NGI Recipient: Jessica Kittel
Session Attended: Folk Arts Center of New England - FAC Weekend (2016)
Thank you to the New Generations Initiative program and the Folk Arts Center of New England for making it possible for me to attend the FAC International folk dance and music weekend program. I had more fun and learned more than I could have hoped.
While not a completely new dancer overall, I am very new to International dance, having attended my first class since this past December. FAC at Pinewoods served to strengthen my interest and dance ability significantly. I attended party prep daily to ensure that I’d know at least a few dances in the evening. I also thoroughly enjoyed classes on French Canadian set and step and dances from the Balkans, Western Europe and the Caucuses. The teachers were excellent and the community was supportive; other campers were encouraging and helped me through dances during the evening program. And then there were the social hours and post-dance parties, which all had such good food, music and company. Pinewoods itself is beautiful.
To anyone considering this session at camp, I cannot recommend it enough. I’m already looking forward to going back in following years. Thank you so much for this opportunity!