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Some Background on DNE Summer Camp

Dance New England (DNE) is a creative collective of individuals who love to dance, as well as a consortium of cooperatively-run, not-for-profit freestyle barefoot dances in the New England area. DNE consists of member dances in Boston and Northampton, New Paltz and New York City. DNE members are also actively involved in creating and running other freestyle barefoot, cooperative dances. DNE events include our annual summer camp and a few weekends throughout the year hosted and produced by our member dances. The DNE Summer Camp is the culmination of all that we do as a group, and an embodiment of everything that DNE is about: dancing, friends, food, and community. This will be our 21st summer camp! Campers work together to create nightly community dances, healthy vegetarian food, great programs for teens' and children, and many more unofficial activities that pop up through volunteer energy. In exploring the connection of creativity and community, we emphasize acceptance of and respect for the differences among individuals and cultures, non-violence, creative conflict resolution, and living in harmony with our environment. We value freedom of expression within a context of safety. Dance camp is planned and operated by our members through participation on various committees, from hiring teachers to sound and lights. Members participate in this process by joining committees and by attending community meetings at each DNE event. The community meeting held during summer camp serves as our annual meeting; everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend! About Community Service... The essence of Dance New England is collective work and personal responsibility. Our community depends on the effort of every member to create summer camp. Coming to camp means being ready to work as well as play. There is a welcome place for your effort and initiative in DNE, both at camp and year round. Please take the time to find it. Community Service - is that portion of the time we devote to sharing the daily work necessary to keep our meals prepared, our camp clean, and our costs down. Even campers in the work-exchange program must do community service shifts. Community service shifts will be assigned during the at-camp registration process. Call Heidi Roper at 978-443-4501 or HJERoper@aol.com with questions. This Summer Camp Facilities and Food - Share a cabin with other campers, or bring your tent. A DNE tradition is creating beautiful cabin space with old friends and making new friends from camp-mates. A few cabins are set aside for all women, all men, or women with children only. Cabin space is limited, and fills up on a first-come, first-served basis; circling "cabin" on your registration form does not reserve you a bed. There is also field space and spaces in the woods for tenting, which affords more privacy. The Dining Hall is the heart of camp. We eat, chat, dance, sing, play chess and lounge on the porch. Three delicious, vegetarian meals and snacks are provided daily. Both dairy and non-dairy choices available. All campers, supervised by professional cooks, participate in the joyful preparation of our wonderful food. Family Groups - Family groups are small groups that meet for an hour each day for sharing, support, laughing, singing, massage and a great time together! With camp as big and as busy as it is, family groups provide a time and place to slow down and establish personal connections. For many people family group has been one of their warmest experiences of camp. On the Registration Form you may choose a family group based on a special interest or you can be assigned at random. Both adults and teens can make selections; campers 12 and under will be assigned to the same family group as their parent or guardian. Programs for Young People - Children, teens, young people and old... All are members of Dance New England. One of the great things about dance camp is that whole families come to camp -- together. While the adults attend classes our youngest members are with their own camp counselors. A full day program, from approximately 9:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. is offered for all children 12 years old and younger when adult classes are in session. The young peoples' community includes lovely cabins dedicated to each age group clustered in a shady spot within walking distance of the beach. Each age group is staffed by qualified and creative teachers who take full advantage of our camps' resources. The youngest children (Infants to two-year olds and 3 to 5 year olds) explore and play in a safe and supportive environment. Young people (aged 6-12 years old) engage in sports and games, create arts and crafts, enjoy dance, drama or drumming class and swim. Teens (13-17) work with the teen staff to design classes and activities of