Apr. 5-7: the 13th
Fool's Festival Dance Weekend -- a good time was had by all! Many, many
thanks to all the musicians, teachers, cooks, and staff who made it happen,
especially head fools Ann Whitley and Seth Tepfer and our three core Split Tree
ensemble musicians Alan Dynin, Dan Bowles and Tomas Valenti. Much new and
renewed energy was present. We planted Mary Lynn Dobson's 16 Black
Walnut
seedlings in a circle around the old split tree; out of the old comes the new.
And the proceeds from the volunteer talent and dancers paid off almost all of
our studio roof loan. The 1st Fool's School of Traditional Dance got
off to a good start with many compliments. A very happy time for Fool Sid.
See you next year. Photos, movies to come. (double click
to enlarge photos by Judy K Jones; upper, Fool's School dance class; lower, Sunday
am gospel sing).
See NY Times Travel Section Sunday, Mar. 24
article
on Split
Tree's Fool's Fest Dance Weekend
"It's
a grand day for dancing,
for dancin' and dancin' and dancing,
So come to the Fool's Fest while ye may,
And dance all night and all day...."
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Take the
Fool's Step 
April 5 - 7 at
the
F oo
l's
Fest
2002
Dance
Weekend
"We're fools
whether we dance or not, so we may as well dance." -- Japanese
saying
at Split
Tree Farm Studio 
in the northwest Georgia mountains
two hours north of Atlanta near Chattanooga
with
Head Fools
Seth Tepfer & Ann Whitley
&
the Split Tree Ensemble of musical jesters
Tomas
Valenti, Ann Whitley, Robert Jamison,
Alan Dynin, Dan Bowles, Joy Hughes,
Rich Restiano ,Ed Edmonson (piano and sound),
& other motley guest musicians and performers
&
for contras Brasstown's "Big
Red and
the Boom Chicks"
Linda Allen, Molly Robinson,
Mike Robinson & Gladys Eichenberger
& Atlanta's "Up in
the Air" with
Brian Baker, Jenny Dukes, Bill Porter, John Dixon
& the Fool's School fallible faculty
Manuel & Rhonda Patino, Seth Tepfer,
Bonnie Mitchell, Jim Bird, Kelly Arsenalt,
Eric Evers, Dan Smith, Brie Finegold & more
Welcome letter
to Inductees into the Year 2002 Split Tree Society of Fools
Schedule
(subject to changes; some performances at unexpected moments)
Friday: Gathering of the Foolish
12- 8 pm Come early and help get the place ready; or the
night before
6-9
Registration, tent setup and
potluck dinner ($3
for Chef Vicki's soup pot)
6-8 Partner Dancing -- Recorded Swing,
Waltz, Tango & More
(tutors for beginners will be available)
8-11 Fully
Foolish Contras & Waltzes, Seth Tepfer calling
with "Big Red and the Boom Chicks" & friends
11-1 am ...a little late night
music couples dancing, live and recorded
Saturday: The Fool's Way School of Traditional Dance:
A Meandering
Non-linear History of Dance from no-step to eight-step and back to no-step for
curious, adventurous dance fools. The
true voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands
but in seeing with new eyes". -- Marcel Proust
Times and dances subject to change. Take a chance; try the
fool's way to dance bliss.
Here's Atlanta dancer and therapist Jim Bird's
answer to Sid's question about his take on teaching steps the
"fool's way": "The unique idea of teaching dances by emphasizing the number of sequential
foot movements rather than beats to the bar just may help people learn in an
unexpected way. Possibly, this method may engage more of the right side of
the brain and allow the learning to slip in from a new direction. Usually, in
learning new dances, the left brain is totally in control with counting and
memorization of patterns. By teaching several supposedly disparate dances
(e.g., Salsa, Zydeco, Waltz) during the same time, we might just confound the
left brain enough to allow for some surprise and creativity. Either that or
people will run screaming down the mountainside. Assuming they stop short of
the creek, that too could be a nice addition to Fools' Fest. But seriously
folks, assuming fools can be serious fools, comparing and contrasting different
dances in the same lesson may just be delightfully entertaining and
productive. With that said, my left brain is satisfied."
See notes
on common dance types and styles from NYC's
Dancesport ballroom studio
8-9
Breakfast buffet
9--Morning No-step: Yoga
Warm-up w/Eric (exercise clothing recm'd)
Session One-step: Smooth Merengue w/Jim
and Bonnie; Ragtime with Sid
Two-step: Hoppin' Polka with Seth Tepfer, Cajun two-step with
Ann Whitney
Back
to No/Any-step: Poetic Dancing with Jim & Bonnie--
bringing
it all together by blending music, moment, mood, body.
