2024 Class Descriptions
Check back soon for 2025!

Callers Workshop with Seth Tepfer
Learn to call from scratch, or take your calling to the next level. We will be working on mechanics and timing; teaching and walk-thrus; programming; communicating with musicians; new dancers session; calling for non-dancers; and more. 

Irish Sets with Matthew Olwell
Descended from French quadrilles and other European social dances, Irish set dancing is a unique style of group dancing with many regional variations. It is danced most often in tight sets of four couples with percussive footwork that is smooth and close to the floor. For this class, we will focus on building a good foundation of technique and physical understanding of the form. Different steps for polkas, slides, reels, and other types of tunes make for a challenging and fun combination of rhythmic footwork and lively partner dancing. 

Partner Dance Sampler with Wendy Graham Settle
Learn to lead and follow a variety of couples social dances - such as swing, Latin, waltz, blues, two step, polka and more. Participants will vote on their top favs to focus on.  

Singing for Happiness with Brian Lindsay
There are many different reasons to sing: to share a story, to bring comfort or joy to listeners, to inspire community, or to pass the time. I often sing because it feels good in my body, the resonance and intention and breath seem to wake me up and bring a kind of joy I can't find elsewhere. When we sing together in harmony, that feeling is amplified! In this class we’ll learn together a selection of songs I've chosen because they feel so very good to sing. This will include some chorus songs, some rounds, some shape-note songs, and more. Sheet music provided for some songs, all songs & parts will be taught so no experience or sight-reading necessary. 

English Country Dance with Wendy Graham Settle
From stately and sublime to rollicking romps, we’ll dance like royalty with ease and elegance.  

Percussive Dance with Emily Oleson
Percussive dance is an umbrella that stretches across tap, Appalachian clogging and flatfooting, Irish step dance and sean nós dance, various forms of Canadian or Latin American step dance, body percussion, and any kind of dance that also makes music. Our class will establish some fundamental weight exchange patterns that can be used in multiple styles, improvise to a variety of music, and pursue some steps or choreography in a form of the students' choice (within instructor capability). It'll be more fun than this description makes it sound!

Irish Ensemble Class with Tadhg Ó Meachair & Joanna Hyde
Come learn about Irish music! We will teach a variety of tunes, explore stylistic elements within Irish music, and arrange the tunes we learn into larger ensemble sets with accompaniment, harmony, and variation. Along the way we'll chat about how Irish music relates and/or compares to other styles of music. All instruments and levels are welcome, and we'll do our best to tailor the class to the group. Learning will be done largely by ear, but we will also provide sheet music and chord charts as needed. 

American Contras and Squares with Seth Tepfer and Callers Workshop participants
A contra hour with Calling Course participants calling and teaching dances.
Come enjoy great contras to excellent music from Sam Bartlett, Brian Lindsay, and Matthew Olwell. 

Polynesian Dance with Marliss Brockington
Learn the basics of Hula, Tahiti Ori, and Maori cultural dances in this fun and educational class. Participants will be educated in the ancient and modern fundamental feet, hips, and hand motions of these beautiful dances as well as learn an authentic performance dance as well.
Don't be mistaken, this class is not just for wahines (women)! Get a great workout and learn to share you Aloha spirit through dancing!

Dance Band (9+) with Brian Lindsay and Eric Schedler
Join Tadhg and Joanna for Dance Band, where we learn and arrange tunes to play for the grand march, contra and waltz on the last night of camp.  All instruments welcome, with proficiency to learn and play some fun and simple tunes. 

Sound Tech (13+) with Jared Kirkpatrick
Come learn the tricks of running contra dance sound with Jared! Each day, we'll focus on different aspects of setting up, using, and troubleshooting the sound equipment used to make every caller's voice clear and every note sing, all the way to the back of the room. We'll even work on making this week's bands sound even better, learning various ways to help out with the evening dances for real-time practical experience. Touching on everything from setting up and tearing down equipment to tips and tricks on mixing your favorite bands and callers, this workshop is for you if you're curious about any aspect of live sound production.  

