Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a festival?
Yes and no. If by "festival," you mean a place where lots of people are out in nature, dancing and singing and having a wonderful time, then yes. Dance Camp is different in several ways. It's a substance-free event -- we get high on dance, nature, and community. It's relatively small (220 people max), so you'll see the same people over and over and can get to know new people fairly easily. All meals are provided, so you don't need to figure out how to get yourself fed -- just show up at the dining hall, and food appears, almost as if by magic. It's very multigenerational, including a separate Kids Camp area for the little ones. Also there are a lot of structured activities during the day, more or less on a schedule, but if you want to just relax by the lake and read a book, that's perfectly okay too.
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Dance camp? What kind of dance?
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NCDC events include a wide range of dance styles that have come to be known as “conscious dance.” Each year is a little different, but during the day we generally offer classes in inner-directed movement practices such as Authentic Movement, contact improv, Soul Motion and 5Rhythms; high-energy classes such as African dance and capoeira; various partner dance forms, including fusion and tango; and a variety of other modalities, including yoga, breathwork, singing, and art.
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Do I need to be some kind of pro dancer to fit in?
Not at all. NCDC events are about creative self-expression and connection rather than knowing all the right dance steps. We find that when we move from an authentic, non-judgmental source, we all look beautiful and can connect easily with others on the dance floor. Most of us are dance-a-holics, not professionals, and classes are geared towards all levels. And more advanced contact improvisers, for instance, will find plenty to challenge them as well.
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Does the cost of coming to camp cover everything?
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Yes! Your camp fees cover everything including three organic meals per day, sleeping in a cabin or your own tent or vehicle, all classes/workshops, dances, performances, parking, and more.
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What if I want to stay in a cabin? Does that cost more?
For Summer Camp, the cost is the same, whether you stay in a cabin or a tent or your own vehicle. There are many cabins and lots of great places to pitch a tent. Cabins have 12 or 16 beds in bunks but are never full.
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For Winter Camp, accommodations are dictated by which venue we use. See the respective event page for details.
Can I get a private room?
For Summer Camp, there are no private rooms or private cabins. Cabins are shared, often based on a theme or category, such as families with kids, women-only, men-only, etc. For Winter Camp, accommodations are dictated by which venue we use. See the respective event page for details.
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Is food included at camp?
Yes, there are three organic meals provided per day with great love, consciousness and care by our chef and the chef's team at Summer Camp. At Winter Camp, the venue provides the meals, and they use organic ingredients per our request.
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Are NCDC events scent-free?
Yes! Due to sensitivities and allergies, please leave perfumes, colognes, essential oils, scented soaps and deodorants, and other scented products at home.
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What are your covid policies?
You can find our covid policies here.
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Where is the schedule of activities?
As we get closer to each event and our DJs, presenters, and teachers are confirmed, we post a schedule on the schedule page. If it's not there already, soon you will be able to find our Summer Dance Camp schedule here. Until this year's schedule is posted, you may see last year's schedule, which will give you a general idea of the usual offerings at Dance Camp.
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Are there any forms I need to sign?
During registration for Summer Camp, you will be required to sign a Camp Release Form (for Camp Hye Sierra), available here,
and a Behavioral Agreements form, available here,
and a Cancellation, Registration Change, and Refund Policy, at the bottom of this page.
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Where is Summer Dance Camp happening in 2024?
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We will be at our usual venue in Dunlap, CA, near Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, about an hour up the mountain from Fresno.
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What if I need a ride to camp? Can you help me find one?
If you need a ride, or want to offer one, please check out our rideshare webpage:
https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/582wia
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ABOUT FOOD:
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I have special dietary needs and food allergies. Will you be able to accomodate them?
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For the most part, the answer is yes! Read on:
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Vegan/Vegetarian
We accommodate vegans and vegetarians along with all other dietary needs (see below). Please specify your needs during registration and we will make sure you get your dietary needs met!
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Gluten
Dishes that contain gluten will be labeled if not an obvious item such as pastas, bread at the toast bar, cornbread, and some desserts, which are all served separately. We try our best to offer gluten-free alternatives.
Dairy
We typically do not add dairy to our entrees. If a dish is made with dairy, it will be labeled and we will provide a dairy-free version.
Dairy foods may be offered in obvious ways at the coffee and tea bar and breakfast bar, such as milk and home-made yogurt. A variety of non-dairy milk substitutes will be offered at the breakfast bar such as rice, soy, almond, oat or coconut milk for those who don't eat dairy.
Peanuts
If peanuts or peanut-based foods are offered in any recipes, they will be labeled, and a peanut-free option will be provided.
* Please note for late evening snack - if a variety of nuts is out in a serve-yourself bowl, they WILL contain peanuts.
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Shellfish
We do not anticipate using shellfish in any dishes. If we do by chance, it will be clearly labeled and there will also be a non-shellfish alternative offered.
