The San Francisco Bay Queer Contra Dance is hosting its third annual dance camp within the lush redwood forest of Monte Toyon, a beautiful camp facility near Santa Cruz, 79 miles south of San Francisco, where you’ll be housed and fed and offered a weekend of gender-role-free dancing.
Beginners are welcome, and if you don’t know what contra dance is, it’s an exuberant, friendly, easy-to-learn American barn dance with roots in English folk dancing. While many of our dancers are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans, we cheerfully welcome all our straight friends.
Take a weekend away to dance, relax, make friends, and enjoy the lovely California redwoods!
Dance Camp Brochure
| THE BAND We are delighted to bring together four of California’s best contra dance musicians. |
 |
An electrifying fiddle player, JON BERGER plays regularly with Flashpoint, a top contra band, as well as the English country dance ensemble Midnight Smorgasbord. |
 |
Known for his high-energy, rhythmic style, fiddler CHRIS KNEPPER has been delighting contra dancers for thirty years. |
|
 |
Having cut his teeth on early and baroque music, NOEL CRAGG is renowned for his inventive and exuberant piano playing at contra and English dances. |
 |
ERIN VANG has played horn for orchestras around the world including Chicago’s Lyric Opera. In the Bay Area, she plays tuba for Midnight Smorgasbord |
CALLERS
LINDA LESLIE
Inspiring legions of dancers over the last 20 years, Linda has called at numerous contra dances and camps across the U.S. She is known for her resonant voice, clear teaching, and unbridled enthusiasm. Though skilled at guiding and encouraging beginners, she is comfortable working with all dance levels. An experienced gender-role-free caller, Linda has called our SF Bay dance, other queer contra dances and at six LCFD dance camps in New England. She lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
KALIA KLIBAN
A dance mistress of disguise, Kalia’s multiple personalities include dancer/teacher of morris, longsword, clogging, and English country dance. It is as English leader we happily welcome Kalia to 2010 Queer Camp. Her clear and humorous teaching style has gotten feet tapping at camps and gatherings in California and beyond. She is programmer and caller for the English country dance series in Sebastopol, CA (where she lives), and was recently dance mistress for Sonoma County’s annual Mad Robin Dance Ball.
WORKSHOPS
CHRIS RICCIOTTI
The “Queen Mum” of gender-role-free contra, Chris is based in Boston and has called dances throughout the country for 30-some years. He’ll be teaching workshops for dancers of all skill levels.
TINA FIELDS
A hit at our first camp, Tina returns to lead singing workshops, with a repertoire running from the silly to the sublime, from sacred chants to sea shanties. Tina is also a contra caller. Her home is Sebastopol, CA.
SOUND
NICK CUCCIA
Much in demand as a sound tech as well as a caller, Nick brings his expertise back to QCDC. His credits include numerous camps and dances throughout California. A writer of original dances, Nick lives in Merced.
top of page
VENUE
Nestled in a grove of coastal redwoods, Monte Toyon camp is adjacent to the Forest of Nisene
Marks State Park in Aptos, California. Monte Toyon offers recreational activities in addition to dancing, ranging from volleyball to ping-pong, as well as hiking trails (one leads to a view of Monterey Bay) and the Sumner Rhododendron Garden, which should be in full bloom in April. Meals are served buffet-style with vegetarian and vegan options. (Refrigerator space will be available for those on special diets.)
All bathrooms with the exception of Miller and Morris Dormitories are non-gendered.
.... for pop-up window of area maps - click on image
View Larger Map and Photos of Camp Monte Toyon top of page
HOUSING
Accommodations include shared rooms in Cary Lodge and Miller and Morris Dormitories, ranging 4-10 people a room. If you have a lodging preference, including co-ed or same-sex options, please arrive when camp opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, as rooms are not pre-assigned with the exception of non-gendered accomodations.
Non-Gendered housing is located on the second floor of Cary Lodge (including bathrooms) and will have no gender designation – neither will bathrooms in the dancing and dining hall areas. If you require a bed in a non-gendered room, please indicate so on the registration form and space will be reserved for you. Priority is given to transgendered individuals and their companions.
Gendered housing is available in Miller and Morris Dormitories which house up to 10 people per room along with gendered bathrooms.
BEDDING
Campers bring their own sleeping bags or sheets, blankets, and pillows. There are also areas on-site for tents. Local dancers can help those coming by plane: please volunteer to provide a traveler with bedding to help lighten their load and save on baggage expenses. If you can provide/would like bedding, please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
FOOD
Included in the cost of registration, meal service begins with Saturday breakfast and ends with Sunday lunch. (Please plan for Friday dinner on your own.) Meals are served buffet-style
in the dining hall with vegetarian and vegan options. Snack food will be set out through the weekend, and refrigerator space will be available for those on special diets.
SCHEDULE
Dance camp opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 9. Dancing will begin Friday night at 8:00 and run through approximately 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. In general, expect a weekend full of contra dance (accessible to all levels), likely to include special sessions for beginning and advanced dancers. There will also be English country dance and several workshops. Musicians are encouraged to bring instruments as impromptu jam sessions often happen through the weekend.
TRANSPORTATION
If you can offer a ride or need a ride to/from camp, please let us know on the registration form. We will help match riders with drivers. Flying? Consider San Francisco, Oakland, or San Jose airports. Shuttle service is available from S.J. Airport to downtown Aptos; campers can then take taxis to Monte Toyon or call organizers for rides.
REGISTRATION
A minimum $50 deposit is required from all campers. Work exchange positions are limited, so register early. Everyone doing work exchange must help with either pre-camp setup or post-camp cleanup, along with some work shifts during the weekend.
A limited number of first-come, first-served $80 scholarships are available for people who would otherwise have difficulty affording dance camp.
Scholarship applicants must sign up for work exchange.
Donating to the scholarship fund - a terrific way to help fellow campers! Just include a separate check for any amount – made out to LCFD, our umbrella nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, so your donation is tax-deductible. Please indicate Scholarship Fund on the check.
Click Here for Registration
| Registration Fees & Information |
|||
| thru Feb 6 | Feb 7 & later | ||
| Regular: | $235 | $260 | |
| Work Exchange: | $160 | $185 | |
| Youth—17 and younger: | $160 | $185 | |
| Scholarships: | $80 each. Limited number available. | Applicants must sign up for work exchange. | |
| Cancellation: | thru Feb 6: Full Refund | ||
| Feb 7 to Mar 26: Fee of $50 | |||
| Mar 27 & after: No Refund | |||
INSTRUCTIONS
1). Make out a check to SFBQCD
2). Mail registration form & check to:
Robert Riley
378 Balmoral Way
Hayward, CA 94544
Attn: Dance Camp Registration
3). You’ll receive an e-mail confirmation followed later with camp info and directions.
CONTACT
For more information please contact us at: sfcontra@hotmail.com
The San Francisco Bay Queer Contra Dance and Dance Camp is an affiliate of Lavender Country and Folk Dancers (LCFD)
|
