Frequently Asked Questions about Cumberland Dance Week

Frequently Asked Questions about Cumberland Dance Week
(Printable Version)

Q: My husband will expect to talk to me daily on the phone - is there a place to make outgoing calls?
A: There are two pay phones located in the main hallway.
Q: Will my Cellphone work at CDW?
A: Maybe. This site has experienced a considerable upgrade in cell towers nearby in the last year. At CDW2005, people with fairly new phones got reasonable coverage with Verizon and some other carriers. People with older phones and who hadn't updated their phone PRL in a long time did not get so good coverage. At CDW2006, many people got ok coverage in their room. So, it's a good idea to perform that PRL update on your phone while you are at home first. Tri-mode phones that switch to analog will work near the "Tree of Communication" out near front driveway, but usually not inside the facility. Beware that even if your phone does connect in analog mode, it may be off your carrier's normal network and roaming charges will apply. (But don't tell the boss and enjoy the peace and quiet.)
Q: Can we get Internet access at CDW?
A: At CDW2005 and 2006 there was wireless coverage in the main lobby area. Check with the KLC facility to confirm if it's truly essential to you. You could call Perry, Keith - Kentucky Leadership Center 270-866-4215. As of June 8, 2007: Yes, it is working, and they've added at least one repeater, so their coverage is now the lobby area, meeting rooms, the porch, and some of the guest sleeping rooms.
Apparently their plan is to eventually cover all the guest sleeping rooms. However, to do that they've got to go through steel-reinforced concrete floors, and that takes some engineering.
So, no expectation that you'll have it in your room, unless you wanna sleep in the conference room on the table.
Q: Is there a swimming hole/lake somewhere nearby that is available for swimming?
A: There is a pool which is used by the adjacent 4H camp; however, when this is not being used by the 4H camp there is no lifeguard. The facility is part of the University of Kentucky system, and they cannot allow swimming in the lake due to its depth. There is a swimming hole about 6 miles away, and the KLC staff can provide directions.
Q: Are children encouraged to bring a soccer ball or baseball and gloves?
A: The children's program does have them going outside to do activities that augment the goal of the camp, which is passing on the dance tradition to our children. As such, there is not a significant block of time for unstructured activities. There is a large open area in front of the leadership center which would lend itself to some informal soccer activity to burn off still more energy.
Having a hardball around brings with it some baggage - if children are far enough away from windows and small kids they are far from supervision. Without a playing field, a baseball and bat is just a loose cannon waiting to hit a car, window, or small child. Having a wiffle ball and bat eliminates a lot of those concerns.
So, in the final analysis, children are neither encouraged or discouraged from bringing those things. Children can play soccer anywhere, but this week is special. We hope to provide children with lots of other things to do. They may feel more comfortable bringing them, so they can spend some time with a new friend tossing a ball around.
Q: My children want to bring their electronic games and videos to camp. Is this wise?
A: In order for the camp to accomplish its goal, we need the undamaged brain of each child. We will ask you to leave those devices in your car for the duration of the camp. The one TV in the Leadership Center will remain off for the duration of the camp. In some cases, you will find yourself amazed at the change in your child after one week away from electronic stimulation.
Q: If I want to sign up for a class like basket making, does it meet every day and therefore conflict with the English Country Dancing? (I never get to do any English dancing here, so I would hate to miss that).
A: The craft classes are intended to teach and complete a project and do meet every day. If you didn't attend each day, it would place the instructor in the unfortunate situation of trying to get you caught up while teaching the next steps in the project. The basket projects do take the entire week to finish.
Should we bring water bottles for dancing during the day, or are there plenty of water spots on site?
A: There are water fountains nearby most of the classes.
Q: Any special requirements regarding shoes for dancing?
A: Only common sense. We do not have shoe police. Shoes on the dance floors should be clean - dirt is abrasive. Shoes which do not slide on the floor places extra strain on your knees and ankles.
Q: Do the women and girls typically wear skirts or dresses to the evening dances?
A: There is such a wide range of dress at Cumberland Dance Week that practically anything except a swimsuit is acceptable. Usually people wear comfortable summer clothes during the day, including shorts. Some people elect to "put on the dog" for the evening. This might be a nice dress, a bridemaid's gown, or a dance skirt for ladies. For gents this might be a Kilt, a Cossack shirt, a dressy shirt, a confederate uniform. Your best Halloween costume would not be out of place, unless it involves a hockey mask or a hook. But some of us just dress like bums the whole week. People make their dress choices not to impress us but to delight each other and have fun. Thursday and Friday tend to be more laden with fancier dress. But, it is completely optional.
Q: What about rules regarding alcohol on site? I do not drink, but my husband occasionally likes to have a beer in the evening.
A: The policy is that since children are present alcohol should not be present or visible in public areas. In your rooms there is no such restriction. Late at night after children should be in bed there is considerable lattitude.
Q: Is bedding (sheets, blankets, pillows) provided or should we bring our own?
A: All bedding is provided. A healthy supply of towels is provided. The kleenex and toilet tissue is industrial institutional strength. You might prefer your own.
Q: I need about three pillows to sleep comfortably - do you have an abundance of pillows, or should I plan to bring a few of my own?