special interest. Teens also have the opportunity to work with the younger children, as well as participating in a mentoring program, learning and working with sound and lights, the kitchen, waterfront and other areas of camp organization. All children 17 and under attending camp must be registered in the children's program by an accompanying parent or guardian. This is a legal requirement of the State of Maine. After registering, you will receive an information letter with your child's specific program and a to-bring list. The Childcare Coordinators are Laurie Tennant-Gadd 617-492-4557 or MGadd24@aol.Com, and Marian Parker 413-256-8897 Waterfront - Our waterfront has non-swimmer and game play areas, docks, a raft and generous swim area. Special times and events for kids, groups and classes will be in the posted waterfront schedule. We have a few canoes, snorkeling gear, and inflatables. If you have lifeguard training and would like to participate in staffing and waterfront management please contact Jim Cowles at 860-633-8850 (home) or JCComp@aol.Com, or Fax 860-646-2269. Evening Activities - Freestyle barefoot boogies happen almost every night. Other nights offer activities such as, a drum council, a contact jam, men's and women's circles, sweat lodges, family dances and a festival of home-grown talent. The Wellness Center - The purpose of the Wellness Center is to provide a space where all of us can attend to our own healthcare needs. In this spirit of self-responsibility, we ask that you bring the supplies and remedies you would normally use to treat yourself and your family. Those who have serious and/or chronic health problems must use their own judgment when determining whether or not to attend camp, with the knowledge that we cannot guarantee that medical personnel (or space in the Wellness Center) will be available. Camp Store and Fee-For-Service - If you wish to sell your products or provide a professional service (bodywork, for example) on a fee-for-service basis you must indicate this on your registration form. Space is very limited. A tithe on goods or services creates the DNE scholarship fund for next summer's camp. For information contact Linda Lindgren at 603-924-9609 with questions. Work Exchange/Scholarship - Work exchange positions at the pay rate of $8 per hour are available for teens (13-17) and adults who need financial assistance to attend camp. Partial scholarships are also available, but are limited. A combination of scholarship and work exchange is generally required. The amount of work exchange and scholarship granted is determined by the scholarship committee. If you are requesting scholarship, send a letter with details explaining your need, and include a copy of both sides of your Registration Form. Mail to the Scholarship Committee at the address below. Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Your registration fee will be due in full prior to camp. Send your letter and registration form to: Scholarship Committee, c/o Debbie Steiner, 25 Brooks Park #21 Medford, MA 02155-4552 or Debbie24@Javanet.com or 781-395-8624 regarding approval of your work-exchange or scholarship request. Come Early: Help Us Set Up • Stay Late: Help Us Take Down - Transform Omni from a kids' camp to our two-week dance community... and back again. Setting up camp or taking it leaves you with a terrific feeling of accomplishment, and the sense that camp is "yours" and you are a part of camp. Set Up: Signing up in advance for Set Up is mandatory; you may not be allowed in early otherwise. Contact Beth Garner at 718-857-5152 or bgarner@kl.com to volunteer and make arrangements. People who have participated in prior setups are especially desired. Take Down: If you are looking for a way to ease the transition back to "real life," may we recommend our camp special: a Take-Down Party. Hang on at camp a little while longer to restore Omni to its pre-DNE state, and bid a long, loving and leisurely good-bye to our summer home. Contact Lori Rowan 781-259-1638.

Camp Contacts and Key Volunteers

Function	Person	Email	Phone
Camp     Coordinating                   Group	Laurie Rothfeld	Thefeld@AOL.com	781-393-4204
	Carolyn Fuller	Fuller@mit.edu	617-576-1620
	Mary Loan	Loanm@hotmail.com	617-489-6061
	Myra Romain	Myrajrom@tiac.net	508-693-7332
	Lori Rowan		781-259-1638
	Adnan Iftekhar	adnan@MAC.COM	978-922-7454
	Laurie Tennant-Gadd	Mgadd24@AOL.com	617-492-4557
Camp Coordinator	Keith Winston	dnekeith@FREEDOMSONG.COM	301-699-0794
Childcare             Coordinators	Marian Parker		413-256-8897
	Laurie Tennant-Gadd	Mgadd@AOL.com	617-492-4557
Registrar	L. Samantha Armer	Registrar@dne.org	413-584-7162
Set-Up	Beth Garner	bgarner@kl.com	718-857-5152
Work Exchange	Debbie Steiner	Debbie24@Javanet.com	781-395-8624

Printed registration materials are being mailed out via U.S. Mail.
To be added to our mailing list, send your name and address to fuller@mit.edu.