Program: Session Descriptions
Click on the links below for info on workshops, presentations, videos, and social events
All times are in PDT (i.e., California time)
During most 15-minute breaks we will show video from dance groups around the world and past Mendocino/Hey Days.
Thursday June 17
10:00-11:15 Welcome Gathering: A Chance to Reminisce
11:30-12:45 Brooke Friendly: Positional Calling Workshop OR Kate Barnes: Accompanying ECD
13:00-14:15 Shira Kammen: Singing OR Renée Camus: English Clogging Past to Present
14:30-15:45 Dave Bartley: Tune Composing OR Carol Marsh: History of Dance and Music Notation
16:00-17:15
Jeff Warner: Old Time Fun and Frolic
17:15 Wine Tasting Party (BYOB)
18:00-19:15 Virtual ECD (and Abbots Bromley for all!) with Sharon Green and The Whoots (Charlie Hancock, Jim Oakden, Shira Kammen)
19:15 on Games (check out all the different options!)
Friday June 18
10:00-11:15 Shira Kammen: Singing
11:30-12:45 Brooke Friendly: Positional Calling Workshop OR Kate Barnes: Accompanying ECD
13:00-14:15 Paul Hutchinson: Tune Development OR Matt Simons: Women in the Cotswold Morris Revival
14:30-15:45 Dave Bartley: Tune Composing OR Linda Tomko: Early 18th-Century Dance Cousins
16:00-17:15 Gene Murrow: History and Sources of English Country Dance Music
17:15 Afternoon Tea Party
18:00-19:15 All Request ECD Music Session with Rebecca King
19:15 on Movies
Saturday June 19
10:00-11:30 5 Things with guest Alex Cumming presented by the Historical Tea and Dance Society
11:30 12:45 Brooke Friendly: Positional Calling Workshop OR Kate Barnes: Accompanying ECD
13:00-14:15 Paul Hutchinson: Tune Development OR Jeremy Carter-Gordon: Continental Longsword
14:30-15:45 Dave Bartley: Tune Composing OR Alex Cumming: The Songcatcher-Olive Dame Campbell
16:00-17:15 Gene Murrow: The Invented Style
17:15 Chocolate Party
18:00-19:15 Couple Dance Ball
19:15 on Camper Gathering - if you have something to share, please contact Alisa Dodson at alisa@capercat.com
Sunday June 20
10:00-11:15 Morris Dance Music Session with Luke Hillman and Berkeley Morris
11:30-12:45 Brooke Friendly: Positional Calling Workshop OR Shira Kammen: Singing
13:00-14:30 Odd Sunday Virtual ECD with Kalia Kliban and Jon Berger, Rebecca King
14:30-15:45 Jeff Warner: Songs of Sailors and the Sea
16:00-17:15 Brad Foster: BACDS English Week at Mendocino-The Founding Years
17:30-18:00 Name That (Playford 1651) Tune with Jim Oakden and Shira Kammen
18:00
Farewell Happy Hour
Welcome Gathering: A Chance to Reminisce
BACDS Hey Days (aka English Dance Week) has a long and storied history. To kick off this first—and we hope, only—Virtual Hey Days, and ease us into the four days of programming, we’ll start with some reminiscing and storytelling about previous camps. There’s no script or planned program; we’ll hear about what camp was like at the Mendocino Woodlands, for sure, and we hope people will share memories of Bishop’s Ranch, and of our first year at Sonoma State, too. Bring a beverage of your choice for your time zone, draw up a chair and become part of the conversation. Allen Dodson will MC the proceedings with a light hand!
Thursday 10:00-11:15
Callers Workshop: Global/Positional Calling
For callers of ALL experience levels
Brooke Friendly will lead a four-session workshop on how to develop your proficiency using global/positional language to teach and call English Country Dance. We will look at big picture concepts and strategies as well as discuss specific dances each day. Day 1 we will cover what it is (and isn’t), why do it, and a look at categories of dances in preparation to teach. Day 2 we'll focus on terminology, proper and improper, and teaching and learning strategies. Day 3 we'll discuss social considerations and specific techniques to promote inclusiveness. Day 4 we'll look at goals, what to call when, and take a deeper dive into a few challenging dances. Though the concepts build and reinforce each other over the four sessions, busy participants can get a lot from individual sessions.
