Beyond learning individual dance moves, the dance camp classes at Rockbrook also prepare girls for a performance presented at the end of each camp session. These dance routines are learned and practiced by the 3 different age groups at camp and are always very fun for the girls.
Dance the 80s
What do you do when you need a camp dance idea, something to mix things up a bit and get the girls excited? This past summer, one of our favorite dance nights was when we all flashed back to the 1980s. Through music, costumes, dance steps, even pop phrases, we went back in time and held our favorite retro decade dance party. Looking the part is half the fun, with baggy t-shirts hung from one shoulder, jazzercise tights and sweat bands, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and lots, and lots of really big hair. It was so fun to see the girls really get into it. Plus, for some reason, this girls knew a lot of 80s songs— 867-5309 Jenny, Mickey, I Want Candy, Lucky Star, etc. (Hmmm, now that I think about it, maybe they’ve been watching the TV show Glee…?). They also could bust out a bunch of dance moves from the 80s, like the Thriller dance for example. By the end of the night everyone was hot and sweaty, but also really enjoying themselves.
Oh, I forgot to mention that there weren’t any boys at the dance. This was an all Rockbrook, all girls dance, and probably even more fun because of it!
Camp Dance
Today, Saturday, was a regular day of activities in the morning and an all-camp activity in the afternoon called “Counselor Hunt.” There’s a long tradition of this event where once a session the whole camp essentially plays hide and seek, with the counselors hiding and the campers seeking. The game happens within the core part of the camp (not within the entire 215 acres!), but still there are loads of hiding places. And, of course, this is another oppo0rtunity to dress up. Today we had the cabin groups dressing alike (one transformed themselves into Ninjas!) and the counselors wearing their best camouflage. Each counselor is worth a certain number of points, 100 for each year they’ve been to camp. This makes some counselors worth a lot when they are found; Christine carried 1600 points, for example. It’s fun to see the cabin groups dashing about the camp, and to hear the shouts when they bag a counselor. I think a saw a couple of cakes for the top few winning cabin groups.
 |  |  |
After dinner, we had our first camp dance of the summer. We loaded all of our girls up in buses and vans to make the short (6 mile) drive to High Rocks Camp for Boys. This was a square dance held outdoors on the tennis courts. When they first heard about this plan, some of the older girls didn’t quite know what to think since square dancing isn’t exactly “cool” these days, but once we got there, heard the music and saw that everyone, even the boys, was participating, they really had a good time. Being such a group phenomenon, there really isn’t much girl/boy pressure, and everyone swings a partner, holds a hand in the circle, and learns to do-si-do. It’s surprisingly fun to learn the moves, try them out together, and laugh when you mess up. We took a break part way through for cookies and lemonade, with a couple of dances to close out the evening. Oh, and by the way, for those girls who didn’t want to participate in the dance, we had an alternative; a couple of counselors hung out with them and made friendship bracelets while listening to the music. It was an exciting evening with lots of smiles and good feelings all around.
We Love Camp Dances!
It’s been a long tradition at Rockbrook to spend an evening or two each session having a camp dance with a local boys camp. Just like in the movies, our girls will travel over to the boys camp, or the boys will come over to Rockbrook. We’ll set up a sound system in the gym, get dressed up and dance around to music selected by the CITs. Over at High Rocks, the boys camp over the mountain from us, we held the dance last summer, which was a square dance, outside on their tennis courts. When we go to Camp Carolina, the other boys camp in town, they clear out their dining hall for the dancing.
These dances are always very exciting for the girls, partly because they are so infrequent, but also because they involve boys. Since Rockbrook is an all girls camp, having boys around is infrequent too! Of course this can make things a little nervous and awkward at first, but once everyone gets moving, both the girls and the boys relax and have fun.
When you’re really dancing, it’s all smiles. We love camp dances! 
You Can Dance
Dance, Dance, every day! Yes, you can because the overnight summer camps dance program at Rockbrook includes our scheduled dance activity. Camp girls of all ages sign up for the classes down in the Lakeview Lodge (seen here in this photo). One side of the lodge is mirrors and the hardwood floor is perfect for all kinds of dancing: Jazz, Hip Hop, Latin, Country, even some Irish now and then. Of course, the dance instructors will be ready to show you plenty of new cool moves. And don’t forget the great exercise you get zooming around.
Can you imagine it? It’s lots of fun.
Summer's Time for Dancing
You just never know when the Rockbrook girls will be ready to perform! Here’s a group of “Juniors” (K-4th graders) down at the lake showing off some of the moves they’ve been learning at the dance activity. At a summer youth camp for girls, it seems dance and dancing is always just a moment away.
Weisstronauts: Live at Rockbrook !!
We’ve been meaning to post something about this all summer, but only just now sat down to do it. Back in June we had the awesome instrumental rock band The Weisstronauts play a show at camp. Pete Weiss, who fronts the band, and who knew Jeff from his Chicago days (the early 1990s!), had an open tour date, and everything worked out for the Rockbrook girls to have a rockin’ dance party. Dance contests, limbo competitions, conga lines — it was non-stop action!
The band’s music is a little hard to describe, but you take 3 electric guitars, bass, drums and the occasional “accent” instrument and roll out surf, country, spy, psychedelia and rock styles. Very danceable, very up-tempo, tight playing, and fun through and through.
Head on over to the Weisstronauts’ MySpace page and you can hear the leading track, “Fisticuffs,” from their new CD Instro-tainment. You’ll enjoy it. Promise.
And here’s one more treat. During the show at Rockbrook, the band recorded some video, and now Pete has put together a music video that uses some of that footage. Take a look and you’ll see RBC! The song is “Seven-X’s,” also from the new CD, and the old-looking footage in the video is from the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. Very Cool.
Summer Dance Camp
Dance continues to be one of the more popular summer camp activities we offer at Rockbrook. The stone “Lakeview Lodge” (shown in this picture) is set up for dancing— one wall with mirrors, a good smooth wood floor, and plenty of space to move around in. Girls love it because no matter how much you know about different kinds of dance (for example, Jazz, Tap, Irish, Hip Hop, Modern, or Abstract!), you’ll find something fun to try. The counselors are great at picking dances appropriate to the age and experience of each camper. Another chance at camp to be creative, learn something, and have big fun with your friends!
Dance Summer Camp
One of the activities at camp that’s always popular is dance. It’s held in one of the historic stone lodges we’ve outfitted with mirrors on one end. In addition to playing games, we teach a wide range of dance genres from Jazz to Pop, Hip-hop and different forms of ballroom dancing. Last year, Kalin taught traditional Irish Folk Dancing too. Then at the end of each session, the campers put on a dance show for the whole camp. It’s casual and fun… and a great way to learn a few new moves.
