad Seay, 41;. and Pitman and her daughter four years Seay, Bizzy

Laning, a pediatric nurse in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, attended a camp in SSDC’s proposal of a friend. “My first camp was pregnant with my son and I were coming from,” she recalls. “My son has grown up in this environment. He is a passionate dancer and learn to play guitar.”

Romey Pitman went into camp for the first time Bizzy two. “It was amazing how much fun I had, “she says.

” I love dancing, music that goes with it, and this music playing, “said Bergmann.” CDSS camp is a way of sharing my love of these things about my children . “Pitman teenage daughters are both involved in the music. Wren plays the tuba and flute and clarinet and harmonica playing Anna.

Who tried CDSS Family Week tend to, year after year as their children grow and mature. Families are invited to all the instruments they play and everything is organized so each family member feel like they Part of the group.

families are eating together in a dining room, often accompanied by live music. Everyone is a daily task assigned and are invited to visit at least two sessions per day.

Freelance radio producer Marika Partridge, 52, of Takoma Park, Maryland, says that she has many other camps with her husband, portrait painter Larry Ravitz, 56, son of Chaney, 17, and daughters Sally, 14, and Irene, 13 part;.

she lost count, “My son is autistic high functioning special needs, and if we did our first camp, I do not know how he fit in,” says Partridge, “It was real. good for him, any time that something big for him it is generally high for the rest of us. “

Family Camp not only become a moment of relaxation for the whole family, he helped Chaney discovered his sense of rhythm.” Well, everyone in my family a dancer, “says Partridge.” My son plays I want to learn piano and drums. He has a pretty good idea of the scale and learning harmony and dance confirms. “In addition, playing piano Partridge, tin whistle and ukulele and her husband plays saxophone and flute.” My daughter Sally is really develop as a guitarist and plays the violin and accordion, and Irene is a piano player. “The family packs a number of tools for the week of the family.

For children and adults, family week, the chance to perform in a friendly environment. “Children have a chance to join the dance band,” says Mitzie Collins. “C” is often a real eye-opener, because people get to dance with their game and they have musicians served in the community. “

” It’s great to see how their children take their violin school and she went try warehouse and part of the band campers, “says Laning.” The next year they will return and even better on the instrument, or perhaps a different instrument. “

a sacred retreat

When the campers are encouraged to bring musical instruments, they are discouraged to bring electronic gadgets and video games. And there is no access to television and the Internet in the cabins. “CDSS Family Camp is a kind of sacred refuge,” says Collins.

“We are modeling a much healthier lifestyle,” says Partridge. And although music to hear live jam sessions and dances throughout the day, there are many other activities to families inhabited as swimming, canoeing, guided hikes, crafts, and even some built-in time. only read or relax

“Some of the best times I ever had were in stock,” says Nawal Motawi “The crowd is fun. to be out more than we do in our urban life and the exchange music with other people. “

learning for young and old

Family Week is an educational experience for the whole family and classes per day, divided by age groups are held both morning and afternoon.

“All children are required to classrooms and teachers are experienced and go high level,” says Laning. “In all my years in the camp, I’ve never had a child refuses to go. We always find a way for this to work, and each ends a great time.”

For infants classes begin at age two and focus on singing, movement, dance and crafts. From start to clog the age of eight and nine children to learn the rhythm of the body, ballroom dancing and sword

“It’s Brain Gym;. All dances and movements that they are out of this situation critical to the development of the brain, “says Partridge.” teachers supervise children and they know who needs extra help.

Ten to 12 years stuck together song, dance and fight, discover music worldwide. Classes adults in the age of 13, including disadvantages, butchers, and swing dance, long sword, a family group of 10 years and older, pantomimes, and harmony.

“It’s great for children and adults,” said Partridge whose husband has early onset Parkinson’s disease. “It is in good condition, but the dance is for him. It’s healthy for us all and use all our capabilities, “

” A lot of times we send our children to do wonderful things all the time they think. “If it is so wonderful, why not do the adults,” said Collins. “Seeing the children that it is large enough for adults to do too much. It also provides a wonderful model for the matter with their own families.”

The camp experience is especially important for young people, be treated like adults and learn social skills, skills in addition to musicals, worked more in their family life. Collins stresses that this is particularly useful that adolescence is often the time when we “lose” our children.

“The children are no discussion to the adults that much,” she said. “stock, they get an idea for other competent adults who are not critical of them and see them as independent persons . This is especially important for young people.

“My daughter told me that this is the only place where they feel they are just entirely,” said Romey Pitman. “You do not have to look cool and tough as they do in school, they take full adults in the community, they play music and dance with the adults, but also play with small children and looking after them .. All age groups are involved in such a healthy way. “

Total Immersion Music

Every night at 20 30 hours guitarist performs all children under 10 in their cabins for bedtime. Once they are safely hidden in the bed , parents are free to return to live music and dancing, while roving babysitters supervise children.

“This is a great vacation for a mother,” Partridge says. “live music, dance, healthy activities People are really nice, and the community is fantastic. “People

CDSS professional musicians and music teachers with families camping in every aspect of the camp, and to their own families along the camp.

” Music part of what we do in stock, “said Laning.” We enjoy live music at the camp are. We appreciate the musicians who perform well and we are inspired by them. “

” You can join the group or just sit and play, “says Partridge.” If a young player who wants to learn something new, the musicians are always take more time to do it. “

has fond memories of the pool of interference with the Family Camp David Cantieni teacher, a flutist in the band Wild Asparagus.” I play the ukulele and he tells me what could I do to help, “says Partridge.” He teaches me, melodies and scratching and I’m really come along, because this informal work.

“It could be a craft project going on, and people are close to jamming,” said Collins. “Then the children are listening while you do other things. It is so valuable. There are many ways to teach music. You can teach a class, but all peoples of the world to learn music than just about them. This is another organic way to go. “

” My favorite part is the multi-sensory nature of it, “she added.” You are in a pine forest, far away from the world and yet you are in music and dance immersed. I go to many different music festivals, but rarely am I so immersed. “

musical heritage

Most adults who bring their children to family camp view it as a way to pass the tradition of music and folk dance. “This world is a world-folk sound,” says Laning. “At camp, children learn that it is a wonderful community and they tend to remain either in or you stay with him, as they grow.”

“We do not have generation when the family started camp, but we are certainly thinking generations now,” said Collins. “There are a lot of gray hair in a cultural activity today. They tend to be many People in their 40s and 50s, which is wonderful for them, but not the next generation. “

And the idea seems to be in family generations week of work. “Any number of children who went to the camps at the beginning again of staffing, management and storage have to visit their own children,” said Collins. pass

Collins and her husband, their part of the tradition of folk music to the next generation, they are now bringing their grandchildren to camp every summer. “We came with some cast changes every year,” said Collins. “We, two or three generations.”

“What is really nice for us when our grandchildren are concerned, is that we are around them and learn a lot about them getting out of the ceremonies,” said she said. “But you are not with us the whole time.

” We have the best week stupid together, “says Partridge.” We can play music, dancing, singing, and we even have a parade. We arrived at the house with songs stuck in our heads … It is a pure joy! “

For more information, visit the Country Dance and Song Society and music www.cdss. Org so plan the camp makingmusicmag.com Music / calendar / camps to see. Html.

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