Mummer's Play (9+) with Emily Oleson and Meg Dedolph
Mummers' Plays are a super fun and comic folk theater tradition from the British Isles, although with a complicated history. You may know some of the familiar stock characters - such as Saint George, the Doctor and the Dragon. Everyone is welcome to come and have fun with us as we flip this dramatic form on its head and play at creating our own play.  

Needle Felting (7+) with Beth Harvey
Explore sculpture and art using wool! Needle felting is an easy and satisfying art form to begin, with lots of methods and detail to continue exploring. From whimsical to realistic the possibilities are endless and the clean up is easy. We’ll work through some projects together while you create your own Cumberland artwork to take home. Needle felting takes some fine motor skills and patience.  Ages 7-10 please bring a helper.

Crankie Craft (6 & under with adult) with Sam Bartlett
Sam will lead a class in making a Crankie Show.  A Crankie  is a moving visual story, illustrated on a long piece of paper, and then cranked by hand between two dowels to reveal a story in motion for an audience. We’ll narrate the story and have musical accompaniment of some sort.  No drawing talent required!  

Rapper Dance with Chris Bischoff
Have fun learning a traditional linked-sword dance style.  Basic rapper sword stepping, figures, and styling will be covered.  Don't worry parents, the swords aren't sharp! 

Calling Dances with Seth Tepfer
Call dances for your friends by the end of the first day. Learn the secrets of calling, teaching effectively, and gaining people's attention during the dance. Mummers that are interested can call dances during the evening portion. 

Percussive Dance with Emily Oleson
Description coming soon!

Craft with Marliss Brockington
Your child will spend  time enriched in the art of creativity using the elements of the landscape around us.

Each art piece will be frame-worthy and something your child will be proud of!

Clog with Chris Bischoff
Have fun playing with rhythm using feet & hands to become part of the music! 

Music with Eric Schedler
Come ready to learn songs and play singing and dancing games. Bring an instrument if you play one.

Musical Movement and Play with Meg Dedolph
Start the day with songs, fingerplays, singing games and dances, all especially for our youngest campers. We'll sing about animals, explore dance and movement and get a close-up look at some of the instruments played around camp. Parents are welcome to join their kids. 

Outdoor Explore with Stacy Blair
Let your hair down while creating sand and rock empires, splashing in the creek, frolicking on the lawn or observing critters (possibilities from armadillos to tiny tree frogs to swallows nests) with a great group of friends.

Craft with Stacy Blair
Tap into your creative side by using bits of nature to make fun art. Focused on natural materials that can easily be returned to the earth, or recyclable materials. We will build little treasures and also something to share with our friends at camp.

Skill Swap
Community lead workshops or class sessions. Could be anything!- an afternoon of games, crafting an art project, discussion on dance communities, foraging for mushrooms, slow jams, swapping clogging steps, a round of rounds, etc. Go to a pick-up class from a world class folkie and/or take a class from an 8 year old. Maybe you'll lead, maybe you'll choose your own adventure.

Camp Activities
Swimming in a cool swimming hole with slide and beach area is offered every afternoon. Another camp activity is offered alongside swim time. Examples of potential offerings are axe throwing, ziplining, boating, giant swing, climbing wall, etc. These activities are all overseen by NaCoMe camp counselors. 

Gathering
We come together toward the end of our day to share in song, skit, story, comedy, performance, talents, special moments, joy, harmony, readings, and.... announcements! Not to be missed. What might you share?

Community Dance
Easy, lively, fun dances for ALL ages.
On July 4th we will have a campfire gathering instead of community dance.

Evening Dance
A variety of dance forms (Contras, Squares, English, and more). Led by staff callers.

Late-Night Dancing (teens & adults)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings in a variety of forms