Re: klez kamp 2003

[AGREENBA <AGREENBA...>]

Okay, I'll chime in here as well since some have asked offline for a "review."

Of particular success this year for me as an ensemble teacher was that 
students were well matched up in abilities. This only means a more successful 
experience for everyone, teacher and students. There were also instrument 
classes for beginners  and then for the more advanced. This meant that we 
would either address the ornaments or the modes for the first time or we 
could move on to placement of the ornaments, air/bow speed, emotional 
qualities in the tone, or the varying of melodic figures. Hopefully, then, no 
one was upset that the material was either too easy or too difficult to 
grasp. No one needed to feel that they were in the wrong place for them and 
the teachers, for the most part, didn't feel they were keeping pace with a 
broad range of abilities. All to the good. 

Moods were supremely upbeat overall and I think that had something to do with 
the dancing being very alive this year. Lots of it! And the bands kept moving 
so that it wasn't "Chassidic Night" or Yiddish Dance night but rotated each 
evening. We did lots of "aerobic" dances with Jill (she doesn't stop!) and 
Steve taught us a great new dance "Pas D'Espan" which goes with a Tarras tune 
in 3/8. The couples Bulgar was also reviewed for those who hadn't done it 
before or forgot - like me. Overall, the dancing was simply incredible.  The 
teens were really into it and made us older folk try and keep up! It was like 
getting a free week at the gym - and far more fun than a treadmill ANY day!

The jams were indeed everywhere and, well, some instruments are louder than 
others and frankly, when the spirit hits, ya can't complain. If there were 
smaller areas to retreat to - that weren't also horribly freezing - then all 
could be happy. Frankly, I loved hearing and seeing so much jamming; there 
seemed to be more than in some of the previous years. 

18 years of success is no small accomplishment, especially when you see 1/2 
of the people returning year after year. HS, SM, DP and supporting cast have 
a lot to be proud of. 

Adrianne- klezflute -Greenbaum -who -is -finally -caught- up- on -sleep

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