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Ariles Son Jarocho Camp 2024

Fri - Sun, May 17 - 19

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Spend a weekend surrounded by Son Jarocho, the beautiful traditional folk music, song, and dance of Veracruz Mexico! ​​

The Ariles Son Jarocho camp will gather master Son Jarocho musicians and dancers from Mexico and the United States to teach, perform, and engage in conversation with Son Jarocho practitioners of all skill levels and backgrounds. Hosted by the Ashokan Center in partnership with Son Jarocho NY, we are thrilled to welcome you all to this amazing location with other Son Jarocho enthusiasts!

What is Son Jarocho? Musical influences of the African Diaspora, Romani communities, and Arab populations were brought into the Americas from Spain during the colonial period. These styles combined with Mexican indigenous musical traditions giving birth to Son Jarocho in the early 17th century. For three hundred years, Son Jarocho was performed in fandango (community gatherings) settings in the rural communities of Veracruz, but began disappearing as younger generations moved cities within Mexico and the United States. For the past three decades, Son Jarocho has experienced a rebirth and is practiced throughout Mexico, the US, Canada, South America, Western Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan via professional performances and fandangos.

Can't join for the whole weekend? Come to the free Día de las Familias event on Sunday!

Día de las Familias 2024

May 19, 2024

Celebrate Latin culture, food, music, and the arts at the Ashokan Center! 12pm - 5pm

Learn More

FREDI VEGA (ADVANCED JARANA & ZAPATEADO) is one of the foremost jarana players, singers, and zapateado dancers in the world. Fifth generation son jarocho master, Fredi is part of the famed Vega family and, together with other family members, he formed the group Los Vega, with whom he has performed in some of the most important stages in Mexico and around the world. Fredi is an experienced educator, having taught son jarocho to people of all ages for over twenty years through workshops and performances. Also a producer, Fredi helped put together the album Homenaje a Andres Vega Delfin, gathering 13 musicians from the Vega clan to record a homage to the family’s oldest member.
RAQUEL PALACIOS VEGA (JARANA & VOICE) born and raised in Boca de San Miguel, Veracruz, Raquel Palacios Vega is a renowned singer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from one of the most important Son Jarocho families in Mexico, the Vega family. Raquel has traveled extensively throughout Mexico, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. She has collaborated with international artists such as Lila Downs, Rubén Albarrán (Café Tacvba), and La Santa Cecilia, among others. She has been a member of Los Vega ensemble since 1998 and co-founded Caña Dulce Caña Brava in 2007. In 2012, she received, together with her family, the National Arts and Sciences Award for their contributions to Mexican culture.
LEOPOLDO N.M. (MARIMBOL & LEONA) is a Mexican-Colombian composer and performer who was born in Bogotá. Leopoldo studied at the National Conservatory of Colombia, in the Music School of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, at the IRCAM in Paris, and the LIEM of Madrid’s Queen Sofia Center. He has been a member of ensembles of traditional music from Mexico and Colombia, such as Chimizapagua, the Early Music Workshop of Bogotá, Zacamandú, and Chuchumbé. He is currently a member of Tembembe Ensamble Continuo, with whom he has recorded two albums and has been a repertory guest of Jordi Savall’s Hesperion XXI ensemble. As a performer, he has played music in four continents and has participated in recordings for MBG, Alia Vox, and URTEX. He has composed numerous chamber music works for artists in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Japan. Leopoldo is also de composer for the La Muerte y el Hablador opera. He teaches at UNAM, Centro Nacional de las Artes, and Centro Morelense de las Artes, all in Mexico. Leopoldo’s research focuses on marímbula or marimbol, an traditional instrument from the Caribbean that has been adopted by Son Jarocho. His recordings include, Zacamandú, “Sones antiguos”, Chuchumbé, “Caramba niño”, “Contrapunteado”, Tembembe Ensamble Continuo ” Laverinto en la guitarra “,” Diferencias e invenciones ” Tembembe – Jordi Savall ” Folias Criollas, Nuevo Mundo “, ” Las rutas de la esclavitud “, ” Bailar Cantando – Cod. Martinez Compañon “, Mar Barroco “Instrumentos Migrantes.”
JULIA DEL PALACIO (ZAPATEADO) learned the traditional Son Jarocho Zapaeado under the instruction of renowned dancers in Veracruz and Mexico City. Since 2005, whild pursuing her doctoral degree in Latin American History at Columbia University, Julia has been performing professionally in the United States and training in other dance disciplines, including flamenco and Spanish Baroque dances. With her band Radio Jarocho, Julia has danced at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Joe’s Pub, Celebrate Brooklyn, St Peter’s Church, Symphony Space, Newport Folk Fesival, and at the Ashokan Center’s Winter & Summer Hoot, and Dia de las Familias.
SINHUE PADILLA ISUNZA (JARANA TECHNIQUE) is a Mexican musicologist, producer, composer. With more than 25 years of teaching and research experience, he’s led and collaborated in multiple artistic and social projects and community-based fandango and Son Jarocho projects in many cities around the world. Padilla has taught lectures, workshops, and master classes for The New School, the Hemispheric Institute of Performance & Politics (NYU), Berklee College of Music, Dutchess Community College, The CUNY Graduate Center of the City University of New York, Chicana and Chicano Studies Department of University of New Mexico, The Yjastros Company of the 

