Hello! You are receiving this email because you are a contact for the CDSS Affiliate Country Dance and Song Society. If this is incorrect, please email mreyna@cdss.org, and we will update our records. Thank you!

Meet our new Affiliate Coordinator, Matt Reyna!

We are excited introduce Matt as the new go-to person for affiliates and organizers! Matt comes to us with a background in fine arts, community arts, public garden management, and informal adult education. He is passionate about fostering joy, wonder, and human connection through community song and dance. A lover of many traditions, Matt's been a participant, founder, and board member in various dance and song communities.

As Affiliate Coordinator, Matt will administer our existing affiliation, insurance, and 501(c)(3) services (previously covered by Ben*), develop and curate useful resources for organizers, and design new programs to help CDSS Affiliates thrive, grow, and overcome obstacles. Matt lives and works in New Orleans, but in July and August, he will be will be at Pinewoods Camp, leading the summer admin team there!

Feel free to reach out to Matt!

mreyna@cdss.org

413-203-5467 x109

*Ben Williams is shifting his focus to publications, podcasts, and our online store.

Create New Leaders at Camp

Registration is open for our summer camps in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania! Camps provide high-quality instruction for new and experienced callers, musicians, and organizers from some of the best teachers we know. We aim for participants to go home at the end of the week feeling inspired and bringing new skills back to their local communities.

As a CDSS Affiliate, there are two ways you can help people who are active in your local communities get to camp:

Priority Admission: Nominate them for priority admission in our camp lottery

Each CDSS Affiliate may designate up to two people to receive priority admission to any camp session(s). Priority admission nominations are due March 16. We guarantee up to eight spaces per session for affiliate nominations. 

Matching Scholarship: Support them financially by offering a scholarship for CDSS to match

CDSS matches contributions made by affiliates sending their members to camps, up to half of the standard camper fee — if your group can cover half of the fee, then the camper's fee will be covered! Matching scholarship funds are reserved for those with financial need. You can submit a matching scholarship request any time. Our first round of allocations starts right after the lottery, so apply by March 16 for the best chance.

Find more info and application forms here (click the magenta "Affiliates at Camp" square).

Intensive Courses

All of our camp programs provide an immersive and educational experience, but we also run special courses for more intensive instruction in a smaller group.

Contra Dance Musicians Course

with Brian Lindsay and Alex Sturbaum (of Countercurrent)

at Dance, Music & Spice

June 14-21, Camp Cavell, Michigan

Community Culture & Safety Toolkit

New for organizers! The Community Culture & Safety Toolkit is a comprehensive guide to help organizers develop the policies, procedures, and supporting documents needed to understand and facilitate safety in their communities. Topics include creating a statement of community values, code of conduct, and etiquette guidelines; establishing protocols for handling complaints and infractions; and evaluating the safety of a physical space. The toolkit also includes bonus guides on facilitating community meetings, role terminology, and managing chemical sensitivities. Check it out at cdss.org/toolkit.

Renewals Opening Next Month

Renewal time is coming soon! We're excited to continue connecting and providing resources to you all as we look at what the year ahead holds.

We plan to open affiliate renewals during first week of April and will be asking all affiliates to renew before May 1. We'll email you when renewals are open with instructions on how to renew.

The process will be the same as last year, using our combined pricing system: all your services, including 501(c)(3) coverage and insurance, are renewed at the same time. We'll have an easy online form to fill out, including the ability to pay by check, or you can download a hard copy to send in. More details coming soon!

We Want to Visit You!

The Executive Committee of the CDSS Board sends a big thank you to Philadelphia-area communities for hosting our traveling meeting this spring. Shout out to the organizing team and these local affiliates!

Want us to visit you? Let us know!

Research Study on Contra Callers

Here is an academic study on contra dance callers that you can share with callers in your community. (CDSS is not involved in this research; we are just passing it along!)

Study Title: Exploring Knowledge Practices of Callers as Core Practitioners of Gender-Free Contra Dance

Principal Investigator Name: L.P. Coladangelo (PhD Candidate), Dr. Lala Hajibayova (Advisor)

You are being invited to participate in a research study about gender-free contra dance callers that is being conducted by L.P. Coladangelo at Kent State University. This study has been approved by the Kent State University IRB.

Participation is confidential and involves answering a questionnaire that will take 30-45 minutes.

Eligible participants need only be over the age of 18 and currently identify as a contra dance caller.

All participants who complete the survey will be part of a drawing to win one of two $50 Visa Gift Cards.

If you wish to participate in this study, please click here.

Camp photo by Jeff Bary. Countercurrent photo courtesy of Countercurrent. Laptop art by Rawpixel on Freepik. Philadelphia dance photo by Jeff Bary. Microphones art by Upklyak on Freepik.