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Paleo
If you eat paleo-style, you will have an opportunity to indicate this during registration, and your needs will be met by the kitchen staff as well.
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From Our Summer Dance 2024 Camp Chef
Here are answers to some common food allergy concerns:
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We do not add gluten-based products, e.g. flour, to any of our dishes. If a gluten-based item is served, such as wheat noodles or pita bread, we will label it.
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Since peanuts are a common allergen, we do not add them to any foods but may put out a bowl of ground peanuts at the end of the table for the Thai meal.
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We will not be serving shellfish.
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We do not add cheese or dairy to dishes without labeling and hardly any dishes will have dairy, except there may be a creamy soup or pesto, which we will label.
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If we will be serving corn or cornbread and/or a corn soup, it will be labeled.
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We will be using bell peppers. They will be easily seen in the dishes that include them.
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We will label dishes that have soy. We use tamari, which is soy-based, in some Asian dishes, and we will serve one or two soy-based dishes for vegetarians, e.g. tofu.
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The only oils we use are coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil
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Can I arrive any time or any day I want?
Sadly, no. For Summer Camp, which is our longer event, there is a narrow, not-well-maintained one-way road leading into and out of camp. In order to prevent head-on collisions and traffic gridlock, the following are the established arrival and departure times:​
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Day of Arrival: No earlier than 4PM
Day of Departure: No later than directly after lunch
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Also we set up registration "blocks" with specific arrival and departure days so we can fit the most people into our limited days sat camp. The venue has set a cap on the number of people we can have at camp on any one day, so we need to make sure our registration options make the best use of the spots available.
Can I charge my EV at camp?
Our summer venue has no EV charging infrastructure, and all available outlets are quite a long distance from the parking areas. There are a lot of charging stations in Fresno, which is 50 miles away. Be sure to charge up in Fresno before you head up the mountain!
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Our winter event happens at a venue much closer to the Bay Area, so we assume you will be able to find many charging spots.
Who comes to dance camp?
Our participants are infants to elders, with most in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, who come mainly from California but various other places around the U.S. as well. Active, earthy folks who love to move, know the joys of community, and see life with an open, playful eye. Singles. Couples. Families. We usually have about 200 people each day at summer dance camp.
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What happens in the evenings?
Right after dinner there is often a performance of some type followed by dancing to DJ’ed music in our sprung-floored dance temples, with a yummy mix of music conjured by our DJ shamans into the wee hours of the night. Expect funk, world, electronica, house, blues, and more, including high-energy and heart-filled grooves that often drop into downtempo, sultry places as the night unfolds.
Can I bring my kids?
You bet. We provide a terrific Kids Camp program for kids from 4 to 12 years old, with music, art, dancing, swimming, and lots of time for free play. We also provide more challenging activities for the older kids, such as adventure walks and scavenger hunts.
How do I communicate with the outside world while at Dance Camp?
Cell service is inconsistent at Camp Hye Sierra. Verizon used to be reliable, but in recent years it has not been. AT&T and Verizon occasionally work, but not reliably, if at all. There is a computer in the camp office for campers and staff to use. You can also drive partway out of camp and get a better cell signal.
There is no WIFI available.
What should I bring?
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​Regarding everything else:
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Unscented Products -- Dance Camp is a scent-free event. Bears think some scented products are food, and some people at camp are scents-itive and are negatively affected by chemical fragrances.
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your open heart
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any healthcare products and toiletries that you would normally use at home.
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your own bedding (sleeping bag, sheets, blankets, pillows) if you plan to stay in a cabin, plus all your usual camping gear if you're staying in your own tent. It can be close to freezing at times, even in the summer. Be prepared for COLD!
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layers of clothing for warm days and sometimes chilly nights. Temperatures can drop into the 30’s even during summertime; bring plenty of warm clothing.
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closed-toed shoes for walking through tall grass (there are rattlesnakes at camp)
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dance gear, dance-specific clothes and footwear, kneepads for contact improv, yoga mats
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a labeled water bottle
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sunscreen (unscented!), lip balm and foot moisturizer -- the climate at camp can be hot and dry, and feet and lips can get dry
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fun, festive attire
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drums, musical instruments, juggling toys, hula-hoops, frisbees, etc.
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earplugs, night lights, power strips for your devices (for shared cabins), and a flashlight and batteries
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a watch or other timepiece to keep you on time for classes
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a bicycle (only if you'd like to get from one end of camp to the other more quickly)
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swimming toys, towels, sun protection, sunglasses, and bathing suit if wanted (clothing optional at waterfront)
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anything else that will aid your well-being, good health, and comfort at camp
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What should I leave at home?
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Perfumes and other scented products, pets, preconceived notions, alcohol, non-prescription drugs
Candles, incense, and camping stoves.
Cigarette smoking is permitted in very limited areas – this is mostly a non-smoking crew, and fire danger is usually very high at this venue.