Every summer, we put on a 5-day circle dance camp at a splendid private camp, 7,200 feet high in the Sequoia National Forest, adjoining Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Our 2003 camp was a huge success. In 2004, we will probably (dates not set until early 2004) meet at Camp Far Horizons on the late afternoon of a Wednesday in late June or early July, and camp will end after lunch on the following Sunday. The camp is about a five-hour drive from either Los Angeles or San Francisco, about an hour's drive east of Fresno. Carpooling is generally available. The costs are very modest: typically between $250 and $300 for comfortable accommodation (cabins or lodge rooms and apartments), full and excellent vegetarian meals, and the complete dance program. Details will be in our free newsletter. Subscribe to eMailing John: john@ursa.net.

Typical schedule . . . Each day begins with sunrise dancing, outside on Gwen's Rock, with its spectacular Sierra vistas: half an hour of gentle dances. This session ends just as the breakfast bell rings. After a hearty breakfast in the outdoor dining area (in 12 years, we've never been rained out!), there is a morning dance session, from about 10 am to noon, followed by lunch. The afternoons are always left free for individual activities: hiking, swimming, trips to the General Sherman tree (world's largest redwood), visiting the nearby Crystal Cave, relaxing, and, often, spontaneous dance sessions. Each day, just before dinner, we spend about 15 minutes learning Tulum Havasi, the long and splendid Turkish harvest dance. After dinner, each evening, there is a scheduled dance program, indoors, in the Lodge, often followed by a more informal program, either indoors or around the campfire under the stars. On at least one evening, we will enjoying singing, dancing, and 'Smores around the fire. And if the portents are appropriate, we will also do the Ghost Dance, which Marina was given permission to teach from a man empowered by the Hopi Grandmothers.

The 2003 teachers were John Bear, Aleka Chase, Howard Siegel, Feather Anderson, Gwen Heckeroth, and Linnea Lindroth. 2004 teachers will be decided early in 2004. We hope Marina Bear, and Heather & David from Tennessee will be with us. Most summers we are blessed by having dancers and teachers from other groups, from Oregon, New England, Canada, and England, who will share dances with us. But, as always, no experience is necessary. There are always some people who have never danced before, but now they do. Children are welcome, but if they don't join in the dances, they should either be supervised, or old enough to be unsupervised. No pets are allowed, however.