Howdy,

I attended Swannanoa Gatherings Dance Week two summers ago. Prior to that my only experience was at Augusta Heritage for Irish Week. I had just started learning Irish Flute like 6 months before and I was taking an intermediate class (the lowest they offered). When it was learned that there were only two of us in that class, they cancelled it and moved us into the advanced class. What followed was a not very pleasant week. There were some good moments, but I was left in the dust musically by the other students, and I played worse when the class was over than I did before I went. I didn't play flute again for nearly a year.

My experience at Swannanoa was so very wonderful. I danced nearly 9 hours a day, stayed up late playing music, made some close camp friends. I pushed myself to exhaustion. But the staff, students, accomodations, setting--all of it was great. I highly recommend Irish Week there based on the experience of some of my friends. Dance week was not very well attended. So it was very intimate. Irish week draws a lot of people. A great selling point of the Gathering is that you pay one fee and can take as many classes as you can stomach. I hope to go back next year after I pay off some instruments.

BeauD