Dance Camp 2024 Welcome Letter
Dancing Bear,
We are so excited that you’ll be joining us for Dancing Bears Dance Camp this year! We look forward to dancing with you this Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27, at King’s Lake Camp in Wasilla.
This letter includes:
Information about getting to camp and what to do when you arrive (check-in, etc.)
What you need to know to prepare for camp (kids, packing, meals)
Things you can do to help the Dancing Bears before and after camp
What to do if you need to cancel your registration
Arriving at camp
King’s Lake Camp address: 3313 Lakeview Road, Wasilla, AK. It takes about an hour to drive to camp from Anchorage. Please plan to arrive on Friday, May 24, between 3pm and 6pm. Once you arrive at camp, please plan to stay at camp. We would like to keep our bubble tight. Friday night dinner will be at 6pm. Dancing will start at 8pm.
When you arrive at camp, please check-in at the Registration Cabin, where you will:
per our 2024 COVID-19 policy, provide proof of a negative COVID test for each camper in your party (if you already provided proof of a negative COVID test at the Thursday night dance, you do not need to provide another).
pick up your name button(s)
pick up your map, camp schedule, and playshop descriptions (these will be available to print from the website by mid-May)
sign a waiver of you have not done so
sign up for at least one camp chore per person (Thank you in advance for helping with setting up for meals, serving food, and doing other things around camp!)
After you complete your check-in at the Registration Cabin, you can:
Drop off Decadent Dessert Bake Sale desserts in the Dining Hall
Drop off auction donations in the chapel (& do donation paperwork)
Find your cabin or your camping spot! Cabins and camping spots are on a first come first serve basis. If you select a cabin, write your name(s) on the card by the door to reserve your beds. Wherever you decide to sleep, please return to the Registration Cabin and let staff know so they can map it for safety.
Preparing for camp
If you’re bringing kids to camp, GREAT! If you’re bringing children under 18 years old who are not part of your own (legal) family, please have the child’s parent fill out the Guardianship Form available on our website and bring that document with you to camp. Please review our guidelines for families.
Click here for a full packing list. Please pack smart to maintain our Covid bubble for the wellbeing of all. Come prepared for the possibility of cold nights.
Please remember: NO GUESTS, NO PETS, NO ALCOHOL. King’s Lake Camp is operated by the Salvation Army. For safety and liability reasons, no unregistered individuals may visit dance camp (this includes friends coming for a few hours). There is a strict no dogs policy. The Salvation Army strictly forbids alcohol. Alcohol on the premises of King’s Lake Camp will jeopardize our future use of this facility. Finally, please: NO PROJECTILES (no guns [pellet, potato, paint, etc.], slingshots, bows & arrows). Click here for full list of King’s Lake Camp rules.
We will feed you Friday dinner through Monday lunch! If you are a very hungry bear, you should bring some extra snacks. Click here for additional information about this year’s catering.
Helping us before and after camp
Before Camp Cleanup Party on May 18
On May 18, we will go out to King’s Lake Camp to do our annual pre-camp cleanup. Bring your friends and carpool to camp. We’ll do chores both in and out of doors, and we’ll provide lunch. If you plan to stay in a cabin, you can claim your cabin space early! To volunteer for the clean-up efforts, contact Mary Beth Emerton at nearingmb@hotmail.com or 907-360-9448. If you wish to carpool, contact Cindy Nielsen at 907-440-6639.
Cancellation
If you are ill or have a close contact with Covid, we will consider fully refunding your registration fee. Our goal is to keep everybody safe and healthy. If you have to cancel for some other reason, you are welcome to donate your registration fee. If you choose not to donate, we will refund you the following amounts: before April 30th, your full registration costs minus $30 per adult; and, between May 1 and May 15, your full registration costs minus $70 per adult. After May 15, we are unable to provide any refund. Please contact akdancingbears@gmail.com if you need to cancel your registration. If you are unable to attend camp, we’ll miss you!
Questions? Concerns? Ideas? Check our website. If you still have questions, send us an email at akdancingbears@gmail.com
Looking forward to dancing with you soon,
The Dancing Bears Dance Camp Committee