National Institute of Flamenco and also universities outside of the country, as Universidad autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM), and Centro de las Artes de la Universidad Católica San Pablo en Arequipa, Perú (UCSP).

Sinuhe has created original underscore for National Geographic, Mundo (Firmes), The Taco Chronicles (Netflix) Storyhunter TV, and for Theatre plays such as Sugar Skull (Rhythm for the Arts) and Fandango for Butterflys and Coyotes (En Garde Arts).

As a performing multi-instrumentalist, he has shared the stage and toured with Multi Grammy Award-winning artists like Lila Downs, Residente, Aida Cuevas, Ana Tijoux, and many more. Padilla Isunza has written original music, and work as musical director in projects such as Mexico Beyond Mariachi, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, The Bilingual Birdies Band, among other projects in the New York.  

Founder of Jarana Records LLC in 2009 Sinuhé Padilla has produced and recorded several independent artist some of them nominated by the Grammys awards as Mireya Ramos, Sonia de os Santos, Flor Bromley, John Benitez, Ilana Martin, among others.  

His main creative output, Jarana Beat, has been acclaimed world-wide and awarded Best Folk Contemporary Band by the Mexican Music Awards 2015, and recognition by the City of New York for his contribution to Latin culture in the same year
MATEO CANO & MARIA PUENTE FLORES (SON JAROCHO& COMMUNITY ORGANIZING) host a weekly radio show and regular community workshops for all ages in Kingston, NY. Pulso de Barro their band name translates as “pulse of the clay” referring to a unifying earth pulse and the building blocks of story and culture. Maria was born and raised in Mexico City and is fascinated by the power of storytelling through words and sounds. Folk music, specifically Son Jarocho, has allowed her to find community and feel rooted in this new territory. Mateo was born in Brooklyn NY and migrated to Veracruz Mexico at a very young age. He continued to develop as a music and dance performer, an executive director in a community center, and a grade school musical instructor in Miami, FL. As a bilingual Mexican-American storyteller and as a member of the Son Jarocho community Mateo has participated in many different projects and is an undergraduate pursuing Ethnomusicology and computer science.

Additional Info:

Payment/Cancellation/Refund Policy

You may pay in full or hold your place with a deposit of 25% per person if registering 4 or more weeks before camp. Full payment is due 4 weeks before camp begins. To cancel your camp registration, email events@ashokancenter.org

• We retain $50 per person for cancellations requested up to 4 weeks before camp begins, and for COVID-related cancellations made at any date.

• We retain your 25% deposit between 4 and 2 weeks before camp.

• We retain the full registration amount within 2 weeks of camp.

Schedule Overview

FRIDAY

  • 3-5pm: CAMPER ARRIVAL & CHECK-IN
  • 5pm: WELCOME GATHERING
  • 6pm: DINNER
  • 7:00 CONCERT & JAMMING

SATURDAY

  • 8:30-9:30am: BREAKFAST
  • 9:30-12:30pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 12:30-1:30pm: LUNCH
  • 2-5pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 6pm: DINNER
  • 7:30-10pm: DANCING & JAMMING
  • 10pm: SNACK & INFORMAL JAMMING

SUNDAY

  • 8:30-9:30am: BREAKFAST
  • 10AM-2PM: OPEN FANDANGO - Invite your friends and families to join in the fun
Pricing & What's Included!

You may choose to pay up front or pay a deposit and balance. Balance payment is due 4 weeks before the event.

Registration includes all activities and meals. Lodging is optional and camping is free.

