Our Village Activities: The Program

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Daytime Classes

A smorgasbord of styles, with something for everyone. Each year we bring in professional teachers to lead classes that provide a wide variety of opportunities and experiences. Whether you have years of experience or two left feet, you'll find a place in each class and an opportunity to shine. Year after year, campers name one or more teachers as the high point of their camping experience. We collect camper feedback on every class to maintain a high level of quality and satisfaction.

Classes are scheduled to meet your needs and energy level. We offer inner-directed dance and movement classes such as Authentic Movement, Soul Motion, Contact Improvisation, and Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms™, as well as high energy, more structured classes such as African, Bellydance, and Hip-hop, and traditional partner dance forms such as Salsa, Swing, and Tango.

Evening Boogies

Dance as if no one is watching. Our nighttime boogies are where you can do your own dance, by yourself or with others, as your spirit moves you. Imagine a cross between aerobics, yoga, group therapy, and a Grateful Dead concert, and you'll get a rough picture what our freestyle evening dances are like. Mostly, it's improvisational dance to a wide variety of deejayed music based on simple ideas and values:

• The freedom to dance as you feel, on your own, with a partner, or with a group.
• The body is a gateway to the soul and spirit.
• Dancing mindfully means bringing your full being into the dance in each moment.
• Diversity and variety are good.
• Be responsible and respectful. No judgments.
• Be open, playful, and ready to be surprised.
• Dance is a great path for personal, social and community growth.

Music to move you. Music to challenge you. Expect the unexpected. Anything from funk, world, house, rock, electronica, and acid jazz, to downtempo, late-night sultry music, not to mention the occasional Sinatra, jig, chant, or line dance. Each DJ picks their own music, so the music flows from their tastes and their connection to the dancers; music in the Nirvana Cabana is generally more downtempo than in the main hall. Whether it's easy or challenging for you, you'll find yourself doing more dancing to more types of music than you ever believed possible. It's all part of the celebration.

Other Evening Events

We acknowledge the season with a Summer Solstice campfire celebration, including drumming and dancing out by the lake. We have a variety of community performance venues, including Chautauquas most evenings between dinner and the boogie, the Bohemian Cafe, and the end-of-camp Talent Show. Campers might create a ceremony or ritual for those who wish to acknowledge Father's Day, Shabbat, or the passing of a community member. Each year is a bit different but we've often had evening dance events with different intentions or themes, such as "joy" or "peace" or "sensuality."

Other Activities

• Camper-Led Activities - most afternoons will include time for our fellow campers to lead an activity or facilitate an event. By tapping into the amazing talents within our community, we can offer even more diverse and creative options for growing, dancing, connecting, and playing.
• Chautauqua - building on the success of the "Bohemian Cafe", this after-dinner event is a venue for entertainment, stimulating presentation, and appreciation.
• Daily Practice - guided by skilled leaders, this provides an hour after classes and before dinner for active or reflective practices. Stretch you muscles, calm your mind, liberate your joints, embrace your emotions, or integrate mind with body.
• Family Jam - an opportunity to dance with kids of all ages in a safe environment.