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Asheville's Summer Contra Jam
August 23,24,25
2013

 

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Splash Dance 2013 Registration is Open!

Same Pricing, with Bed & Breakfast Option and Thursday/Sunday night option! See Prices

Or just get on the Splash Dance email list! Mailing List (registering puts you on automatically)

Questions? Comments? Contact Us!

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2012 Music Video -- Highlight clips/photos of the whole weekend set to a sound track recorded live at the Sunday afternoon contra, featuring the Open Jam Band playing the Indian Point Jig. Bob Kirkman, Roger Gold and Paul Moore leading the open band. (3:33) See more videos, photos here.

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Musicians! Callers! Dancers!

Splash Dance is a laid-back end-of-summer weekend of good food, musical jamming and contra dancing, all by the shore of the inviting lake at Camp Merri-Mac.

Dancers — dance to the area's best musicians working with new and upcoming talent, creating wondrous 'big band' sounds from a stage full of musicians. The program has three contra dances, Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon, and a variety of other dances, including English, barn and square, swing on the beach and late night blues (really this year! it's devolved into swing the last two, but we're really really doing blues this year!)

Musicians — play and jam with the best. The open contra jams will be led by performing musicians from our fabulous local and regional bands, such as:

Hot Sonata, Fine Companions, Dancing Bears, Fly the Tune, Boom Chuck, Curious George,
The Avant Gardners, The Euphoria String Band, Steam Shovel and the Atlanta Community Contra Band.

There are additional opportunities to play at the other dances, (square, English and barn), waltzes, swing on the beach, late night blues and informal jams.

Join the music group by sending an email to: splashdancemusic+subscribe@googlegroups.com. Let us know the tunes you know and want to play, and not just for the evening contras. If you want to play the waltzes, list those, and if you want to play in the afternoon swing jam, and/or the late night blues, list those tunes as well.

Callers —Diane Silver will be coordinating the calling in advance to provide a fluid and varied program for the dancers. So if you want to call, please let Diane know, as she will be scheduling the Fri/Sat slots in advance. Caller Coordinator.

all — enjoy a wonderful weekend of participant-driven workshops, music, relaxation and dance.

Bring your family as well, let the children enjoy the beach and various supervised activities while the musicians, callers and dancers enjoy the synergistic pleasures of the dance.

Splash Dance is always such a great weekend. Fantastic dancing with great community band members and callers. Delicious food and plenty of it from Harriete Bugel and True Color Cooking. A great waterfront for cooling off and playing. Jam sessions, workshops, a drum circle with s'mores and a great community atmosphere with some of the best folks in the world - all for a very reasonable price. -- Ann Freeman

When?

2013 August 23, 24, 25. Registration and swimming open Friday at 4pm.

Who?

People. Any sort of people, but no pets.

Activities?

• Lots of dancing -- contra, waltz, swing on the beach, late night blues. With one exception, the dances are intended for adults and youth seriously interested in dance. Part of the Sunday morning dance is intended for dancers of all ages.
• Youth activities -- there is full range of professionally supervised activities planned for the youth during the dance times.
• Musical jams -- both at the dances and around the camp. Bring your instruments and calling cards.
• Workshops -- led by musicians, dancers, callers and whoever is so inspired. Bring your drums! If you want to lead a workshop, let us know!
• Swimming -- bring floats, noodles etc..
• Follies -- an adhoc show on the beach by whoever wants to participate.

If you're interested in calling, playing music, running workshops, send a message to 'Splash Dance' using the contact form.

Schedule?

Click here to see last year's schedule. If you've got comments or suggestions for this year, please let us know: contact us.

Food?

Friday dinner -- either on your own or bring a picnic style meal to enjoy at the camp, but there is no kitchen access on Friday night.

Satuday and Sunday breakfast and lunch -- provided at the dining hall, the illustrious Harriette Bugel of True Color Cooking in charge.

Saturday dinner -- pot luck. Bring your offering on Friday when you register and we will keep it in the large walk-in refrigerators in the camp kitchen. There will be time Saturday for any kitchen prep work that is required for your dish. Bring plenty, the leftovers will be lunch on Sunday.

Lodging?

Merri-Mac (see photos) is a girls' camp with rustic cabins scattered about and more beds than we can have dancers. For Splash Dance there are cabins designated for men, women, co-ed, and family. When you arrive you'll see which cabins are assigned, pick one with the mix you want, go there with your own bedding and pick a bunk.

Camp sites are also available.

Or look for hotels in Black Mountain, NC, or friends in the Asheville dance community.

Weather in the NC mountains is variable.
Layering is recommended. Bring outdoor clothing, flashlight, swim things, warm coat, rain gear, squirt guns, etc. Also drums and a t-shirt to silk screen.

Volunteering?

Splash Dance is an all volunteer dance, with musicians, callers, workers all giving of their time to make this event happen. Everyone is expected to help out during the weekend with housekeeping, kitchen, hall set-up, and other fun things. There will be a sign up sheet at registration to choose jobs and times. First come first serve.

We also need a few people to help set up on Thursday and early Friday before the dance. Please let us know if you're available to help.

Camp Taxis?

Automobiles need to be kept in the assigned parking areas and brought to the camp only for loading and unloading. However, we know there are some who are not as mobile as others and would prefer to have access to their car. If you are one of these people let us know, and, if you're willing we will also make you an un-official camp taxi to give others rides as need be.

Cost? Same Pricing ... Bed & Breakfast option, Thursday/Sunday night options

Camp Merri-Mac charges us separately for day visits and overnight stays. For that reason we have separate pricing for the full weekend of day/evening activities, and for staying overnight. Breakfast is included in the overnight option, the bed & breakfast, but local folks not staying at the camp are welcome to join us for breakfast as well.

There are those out-of-town folks who want to include two local contra dances in their trip, the Thursday Night OFB Dance at Warren Wilson College, and/or the Monday Night Dance at the Grey Eagle in Asheville. For those folks we offer additional Thursday and/or Sunday lodging.

Pre-registration is for the full weekend only. Single event/day passes will be available at the door pending availability.

Scholarships are available as well. Send a request to 'Splash Dance' using the contact form.

* Donations -- We try to keep Splash Dance as affordable as possible, and if you are in a position to make an additional donation helps us in achieving that goal.

Where?

Camp Merri-Mac
1123 Montreat Road,
Black Mountain, NC 28711

From Asheville, go east on Interstate 40, get off at Black Mountain, exit 64, and turn left. Cross US 70 in downtown Black Mountain and you will be on Montreat Road. Merri-Mac is 1 1/4 miles from US 70 on the left.

From Hickory, go west on Interstate 40, get off at Black Mountain, exit 65. Turn right off of US 70 at the second light and you will be on Montreat Road. Merri-Mac is 1 1/4 miles from US 70 on the left.

Google Map

Questions?

Send us a message using the contact form or
Like the Facebook Page Splash Dance

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