Camp Kaleidoscope 2025 - fusion residential
Community. Connection. Progression. 16 March to 21 March 2025 Starts,
Community. Connection. Progression. 16 March to 21 March 2025 Starts,
Deep dive into partnered technique. For a week. In a 12th century castle.
We're all in - your bed in the castle, transfers to and from Bristol and all your meals are covered in the registration fee.
So you want to spend a week dancing in a castle, surrounded by friends old and new, with good food and time to really dive into levelling up your dancefloor skills? You're in luck!
Camp Kaleidoscope is all that and then some. We're hiring out an actual castle just a stone's throw from Bristol, and the amazing Flouer Evelyn is going to take us on a journey through our dancing to help us explore and develop together. We'll also have gentle morning movement classes, evening practicas, social dances and non-dance evening activities for when it's time to just cwtch up and hang out on the sofas.
Camp Kaleidoscope is all-in, meaning we're also providing accommodation and mountains of delicious food, masterminded by your favourite local kitchen heroes. And as always, we're conscious of making our events as financially accessible as possible, so look out for sliding scale options at registration!
It's gonna be WHOLESOME y'all.
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We're focusing on the classes and daytime stuff at Camp, with relaxed social dancing and a couple of parties scattered through the week and plenty of time to unwind.
If all that isn't enough dancing for you, never fear! We're planning a weekend full of big late-night parties to put your new skills to good use with a party weekend across Bristol 21st-23rd March.
Kaleidoscope XXLWhich track should I choose?
Our goal for camp is for everyone to have a stretching experience in class. To do that, we're splitting the week into two tracks based on dance skill and experience. Considering that the vast majority of our attendees in previous years had at least 5 years dance experience (and most of them a lot more)*, we're not considering either of them a beginners level! We're expecting a lot of really fantastic dancers in both tracks.
We anticipate that anyone ready to dive into an immersive week like Camp Kaleidoscope will already be able to dance in a range of holds - close embrace, closed, hand to hand - and smoothly transition between them. You'll be able to dance groovy, more stationary dances, smooth travelling ones and maybe some close micro too.
We're going to be real with you for a minute - it's really common for people to jump in and try to join tracks at a higher level than we might expect. We love the enthusiasm! BUT, even if you're up for the challenge, skipping a level and trying to dive right into a more advanced track impacts the experience of everyone in that group, not just you. So, please be honest with yourself when picking your track. If you're still not sure, then get in touch at hello@kaleidoscopefusion.com and we'll help you figure out which track is best for you! We'll keep an eye on registrations, and might get in touch if we think you'd be better off in the other track. That said, if you're newer to fusion but very experienced in other partner dance styles talk to us about joining Track A ;)
*Time isn't a great measure of skill or experience! It's less about years and more about how many pairs of dance shoes you've worn out. That's why our levelling is less about numbers and more about the hunger.
Track A: Super nerd
At this level, we expect that:
Track B: Dance lover
At this level, we expect that:
Flouer is curating a dance journey through the week, so that you can really nerd out and build your skills. Our chefs are planning a menu of meals that will make your mouth water - and provide comfort and sustenance whatever March brings. The rest is up to you.
We'll always have a dance space available and will throw open the doors through the week for sweet house party vibes. We'll also share some options for other ways to hang out and connect over the week, with board games, country walks, a pub trip or jam sessions but it's down to you to choose your own adventure.
Keeping things as financially accessible as possible means we don't have an army of staff on hand, and instead ask you to do your bit. Everyone will take a turn or two supporting our chefs in the kitchen or doing dishes and it's all hands on deck for get-out on Friday. No free rides, but kitchen crew just might turn out to be the highlight of your week.
BASICS
How do I get there?
Just get your ass to Bristol, we'll do the rest! We're putting on a bus to and from the venue so that you can use public transport as much as possible. The transfer times will be confirmed by New Year, but we are aiming at:
If you can't make the transfer, Lydney train station is a 15 minute drive from the venue. We'll do our best to facilitate rideshares but can't make guarantees. Please reach out well in advance if you can't make the transfer.
Parking is very limited and goes first to organisers, and then to those for whom having their car is an access need. If there are spots left over it's first come first served, but be prepared to park a little way off from the castle.
Tell me about access
This is the least accessible event Kaleidoscope runs for those with mobility needs. The main venue is a castle with a lot of narrow winding staircases which are unavoidable as the dance space and eating/hangout spaces are on different levels. If this makes it a "maybe" for you, then reach out - we're happy to share more.