5 -6
Open dancing to live and recorded music
Caution: Expect this Fool's School experiment to flow and evolve and
connect dancers and floor and music and mood. Special musicians
needed. Special dancers needed. Beginner's mind
essential.
1-3 ....
The
Particulars
Cost:
Total weekend adult donation: $60; please give more if you can for the
new insulated studio roof, dancing, music, calling, instruction,
farm, lodging. Children over 12 donate $20 for the weekend plus $6/food)
for weekend; all children must be supervised. Tax-deductible checks can be made
to Southern Pitch, Inc, an IRS-approved non-profit arts support organization
which nurtures organizations like the Split Tree School of Participatory Arts.
Weekend Food:
(optional) is a low-budget $15 per person for the weekend, includes five meals Sat/Sun.
Children over 12 pay $6 for food. Food is the only optional cost.
Single dance tickets are available: $15/evenings; $8/half days; food optional
but registration needed by 4/2/02 if meals desired; single meals $5 each with
advance notice or potluck without notice. For Friday night, bring your picnic or contribute $3 to Chef Vicki's hot
soup crock pot fund.
Lodging: Split
Tree has limited house beds (most saved for FF artists/staff) and house floor space but has ample studio floor space and also tent shelter in a large
barn next to the studio. No extra lodging charge for this Fool's Fest weekend. For more privacy you can camp on 200 acres of woods and pasture in
the NW Georgia mountains, which most dancers have come to enjoy and reserve
their favorite spots. Bring usual camping supplies: bedding, towels,
soap, flashlight, rain gear, etc. RVs are welcome but only a few
electrical outlets are available; .
Off-campus housing info: http://www.splittree.org/housing.htm.
The Key West Inn near LaFayette (10 miles, special STF price of
$45/night/couple) and Hidden Hollow
Inn (4 miles; make early reservation) are recommended. A Day's Inn is next
to the Key West Inn.
General Considerations:
Weekend pre-registration is required but last-minute dancers may call during the weekend to learn if space is available.
Paired (buddy) registration is very strongly encouraged for gender balance,
but come anyway, with or without a partner. Open registration means there may be, although not necessarily and not
historically, more women than men and therefore, women, please recruit some of
those "must dance with" or "shy but intriguing" guys to even
things up. Fair warning dancers: If
a serious gender imbalance develops, then we will not register singles of either gender
until a closer balance is gained; this will be announced on the registration
page and web flyer and on registration confirmations. So...please
sign up as a couple just for the dancing.
Dancers
are all asked to help preserve our beautiful hard wood floor by wearing clean non-street,
non-marking, soft-sole shoes; bowling shoes are great and low-cost. Children must be supervised at all times; no underage
foolishness allowed for the safety of all concerned. No pets or
alcohol are allowed. Avoid strong perfumes/fragrances. We believe
social dance may reduce or even stop nicotine addiction over time, and so
smoking is allowed for humanitarian reasons for the addicted but only away from
all non-smokers and buildings--no ifs, ands...or butts.
Your ticket cost of $60/person includes all music,
instruction, food and sleeping space in the house, studio, floor, barn or
pasture tenting. It can be made tax-deductible (see registration form).
Last year's Fool's Fest generated $2,800 net. The "Cool Studio" Nov. 1999
weekend generated $12,000, thanks to a $5,000 challenge grant from dancer
Phillip Garrison in Berkeley, Calif. under the leadership of Stanford dance
historian Richard
Powers. However, building one of the country's finest social and modern
dance studios has cost more than anticipated and a $5,000 loan was taken out to
finish the work during the summer of 2485 and our goal is to raise enough to pay
this off.
We are inviting musicians, callers, performers, artists, teachers to
contribute their talents for this now traditional weekend of a variety of dance
genres that have changed each year from FF's 1990 premier near Split Tree studio
but that will include traditional contra, swing/Lindy, salsa, unstrictly
ballroom, live or recorded Cajun/Zydeco, waltz, contact improvisation, etc.
Expect surprise
musical and dance combinations in our various Split Tree ensembles and also
special performances.
Directions:
Detailed directions available from web site, or call 706/539-2485 if no web
access.
Split
Tree General Information Maps,
Directions Lodging Chattanooga
Weather
Receive a free
"live at the studio" Split Tree Waltzes CD with $100 FF weekend
donation
Print/Email Registration form (please
use electronic registration or,
if it's easier for
you, email info below to Margaret
Frederick at registrationff2002 [@] splittree.org
or mail this completed portion
w/check to: 597 W. Cove Road, Chickamauga, GA 30707.