Thursday-Sunday 11:30-12:45
Accompanying English Dance
For musicians of ALL levels
Kate Barnes plays both melody and accompaniment instruments for ECD, and says she actually has more fun accompanying because of the wider arranging, harmonic and dynamic possibilities. Over the course of three sessions, Kate will talk about playing for different tempos and styles and the myriad ways you can have fun and keep your playing interesting (you can choose to make your backup range anywhere in feel from Early Music to Jazz, and use chords other than what is on the page) while still meeting the needs of the dancers for clear rhythm and steady tempo. And, since understanding of the chording is necessary for the other instruments, both for harmonizing and improvising on the melody, "non-backup" people are welcome to attend.
Thursday-Saturday 11:30-12:45
Singing with Shira Kammen
Open to ALL
Starting with rounds, and including madrigals, ballads, English Country Dance songs, we'll meander through music in parts throughout three sessions. Shira will pre-record the parts and layer them in so you can hear the other parts as you sing. Dots provided, with some done by ear. Different music every day.
Thursday 13:00-14:15, Friday 10:00-11:15, Sunday 11:30-12:45
English Clogging Past to Present
Open to ALL
Renée Camus will present a brief overview of English clogging from its 19th-century roots to its current-day practice. She’ll talk about the various rhythms, styles, and music that make up traditional English clogging, bringing it into the modern era and its bridge into tap dance. She’ll also look at some of its well-known practitioners, with photos and videos to illustrate.
Thursday 13:00-14:15
Tune Composing
For musicians of ALL levels
Join prolific composer Dave Bartley for a three-session workshop on how to compose dance tunes.
Thursday-Saturday 14:30-15:45
You Put Your Right Foot In: A History of Dance and Music Notation
Open to ALL
Carol Marsh will discuss the origin and history of music and dance notation systems; the ways in which notators dealt with the problem of translating movement or sound into words and/or symbols; and how music and dance notations were coordinated.
Thursday 14:30-15:45
Old Time Fun and Frolic
Open to ALL
With Jeff Warner. Early country string band music, “Tin Pan Alley” songs from the early 20th century, irreverent songs from olden times, music hall charmers and perhaps some minstrel songs worth preserving: all fun, all historical and all with choruses. Let’s start now!
Thursday 16:00-17:15
Tune Development - Tunes from the Maniac Collection (1786 & 1800)
For musicians of ALL levels
Paul Hutchinson will lead two sessions using a selection of tunes from his book Sixty Country Dance Tunes - 1786/1800. His composed variations can be used as a template for taking your own repertoire on a musical journey. The results can sometimes be quite unexpected. All instruments are welcome. Music for the class may be downloaded here:
Friday-Saturday 13:00-14:15
Women in the Cotswold Morris Revival
Open to ALL
Matt Simons will present a lecture, complete with photographs, on the Cotswold Morris revival in England from the 1890s to the 1930s, focussing on women’s participation as collectors, dancers, and teachers. Aside from Mary Neal and Maud Karpeles, whose work is well known, this talk will also celebrate the contributions of those at the ‘grass roots’ including Janet Blunt, Marjorie ‘Barnett’ Heffer, and Blanche Payling.
Friday 13:00-14:15
Early 18th-Century Dance Cousins
Open to ALL
Linda Tomko will present several French, English, and German country dances from the early 18th century and situate them in the period by connecting them with their "cousins" -- notated noble style choreographies for the ballroom and the stage which used the same tunes.
Friday 14:30-15:45
History and Sources of English Country Dance Music
Open to ALL
With Gene Murrow. An illustrated survey of the historical evolution of music adapted or written for ECD, and the extraordinarily varied sources from which the music is drawn.
