Fine Companions FAQs
- Will the dances be taught? I’m rusty and my partner hasn’t danced a lot of English Country.
Yes the dances will be taught – during the two daytime dance classes and the evening dances. Our caller David Millstone is designing programs to build in vocabulary and patterns starting the first morning – so don’t miss that session!
- Why are there only two things offered at each class period?
This is part of the more casual schedule that we are testing out at this session. People have the option to be elsewhere–canoeing, playing tunes, or napping.
- What is the Archives Workshop being offered?
Discover how your personal Pinewoods experience can be part of our archived camp history as we celebrate our Pinewoods Centennial Summer. This participatory workshop will be offered at many camp sessions during the summers of 2025 and 2026. Join us for an opportunity to share and learn as we identify, record, write, talk, reminisce, and laugh together. We’ll explore photos from the Pinewoods archives and from other collections. We’ll gather your Pinewoods stories and memories to archive in the StoryCorps collection at the Library of Congress. And we’ll explore the ways you can contribute your own original songs, dances, writings, photos, video or other artwork to Pinewoods to create a snapshot of who we are today. Come learn more about how you can share your love of Pinewoods and contribute to its history!
- What is the Memory Roundtable?
This is an opportunity to gather with fellow campers to share memories and stories of memorable moments, escapades, people, and changes at Pinewoods.
- How much dancing is scheduled?
On Wednesday and Thursday, there will be two hour-long dances during the day and an hour and 45 minute dance in the evening.
- Will there be opportunities to play or call for a dance?
Musicians who would like to play for an English dance, along with Alchemy, can attend a brief “rehearsal” just before the afternoon dance class each day, to prepare an arrangement to play for the first dance of that class period. The tunes will be shared in advance.
In addition, if there is sufficient interest, there could be a camper-led dance from 9:45 – 10:45 on Wednesday evening.
- What is the weather like at Pinewoods in June?
Weather varies greatly in early June. Temperatures can range as low as mid-50s and occasionally reach into the low 90s. In other words: watch the forecast, pack with layers, bring rain gear and warm bedding, and know that the ponds will be cooler in early summer.
- I haven’t been to Pinewoods in many years. What will look different?
Much will look the same. Our Historic Landmark buildings are kept in good shape.
Carefully designed landscaping uses native plants. Walk past the octagonal store and notice the planting in the Square down to the rebuilt (higher ceiling) Ampleforth and “new” entrance to the “new” Program office.
An expanded Dining Hall offers a large area for serving and alternative food offerings, bathrooms, and an outdoor handwashing station. There are more bathrooms and showers, more marble machines.
The forest itself is changing. However, it is still more forested than in the early days of Camp before our time.
The largest pavilion has gone through many changes. Enlarged over time and raised up off the ground, it now has a deep deck in front with benches, drinking fountains, and a water bottle filling station. Thanks in part to a generous donor and new for the 2025 season, we have bathrooms at the back of the pavilion. It also sports a newly repaired and expanded roof. The pavilion has a new name representing the broader dance community who is already sharing the space as we move into the second hundred years of Pinewoods. The new name, Hands Across, refers to various dance moves, standing in a circle singing, and sharing traditions across generations. It takes practice getting used to saying it. Newcomers and our children’s children have no trouble. Its pavilion sibling down the path is now Pine Hollow taken from the geologic location and the standing trees around it.
- Where is Pinewoods Camp remembering the influence of Cecil Sharp on the founders of Pinewoods Camp?
There will be a physical Timeline of Pinewoods Camp history on the cement wall outside the Camphouse for this Centennial year. Included will be short biographical sketches of a few people essential to the founding and first 25 years of Pinewoods including Helen O. Storrow, Lily Roberts Conant, Cecil Sharp, John Raymond, Richard Conant, May Gadd, and Phil Merrill. The on-line version, built over time, will add more people —for example, Jeanne Roberston Buchanan Charmichael and Marianne Taylor, and eventually, longer pieces on the original group.