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Lavender Country and Folk Dancers (LCFD) is an umbrella organization forming a loosely knit group of gender-free dance clubs. (Sometimes the expression is "gender neutral," "gender role free," or "role optional"). We currently encompass several dance traditions and welcome the opportunity to include more.

Our Mission

  • Organize and run dance camps, which are multiple-day events usually occurring at a rustic site.
  • Promote and support gender-free traditional dancing (contra, square, English country, and folk) primarily, but not exclusively, for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer dancers and friends.
  • Promote and support dance leaders, musicians, organizations, and others who support gender-free dancing, whenever possible.
  • LCFD is a non-profit organization which will occasionally raise money for the purpose of supporting LCFD activities. (For example, we've run a very popular food booth for years now at NEFFA.)
LCFD is governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by its members. See the Bylaws. LCFD is an affiliate of the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) and obtains its 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from that relationship.
LCFD flourishes through the work of a large number of volunteers. LCFD runs the twice-yearly East Coast dance camps, largely through the work of the Camp Committee. LCFD works with local gender-free dance groups that are affiliated with it, helping with organization and outreach. There is a Lavender Dance Legacy Committee that is working to help the dance community and organization continue and grow.
LCFD enthusiastically welcomes other local gender-free dance groups, and other groups that want to run gender-free dance camps. Affiliation with LCFD lets us provide website access, liability insurance, general assistance, and the possibility of various forms of financial assistance.

LCFD Board
Daniel Smith,
co-chair
He/him/his or they/them/theirs
NYC & Oakland, CA
Jeff Dusenberry,
co-treasurer
he/him/his
Boston, MA
John Gintell, 
​co-treasurer
he/him/his
Cambridge, MA
​Liz Burkhart,
co-chair
she/her/hers
Cincinnati, OH
​Matt Reyna
he/him/his
Asheville, NC
Nicholas Prosini
They/them/theirs
New York, NY
​Ollie Cultrara
they/them/theirs
Cornwall, VT

Camp Committee

  • Chris Ricciotti, programmer
  • Den Collins, registrar
  • Ben Sachs-Hamilton, registrar
  • Jaren Polens, food coordinator
  • Sam Arfer, food coordinator
  • John Gintell, treasurer
  • Judy Hawkins, work exchange coordinator
  • Taiward Wider, sound
  • Arthur Prokosch, sound
  • Robin Fox, ​on-site coordinator

Other Activities

  • Bob Peterson, webmaster emeritus/database
  • Chris Ricciotti, queen mum
  • René Meade, ​site admin

Trans & Non-Binary Committee

  • Aaron Marcus, they/them
  • Jamie Dye, they/them
  • Nicholas Prosini, they/them
  • Ollie Cultrara, they/them
  • René Meade, he/him
  • Taiward Wider, they/them

Lavender Dance Legacy Committee

  • John Gintell
  • ​Liz Augustine

Contact LCFD
Lavender Country and Folk Dancers
9 West Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

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