Friday 16:00-17:15
The Invented Style
Open to ALL
With Gene Murrow. Cecil Sharp re-invented the English Country dance in the early 20th century after collecting dances that had survived in rural English villages and consulting the printed publications of the 17th and 18th centuries. Gene learned Sharp’s style from his acolytes in the 1960s, and will illustrate it and its evolution from that time, through the “Pat Shaw revolution”, to the present day.
Saturday 16:00-17:15
Continental Longsword
Open to ALL
Jeremy Carter-Gordon will present a fascinating talk on the variety of Continental Longsword, complete with video examples.
Saturday 13:00-14:15
The Songcatcher: Olive Dame Campbell
Open to ALL
Olive Dame Campbell (1882–1954) has left a huge legacy in folk music, song, craft & education, yet her name is often forgotten or glanced over. Born & raised in Medford, MA, she went on to become a folklorist, education reformist and an important part of the 1900s folk revival through the founding of the John C. Campbell Folk School, many influential publications including a book with Cecil Sharp and more. Alex Cumming will present a show that explores her life and legacy through songs, stories and images from the archives.
Saturday 14:30-15:45
Songs of Sailors and the Sea
Open to ALL
With Jeff Warner. There’s a new online excitement about sea songs and shanties—all due to “The Wellerman’s Song” on TiKTok. Let’s take a look at this new excitement—and the music a lot of us in the trade have been wild about for decades: fine 19th century songs used both to help labor (shanties) and for sailors’ amusement and comfort. In the process, we’ll remind ourselves how great choruses and solid stories can revive our spirits.
Sunday 14:30-15:45
Mendocino English Week - Founding and Early Years
Open to ALL
Brad Foster will present the roots of Mendocino’s English Week, the founding of BACDS, and the early years of camp. Those roots include the dance started by Chuck Ward and Tom Kruskal in 1969, the regular English dances in San Francisco, then Berkeley, and later on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. We’ll weave our way through Berkeley Morris, breeze through other early sword and morris, and touch on the early contra and square history as well. The growth of the community from all of those who led to the creation and success of the Mendocino Country Dance Camps and the founding of BACDS.
Sunday 16:00-17:15
Name That (Playford 1651) Tune
Open to ALL
It’s a Party! It’s a Contest! Its Really Silly! Shira Kammen and Jim Oakden will play excerpts from tunes appearing in J. Playford’s The English Dancing Master, 1st Edition 1651. Some will be well known, and some will be Very Obscure. Ingenious Listeners (ie everyone) will try to Name the Tune (duh). First Listener to type the correct name into Chat will get a Virtual Star! Contestant with most Virtual Stars will win! Winner will receive a Silly Title of their Choice! Much fun will be had…!
For those that want to study up, here’s a download link. Good luck… BYOB!!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i183o9y7i0vt72a/Playford%201st%20Edition%201651.pdf?dl=0
Sunday 17:15-17:45
ECD and Couple Dance Parties
Open to ALL
We will have three virtual dance parties:
Sharon Green will lead an English country dance with the Whoots (Shira Kammen, Charlie Hancock, Jim Oaken) playing live. At some point during the evening we will have an Abbots Bromely for all! This ritual display dance has been done annually in Abbots Bromley, a village in Staffordshire, England for around 500 years (although its origins are shrouded in mystery and controversy). There are 10 dancers: 6 "horn" dancers (who carry reindeer antlers radiocarbon dated to around 1065), and 4 "Supernumeraries": Maid Marian, the Hobby Horse, Robin Hood with bow and arrow, and a Fool (or boy) carrying a triangle. The dance was introduced to wider audiences by Cecil Sharp, who observed it in 1911. All attendees at the Thursday dance are invited to raise their "Horns" or dress as their favorite Supernumerary to join the onscreen dancers in performing the Bromley. There will be a special guest musician.
