COVID Policy | Boo Camp Venue | Registration Information | Registration Form
Online registration is closed. On site registration available for all dance events!
October 27-29, 2023 | Manzano Mountain Retreat in Torreon, NM (~1 hour from Albuquerque & 1:45 from Santa Fe)
Calling by Frannie Marr with music provided by Counter Current and The Virginia Creepers and sound run by Steve Hunyady.
Refer to our COVID policy, which includes: proof of vaccinations, rapid tests, and community monitoring. Upon request alternative methods will be available if you cannot be vaccinated.
Contact Caitlin with any question.
What is Boo Camp?
Boo Camp features local and national callers and bands. The schedule could include concerts, contra dancing, couples dancing, singing, jamming, camp gathering, silent auction, and the much adored Boo Ball.
Schedule
Talent
Caller:
Frannie Marr
Frannie Marr began contra dancing in 1998 when she went looking for a new form of dance to bring back to her school. She quickly fell in love with the music and dance scene and became an organizer as well as a caller. Frannie is known for her clear precise walkthroughs making her easy to understand and follow. Can you tell she was a kindergarten teacher? Frannie’s joy of dance is so present in her exuberant calling you’ll think you’re at a dance party. Which is exactly where you’ll be when you arrive at Boo Camp.
Bands:
Counter Current
Countercurrent is an acoustic folk music duo based in Olympia, Washington, composed of Alex Sturbaum and Brian Lindsay. They have achieved nationwide acclaim for their high-energy style, which draws on deep traditional roots from Ireland and North America while incorporating new influences to create a sound that is at once unique and timeless. Alex’s driving guitar and gifted songwriting, Brian’s lyrical fiddle and rock-solid foot percussion, and the duo’s lively interplay, tight vocal harmonies, and unstoppable groove make a Countercurrent performance an event unlike any other. Wherever they go, the question remains the same: “How does that much sound come out of just two people?”
Countercurrent met at Oberlin College in 2009 and have been performing at concerts, festivals, and dance events ever since. As concert performers, they have played at such venues as Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, and the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, CA. As dance musicians, they have regularly been the closing band for Northwest Folklife Festival, and have played for contra dance festivals and events all over the country.
Brian and Alex are highly collaborative musicians; in addition to Countercurrent, they have toured in other bands (including One Dollar Whiskey, Gallimaufry, and the Iona Fyfe Trio). They are also accomplished studio musicians, having recorded and produced over a dozen well-regarded albums of folk music over the last decade, including two Countercurrent albums: Exchange in 2018 and Not So, But Far Otherwise (to be released in 2023).
Virginia Creepers
The Virginia Creepers play old-time music. Formed in New Mexico more than 30 years ago, the band is drawn to weird, old, crooked tunes from exotic places like West Virginia and Kentucky, lively dance tunes that they play for squares and contras, and songs about hard times, trains, and whiskey, all ranging in age from the Civil War era and earlier to newer pieces in the old-time style. The Creepers are: Rick Olcott on guitar, Laurie Phillips on mandola, Jane Phillips on fiddle, Marc Robert on bass and banjo, and Michel Robert on fiddle. All of them sing now and then.
Based in Albuquerque, they play around NM and beyond for dances, parties, and festivals, and as soothing background music for the quiet and studious patrons of saloons and taverns. The Creepers have hosted a weekly old-time jam at Tractor Brewing in Nob Hill for over 10 years. They kept the jam going during the pandemic shutdowns with virtual jam-along sessions on Facebook Live – racking up over 50 of them before returning to the in-person jams. Their CD was released into the wild on March 17, 2022.
Sound Tech:
Steve Hunyady has been doing sound since 2015 as a retirement hobby. He is a favorite in Albuquerque and Socorro and we’re excited to have him on board for Boo Camp!
FAQs
Q: What terms will be called?
A: Most of the country is moving in the direction of gender free calling and Boo Camp is going to follow this trend. All calling at Boo Camp 2023 will be Larks and Robins, read more details about these terms here.
Q: Can I register for part of the weekend?
A: Yes, a la carte registration is available! There are options for dance events and meals. We encourage you to register in advance so that we know how many people to expect.
Q: What is the COVID policy?
A: Refer to our COVID policy, which includes: proof of vaccinations, rapid tests, and community monitoring. There are alternatives available for those who cannot be vaccinated, please contact the organizers for details.
Q: Will Boo Camp 2023 be a city camp?
A: No, we are returning to a residential camp at Manzano Mountain Retreat, see the details on our venue page!
Q: What meals will be provided?
A: As is Boo Camp tradition, we will have a potluck dinner on Friday night to kick off the event! Then, we will have Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner provided on Saturday and Breakfast and Lunch provided on Sunday.
Q: Are there policies for dancers behavior?
A: Yes, all FolkMADS events use the same Dancers Code of Conduct. In summary, we want to cultivate a dance community which is welcoming and comfortable for dancers of all identities and abilities. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable the organizers want to know. Please check out the link for more details.
Q: What do I need to bring?
A: Items might include food for a potluck or snack table, silent auction item, and costume for the Boo Ball, linens (including bedding, towels, and pillows), water bottles, comfortable shoes for dancing. More details will be available closer to the event.
Q: Can I bring pets?
A: No pets are allowed in the venue, with the exception of certified service animals.
Q: Can I wear perfume or a fragrant deodorant?
A: We’d ask that you refrain from using fragrant self-care products as we are trying to go fragrant-free this year as certain fragrances can cause allergic reactions.
Photos
Boo Camp Archive
2022 Info
2018 Info; 2018 Schedule
2017 Info; 2017 Schedule
2016 Info; 2016 Schedule
2015 Info; 2015 Schedule
2014 Schedule 2014 Camp Details
2013 2012 2011
2010 2009 2008
2007 2006 2005
2004