A: There are four pillows in each room, but not extras. People who are picky about how big/fluffy/firm their pillow should be are encouraged to bring their own.
Q: We'll be arriving from XXX; can we get a ride to the camp from the airport?
A: Depending on which airport, it's quite a haul. Most of the staff will be traveling in cars loaded with instruments, sound equipment, etc. All of us will be travelling a considerable way on Sunday and Saturday, and have to get the week setup and going. You can make this desire known to the registrar, and they may be able to try match you up with someone able to help, but this simply may not work.
Q: Is there someplace we can run a load of laundry in the middle of the week?
A: No. The Leadership Center's industrial washers are not available to us. There is no laundry facilities anywhere nearby.
Q: What if someone needs medical attention?
A: Please let someone on staff know. We usually have several nurses attending, and frequently several guest physicians. If it requires more attention, there are medical facilities within 30 miles, and the staff can provide directions.
Q: Being pregnant, I tend to need to eat frequently. Should I be stuffing my suitcase with peanut buttter, or is food available outside meal times? I especially need to eat at bedtime, and generally have cereal with milk. Would I be able to get milk in the evening.
A: The Leadership Center is in the middle of nowhere. It's a nice nowhere, but it's still hills and grass and trees. The food is so good and plentiful it's hard to imagine wanting to eat more than what they feed you. But if you have an attack of the late night munchies, it's going to be whatever you brought, or the vending machines, or grass.
It is quite feasible to bring a SMALL cooler, and ferry some ice from the ice machine to it each day to keep personal items in your room. However, it's at least a hour round trip to the little store in Jabez, so you should pack in what you will want for the week.
Q: More about food - I'm a vegetarian. Do you have vegetarian main foods available at meals (ie things with protein as opposed to just the side vegetable dishes and salad).
A: There is a vegetarian entree for each meal. It's frequently so enticing that other people decide to become vegetarians for the week. The kitchen staff need to plan how many people will go veggie. So, if you make that known you will be quite pleased with the food.
Q: My children are used to getting specific snacks at specific times. Can I arrange for that to happen?
A: Cumberland Dance Week will be a new experience for them in many ways. They will be exposed to lots of new things. Our staff conducting their classes would like to be able to manage their sugar and caffeine intake to make sure they adjust well to all the things we have for them.
Q: Regarding registering for the Cumberland Dance Week. How quickly does it generally fill up?
A: In the past, space was available through June at which time we reach our comfortable capacity. So far we have always been able to "squeeze in" the few more adults that apply at the last minute. Those registering at the last minute were assigned the least desirable rooms, i.e. next to the ice machine. We also try to collect all the families with children in a few hallways so that that they can be monitered by babysitters during the evening. If you register late with a family there may not be a room left on one of those monitored halls.
Q: Can adults apply and then register a child later on? We would like to bring our granddaughter, but aren't sure how quickly we can get the arrangements for that worked out.
A: You didn't indicate the age of your granddaughter, but if she is young enough to need "babysitter type" supervision between the time children's activities cease and total parental/guardian responsibility is assumed, I would reccomend the following. Register your granddaughter even if your still not certain after May 1st. We can then hold an appropriate room for you. If you find that she cannot accompany you then inform the registrar as soon as possible to free up that room. Of course, if she is old enough to not need the supervision, then there will be no problem adding her at a later date. Each room comfortably sleeps 4 people and we typically try to assign only 2 adults per room.
Q: The flyer says that a recorder workshop will be offered to "older" children. What is the definition of older?
A: In the past we typically group children in three groups ages 1-5, 6-9, & 10-12. 13 and above participate in the adult program. This grouping is not carved in stone. For instance if an 8 or 9 year old is advanced in their dancing skills and mature enough to handle social skills needed for partner dances then they can participate in some of the classes with the older group. Consequently a few 10 year olds are happier with the younger kids. We usually defer to the parent's/guardian's "realistic" wishes as long as it does'nt create a disruption. Some younger children have issues regarding "personal space" that will resolve themselves as they mature.
Q: And does the child need previous recorder experience?
A: Unless a class or workshop is specifically billed as advanced, beginners are welcome. Last years pennywhistle workshop started with all beginners.
Q: Or even to own one?
A:That one has me (Bob) stumped?? Right now I can only say that last year penny whistle were provided and sold. I'll forward this to the children's program coordinator for further input. [additional input from Neal: pennywhistles come in many different keys. Basic whistles are not expensive. It is really important that everyone in the workshop have a whistle in the same key. If everyone else is using a D whistle and your child has an A whistle, they will be very frustrated. My recollection is that recorder fingering is different from whistle fingering as well. ]
Q: Regarding lodging arrangements at Cumberland Dance Week - If we opted for the RV choice, is there a facility where we can shower?
A: We open one of the rooms up for those in RV's to shower. So far there is only one other gentleman in an RV. He usually prefers to use his own shower. Your family would be the only ones using this facility. If we have more than two RV's we open up another room.
Q: The LSF discount only applies to ADULT members, correct? If a family has a membership,we don't give $25 per child do we?
A: You are correct. Children's prices are already heavily discounted. There is no further discount. With the current rate structure, we just barely cover program expenses.