Thursday 18:00-19:00
The Couple Dance Ball will double as a concert with a wide variety of different dance tunes from waltz to schottische, tango to hambo, to prerecorded videos from past Hey Days staff and friends from all over (Fine Companions, A Joyful Noise, Peregrine Road, Roguery, Audrey Knuth and Jeff Spero, Betsy Branch and Mark Douglass, Bill and Susan Jensen and Anne Goess, Chip Prince, David Mostardi and Susan Worland, Gary Thomas and Lisa Doyle, Jonathan Jensen and Susan Brandt, Liam Berry and Ayla Manning, Rebecca King and Rodney Miller, Roland Clarke and Isabel Clarke, Sande Gillette and Alan Roberts, Shira Kammen and Jim Oakden) with dance demonstrators Marjorie Nugent and friends.
Saturday 18:00-19:00
Kalia Kliban will lead the Odd Sundays ECD with Rebecca King and Jon Berger playing live
Sunday 13:00-13:30 meet and greet; 13:30-14:30 dance
Music Sessions
Open to ALL
We will have two music sessions:
All Request ECD Tunes
Bring your instrument and play, dance along on your own, or just listen to a casual musical session. Using Barnes 1, 2, and 3, Rebecca King will lead the tunes, but feel free to lead one if you like. Everyone but the leader will be muted, so let those harmonies soar!
Friday 18:00-19:00
Morris Tunes
Come join in with Luke Hillman and the musicians of Berkeley Morris as they play morris tunes from the BerkMo repertoire in the traditions of Fieldtown, Bledington, Zoomington, and more! Dots and dance notes can be found at berkeleymorris.org.
Sunday 10:00-11:15
"Early Evening" Parties
Wine Tasting
BYOB and come join us with a favorite glass of wine (or beverage of your choice). We’ll explore our diverse tastes and swap stories. We’ll talk about California wine regions, and we’d love to hear about wine from where you live.
Hosted by Allen Dodson and Mike Silver, Thursday 17:15-18:00
Afternoon Tea
Bring your favorite cuppa and relax! Terri Akin and Alisa Dodson have some tea things to share with you, and Terri will acquaint you with some fascinating facts about tea you may not have heard before. We would also love to see your favorite teacup, mug, pot — whatever tea-related thing you treasure. Remember to wear a hat!
Hosted by Terri Akin and Alisa Dodson, Friday 17:15-18:00
Chocolate Tasting
This one’s for you, chocolate lovers! Bring chocolate to taste, and we will enjoy some time together in bliss. (Not a fan of chocolate? All people, all sweets welcome!) Brooke Friendly has some questions for you, and some knowledge to impart. We have some chocolate songs, too. Do you have a favorite recipe that uses chocolate? Bring it along!
Hosted by Brooke Friendly, and Alisa and Allen Dodson, Saturday 17:15-18:00
Farewell Happy Hour
Join us for
some relaxed social time as well as announcements of auction results and introduction of our 2022 dates and staff!
Sunday 17:15 until close
"Late Night" After-Parties and Gatherings
Game Night
Join your fellow campers and unwind with some easy games, large and small, collaborative and competitive. Access different parts of your brain ... and closets? Info for campers about all the fun choices for Game Night.
Hosted by Rachel Pusey and friends, Thursday 19:15 until close
Movie Night: Home and Away
We have taken advantage of the virtual environment to connect to more dance communities from around the world. We will start with Home: a retrospective of the Mendocino years, Hey Days at The Bishop's Ranch, and a Mummers Play from Hey Days 2015. Then we move Away: enjoy a selection of short videos made just for Hey Days by groups in France (Chestnut), Brisbane Australia, Kent UK, Victoria BC, and Manchester UK (Lemmings Reprieve).
Hosted by Loretta Guarino-Reid and Tom Colton, Friday 19:15 until close
Camper Gathering
Tonight we will gather to share our talents, tiny or otherwise! Do you have a short story to tell, a poem to read, a tune to play, a song to sing, a dance to show us, or something else to share? If so, please contact Alisa Dodson at alisa@capercat.com. If not, come to enjoy the large and tiny talents of your fellow 'campers'.
Alisa Dodson is the MC, Friday 19:15 until close
Video Shorts