Announcing Eagle Bay Ballet Camp for 2011…

Reviving a legend as big as all out doors is not an easy proposition.  But when it is the Legend of Eagle Bay Ballet Camp– a place between Camelot and Never-Never Land the quest must be made!

Eagle Bay began when Anneliese was hired by Dr. Longstaff to teach at his Moss Lake Camp for Girls.  When Moss Lake closed in the early 70’s Anneliese invited dancers from Cincinnati up to her cabins in Eagle Bay.  There were two cabins.  One was a private quarters for Anneliese and included one large room we called “The Hilton.”  The other main cabin housed five bedrooms, the main kitchen, dining room, bathroom with showers, toilets and washing machines, and an indoor studio.  Jack’s shack was around the back near the out door stage. 

A typical camp day, according to legend, began at 7:00 a.m. with morning jog to the lake and a dip therein.  Never mind it was summer.  This was the Adirondacks and mornings in July could easily be 50 degrees farenheit.  (The water was much colder!)  Then it was jog home, eat breakfast and be ready for 9:00 a.m. class.  Class concluded when the alarm went off at the firehall across the street at noon.  Then it was jog to the lake for a dip and back home for lunch.  After lunch was usually rest time.  EVERYONE had to take a nap.  This, you can imagine, did not sit well with any newbie– especially the typical teenager who knew better.  Veterans knew the rest was key to survival.  The day was only half over.  Two o’clock was another class maybe only an hour until time to go canoeing or hiking.  We might even go to the garbage dump to see the black bears.  Some camps even did longer road trips to Vermont to perform or to Sarasota to see the New York City Ballet perform.  Other times it was to Golden Beach or Lake George.

But I digress.  This was the typical day only.  By the end of the week we were really ready to celebrate!  Banquet.  Tunnel of Fudge.  Camper awards… Each word is a memory charged with magical stories.  The banquet was like Christmas, your birthday, and the Academy Awards all wrapped up into one special moment.  It was filled with speeches, awards, special foods.  It was usually preceeded by the Talent Show, another time where creativity abounded.  Just keep in mind the camp was in the middle of nowhere.  There was no running to Walmart for a ready made costume.  Costumes were created from whatever could be scavanged.  One year they recreated the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Di with aid of a borrowed shopping cart from Tim’s across the street which became Lady Di’s carriage…

Stuff of legends indeed!

The camp was sold in 2002 at the time of Anneliese’s passing.  We have, however been in contact with the camp’s current owner.  Since 2002 he has made some amazing renovations as seen in the pictures below.  We are set to rent the cabins and recreate the legend.

We had hoped to hold the camp in 2010, but have postponed to 2011! 

Here are some of the numbers we had been discussing:

minimum to form camp: 5 people

$200.00 per person for the week to pay cabin “rent”  If that is all you need, that is all you pay.

$75.00 per person for the week to get meals prepared for you.

$125.00 per dancer for the week’s ballet classes and activities.  Others may not want to take class, but can still participate in activities: swimming, hiking, canoeing, sight-seeing.

If there is enough interest we are also renting a 15 passenger van from Cincinnati.  It will be driven by Alan and Michele Frey.  In splitting the costs we anticipate $150 to $200 per person depending on how many ride with. 

Total potential cost for transportation, stay, food, ballet class and a week in the Adirondacks is $500 to $600.00

The Magic is FREE!

Pass the word and let us hear from you!  Mom’s can come with for the “rent donation” and enjoy the beach while dancers are in class.  We are also working on fundraising ideas so that any dancer who would like to attend can help us raise the money to defray costs.  We are considering a good old fashioned candy bar sale.  Please contact us with any ideas.  

We would also invite any Eagle Bay alum to attend on a day by day basis for $50.00 per day “rent and food!”   Anyone who came last year and had to find accomodations will know that this is a great offer!  The main cabin can sleep up to 11 people comfortably. 

Please contact Laura Hughes at 513 410-0277 with any questions.  Be sure to click on the pictures below for larger size views!