Make check payable to Fool's Fest 2002/Split Tree Farm.
As of Apr. 1, you may pay at the door
instead of mailing a check. Please note this on e-registration.
Date:____________________
Name/s: ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________(age if under
12)
Street Address
_________________________________________________________
City_________________________
State__________ Zip ___________________
Phone: ______________________
Email:_______________________________
We will send an email confirming your registration or will call with
confirmation. Or, you can call Margaret or Sid at 706/539-2485 or if busy, 706/539-2485 and register by phone.
You also can pay STF by phone with your credit card--MC/Visa.
Link
to Electronic Registration Form and to PayPal link
Adults Tuition:* #_______ [@] $60 each = $____
Adult Meals:* #_______ [@] $15/person
= $_______ (5 wknd meals for $15 total--optional)
Child Tuition: * #_______ [@] $20 each =
$_______ (under 12 years)
Child Meals: * #_______ [@] $6/person
= $_______ (5 wknd meals) (over 12 years--optional)
Reserve a "Live at Split Tree Waltzes" CD for me yes _____ no ______
($10 or free with minimum $100 tuition donation that does not include food)
Note: Children must be supervised at all times and we do not have
child-care at this time. We welcome children yet we ask parents to use
good judgment in allowing children to dance in contra lines. If requested,
we can set aside one or two contras for beginners and families if enough
experienced dancers will assist.
Total $ Enclosed ___________ Number persons:________
For a tax-deductible donation, make check payable to: Southern Pitch,
Inc./Split Tree Fund; meals not tax-deductible, and mail to above address.
Single dance tickets are available if not sold out: $15/evenings; $8/half days; food optional
but registration needed by 4/2/02 if meals desired; single meals $5 each with
advance notice or potluck without notice.
Lodging plans (indicate # beside each
choice):
_____ Barn space (a mattress of wood shavings)
_____ Pasture tenting
_____ Motel/BnB, Click for nearby Lodgings
_____ House (all beds are held until volunteer artists/staff advise
needs; a few may be available as of 4/1/02)
_____ Studio/house floor space (ample room for sleeping bag/air mattress)
_____ Other?______________
FLIGHT INFO:
Nearest public airport is Chattanooga (45 minutes); Atlanta, Birmingham,
Nashville, Knoxville airports are about 2-3 hours and usually some rides can be
found with the help of dancers in nearby cities.
Join
the Split Tree Fool's Hall of Fame by contributing $250 or more--see current HF
Fool photos
Link to previous FF/ other STF weekends flyers.
Link
to photo page with ff99 and ff00.
Photos
of Fool's Hall of Fame for $250+ contributors
History
of the Fool's Fest and First 1990 Fool's Fest Dawn Dance Flyers
a
Fool's History of How Contra Dancing Got Its Name
"All
I Really Need to Know I Learned at Contra Dancing," by
Ginger Pyron
Split Tree is
supported in part by Southern Pitch, Inc. and other generous supporters of the
social and participatory arts.
Thanks to Bart Ruark, creator of Dance Vortex, for designing the new
electronic registration form and updating our email mailing lists, and to Steve
and Vicki Herndon for the food and to Steve for web page assistance.
Split Tree announcements are made by email only to those who are
interested and anyone receiving emails who does not want them should
notify: sid [@] splittree.org with the
word REMOVE in the subject line.
Guest Book Sign
Up for STF Email Lists
Visitors: 
Updated: 07/06/05 Return to Home Page
Split
Tree General Information Maps,
Directions Lodging Chattanooga
Weather
Link to
Adobe PDF
file for printing one page FF 2002 flyers for copying/distribution
Fool's Fest is a
production of the Split Tree School of Participatory Arts
Split Tree Farm
597 West Cove Road
Chickamauga, GA 30707
Tel: 706.539.2485
Apr. 5-7: the 13th
Fool's Festival Dance Weekend -- a good time was had by all! Many, many
thanks to all the musicians, teachers, cooks, and staff who made it happen,
especially head fools Ann Whitley and Seth Tepfer and our three core Split Tree
ensemble musicians Alan Dynin, Dan Bowles and Tomas Valenti. Much new and
renewed energy was present. We planted Mary Lynn Dobson's 16 Black
Walnut
seedlings in a circle around the old split tree; out of the old comes the new.
And the proceeds from the volunteer talent and dancers paid off almost all of
our studio roof loan. The 1st Fool's School of Traditional Dance got
off to a good start with many compliments. A very happy time for Fool Sid.
See you next year. Photos, movies to come. (double click
to enlarge photos by Judy K Jones; upper, Fool's School dance class; lower, Sunday
am gospel sing).
