Skill Levels
The mission of Earful of Fiddle Music & Dance Camp is the perpetuation of community-based entertainment, by and for the people. These music and dance traditions have historically been shared informally at music parties and holiday potluck suppers, invoking a heritage of “do-it-yourself” as common and vital as the joy we experience with simultaneous sound and gesture. In a fast-changing postmodern world, Earful of Fiddle chooses to celebrate strings, rhythms, and percussive dance. Deep down, we affirm that being part of our global music party is as good as it gets. To construct the most efficient schedule of instruction we ask that you self-select one of the three skill levels: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Familiarize yourself with levels and please identify your course of study and skill level when you register.
Beginner
Students will either have a variety of dance shoes or a ready-to-play instrument. Prior to Camp it is a good idea to find an opportunity to watch string players play or dancers dance. Your nearest community dance organization would be a good place to start. Contacts for Director of Dance Nic Gareiss and Director of Strings Bruce Bauman appear on this website. For youngsters this is a time to involve parents. Ideas for beginners can be found on You Tube, too.
Intermediate
Instruction is for those ready to build speed, confidence, and improving consistency with feet or strings. Students at this level will be challenged to identify the building blocks of tunes, songs and dance vocabularies, and then assemble them as part of a group into a living work of art. These folks will be found leaning in and engaging in music & dance sessions. This is where playing by ear and dancing feet to feet is most important.
Folks who have many years of experience and attend camp for technical and stylistic lessons. Such lessons will boost one’s skill set to enhance any traditional session. Perhaps a session is something new to the advanced participant. Such an individual will easily become assimilated as a session leader.