«Back to all NGI Letters

NGI Recipient: Hamish Swanson

Session Attended: CDS Boston Centre - July 4th Weekend (2017)

I would like to thank you all for giving me the amazing opportunity of coming to Pinewoods for the Fourth of July weekend. As a first time camper and CDSS Ogontz long-timer, I was impressed with how smooth everything went. The food and the setting are spectacular and I greatly appreciated how close the swimming area is to camp. While at J4 I took the Rapper class and the advanced English country dancing course. I found the Rapper class extremely entertaining and Chris Cartridge’s teaching was very engaging and fun. Joanna Reiner’s advanced English class was also great, keeping all the dancers on their toes and moving through some of the most fun dances I have ever danced — and coming from a contra-preferring dancer, that is high praise.
The evening dances were also wonderful, and I loved getting to dance with everyone at camp, especially bridging the age gap between the young and the not-as-young. I also found the after-dance parties very rousing and a great way to end the night with a bang. I especially enjoyed the 1920’s themed party. I hope to return to Pinewoods next year for some sessions I have yet to attend and maybe J4 again!