For other needs, we'll ask at registration if there is anything specific that would make the event more accessible for you.
Can I bring my child?
No. We don't have what it takes to make Camp Kaleidoscope a child friendly space. We will have parent passes available for Kaleidoscope XXL though, so that two care-givers can share the load and join in the fun.
MONEY
How much does it cost?
At Camp, we're providing all your meals, 5 nights of accommodation, 12+ hours of intensive small-group teaching, plus group work, practicas, morning movement, evening dances and activities, and transport to and from Bristol.
To make the event as accessible as possible, we offer a sliding scale and will give as many discounts as we can afford, plus a limited number of free passes. This is made possible by the generosity of people who can afford to pay a little more!
We sometimes update the lower sliding scale options during registration if we need to in order to cover our costs. Early registrations get the best rates. Right now, our expected options are:
We're also giving you a bundle deal on the weekender - Kaleidoscope XXL, three nights of epic parties - with a ~30% discount on XXL tickets for Camp attendees!
What's your financial model?
We do a whole lot with very little. We're all about making our events as financially accessible as possible - for everyone. That means organisers need to pay their bills too!
There will always be sliding scale options and we have very rarely had to turn down anyone who needs a discount, BUT this is only possible with the generosity of our community! If you can afford the High Roller option (or more) perhaps you want to know where your money goes?
Honestly, we think that even our High Roller options are great value.
This year, the basic costs of the event includes a small percentage to organisers. Camp takes literally months of labour to create, plus your freelance organiser has to take 3-4 weeks unpaid time off over the event itself to make it happen and would like to keep a roof over her head at the same time.
Can I have a payment plan?
Sure! Get in touch and agree a plan with us ahead of registrations opening. It's payment upfront to secure your spot this year, so we'll help you figure out what options to pick at registration if you speak to us before.
ACCOMODATION
What's the accommodation like?
Sleepover-style! Good, solid bunk beds with cosy bedding provided in rooms that mostly take 8-12 apiece.
We'll make sure there are some quiet rooms and gender-grouped rooms if that's a thing that people ask for at registration.
Can I pay extra for a smaller or private room?
Nope, this isn't that event. We looked at fancy venues with private rooms but just couldn't find the enthusiasm for running something that bougie - and pricey to attend.
Can I sleep in my van?
No. We thought long and hard about this one, but part of running a sustainable dance event is making sure that we treat our venues well, and that we are good neighbours so we can return in the future. For Camp Kaleidoscope, that means we’re asking attendees not to sleep in their vans in St. Briavels. We are staying in a small village, where parking is limited and outside of castle walls. We are providing transport to and from Bristol as part of the entry fee, and really encourage as many people as possible to take us up on that!
A personal comment from your organiser - as an occasional van-dwelling dirtbag myself, I know how nice it is to have your own space to curl up in at the end of the day. Thing is, one person in their van is very different from a whole influx of vans taking over small, sleepy village, so we're being strict on our limits for vans.
OTHER
Are you looking for staff for the event?
All our priority staff spots are taken ahead of the event going live. If you're reading this, they're gone!
If you need a discounted pass, and want to offer a skill in lieu of all or part of the fee then speak to us about what you'd like to offer. You will still need to register - this isn't a way to skip the queue if there's a waitlist. Think of it more like your gift to the event as a thank you for the sliding scale options we offer anyway.
What's your cancellation policy?
Cancellations made in 2024 get a full refund. After that, we can give refunds up to our Getting By payment rate up to a month before the event as long as there are people on the waiting list to transfer to. In the last month, we're happy to support DIY ticket transfers if you want to pass on your spot but won't automatically be refunding as our costs are locked in and we'll be snowed under with last minute preparations.
What's your sickness policy?
If you feel unwell, please test for Covid and do not attend if you test positive. If you have a mild virus that is not Covid, please keep everyone healthy by masking up! We'll have masks available on the front desk in a range of colours to suit your outfit. We're all living in close quarters at Camp, so please be vigilant about not spreading illness to other attendees and talk to us if you get sick and need to get back to Bristol early.
We also highly recommend getting any Covid boosters or flu jabs you can access! In the UK, even if you're not entitled to a free flu jab you can get them fairly cheaply at many pharmacies. Siân got hers for £16 at Tescos this year.