Children under 5 attend for free (under 3 for Family Camp). Campers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Food & Drink

All meals are included. You may indicate your dietary restrictions when registering. We make every effort to include a range of allergen-free dishes and to inform diners of meal ingredients.

The Ashokan Center is licensed to serve beer and wine in Esopus Lodge (the main building). The bar is generally open from late afternoon to early evening. Sorry, by law, guests are prohibited from bringing their own alcoholic beverages into this licensed building.

Lodging

LONGHOUSE BUNKS: Rooms hold up to 24 people and are designated women, men, or all gender. Place your belongings on a top or bottom bunk after you check in to claim it. Pillows are available, please bring your own blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and towels. There are a small number of light blankets for those bunkhouse residents who are unable to bring one of their own. If you will need us to provide one, please let us know well in advance.

PRIVATE ROOMS: There are a limited number of private rooms that must be reserved in advance at extra charge. Pillows are available, please bring your own sheets, pillowcases, and towelsThere are light quilts in each private room.

CAMPSITES: Camping is available with access to bathrooms and outdoor showers. Please park by your campsite only if you plan to leave your car in place for the duration of the camp.

What To Bring

If you’re lodging with us please remember to bring a blanket and linens (or sleeping bag), towel, toiletries, soap, flashlight, earplugs (for light sleepers). There are light quilts in each private room and we have a small number of light blankets for bunkhouse residents who can’t bring one of their own. Let us know well in advance if you’ll need one.

Flashlight, recording device, camera (or maybe those are all your phone!)

Comfortable informal clothing for wet and dry weather. Some may also bring dressy, wild or fun clothing as well but that is up to you! There’s no laundry on site so bring enough clothes for the camp.

What Not To Bring
Please, no pets or drop-in guests.
Mail/Phone/WiFi

Incoming mail

Your Name c/o Ashokan Music & Dance 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge, NY 12461

Outgoing mail leaves each weekday at 4pm.

Music & Dance Camp Phone (845) 657-8333 x 3

Cell phone reception is available but spotty. Calls may be dropped but texts are reliably received.

High speed Wi-Fi is available in all buildings.

Directions & Transportation

Physical Address: Ashokan Center, 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge, NY 12461

DRIVING DIRECTIONS   Take NY State Thruway (1-87) to Kingston exit #19. From traffic circle take Route 28 West (toward Pine Hill). In 12 miles (shortly after Mobil & Citgo) turn left onto Reservoir Rd. Cross the Ashokan Reservoir, turn left at the Tee. Head down the hill, pass the first left (Rt 28A East) and merge onto 28A West. Take next left onto Beaverkill Rd. Follow Beaverkill for about one mile, then turn right into the Ashokan Center driveway and follow the signs.

AIRPORT  Albany, NY (ALB) is the closest major airport (about 1.5 hours away). Public transportation is available from the airport to the Kingston bus station, where you can take a taxi to Ashokan. Or contact us at least one month before your program begins for a list of people driving from the Albany area who may be able to give you a ride.

Covid Safety Policy

We recommend but no longer require everyone test for COVID-19 in the 24 hours before arrival. 

All refund requests due to a positive test, COVID exposure, or COVID-related concerns will be honored (less a $50 administrative fee).

We will provide onsite rapid testing upon request.

Additional FAQ's
CAMP WAITLIST & PRIVATE LODGING WAITLIST (only join if ADD CAMPER button at top of page is disabled or your preferred lodging choice is greyed out in that form.)

If there are no camp spots or private rooms available above, you may add your name to this waitlist. If space opens up we will contact you.

The Ashokan Center builds community through shared experiences in nature, history, music and art. We have hosted traditional Music & Dance Camps at our 385 acre nature preserve for over 40 years. In 2020 we learned how to host them online and in 2021 we began to reimagine how to gather in person once again.

Come join the Ashokan family to celebrate, learn, connect, deepen your music, make new friends, and brighten your day. Our events are open to all folks, all ages and all orientations.

M&D Need-Based “Pay it Forward” SCHOLARSHIPS We are holding 5 deeply discounted spots (includes tuition, meals & bunk) to provide a learning opportunity to gigging musicians and music, vocal, and dance teachers who will be sharing out their newly learned skills with a wider community. We prioritize new applicants each year and notify all applicants within 1 month before camp begins.

NEED HELP?

EMAIL: events@ashokancenter.org
CALL 845-657-8333 x3

Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about camp!

Thank you to the Martin Foundation for supporting Ashokan Music & Dance Camps.