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Old Time Rollick 2025
Fri, May 16 - Sun, May 18



Emily Schaad hosts this rollicking weekend for musicians and dancers of all levels. Enjoy fiddle, banjo, guitar, flatfooting, and singing classes, plus special one-off presentations, a staff concert, and a Saturday night square dance. Deepen your playing, build your repertoire, make new friends, and jam until the wee hours.

2025 Staff Announced: Judy Hyman, Jeff Claus, Jake Blount, Emily Eagen, Will Mentor, Joseph DeJarnette, A’yen Tran, and your host Emily Schaad.

Open to all folks, all ages, all orientations. Come join the OT Rollick family at Ashokan!

“The staff are amazing – so welcoming and accessible. The other musicians are also so supportive and friendly. It’s wonderful how quickly a sense of community is created.”

“Lovely people who clearly are committed to inclusion, great conversations, and safe space for creative risk.”

“Emily broke her tunes down so clearly!! loved it!”

“You’ll never know how much this weekend meant musically and socially. Thank you!”

Click here to view last year’s class descriptions.

Click here to see photos from previous years.

Registration Pricing
Description Price
Supporter Includes $100 donation toward Ashokan’s programs & scholarships. Thank you for your Support! $495.00
Standard Registration ⭐️ Not sure? Choose this one! $395.00
Economy Need financial support? Choose this one. $295.00
Youth (ages 5-25) Youth participants choose this one. $195.00
Under 5 Little ones attend for free! $0.00

Self-select from our registration tiers based on your ability to pay

STANDARD covers Ashokan’s cost per-person to host the event. If you can afford to pay the Standard price, please do. ECONOMY is for those who can’t currently afford the Standard price, but would like to attend and be part of our community. If you need financial assistance, this tier is for you. SUPPORTER not only grants you admission to the event, but includes a special donation to support Ashokan’s programs and scholarships. You're making a difference! Your donation builds a creative community grounded in the spirit of generosity, equity, and compassion. We are grateful for your support.

Scholarships

YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP is for campers age 25 and under who are paying their own way and for families in need of financial support. Please self-select this tier. PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP is for performers and teachers who will pass on the music, songs, or dance forms they learn at Ashokan to new audiences and to the next generation. Learn more and apply here.

Thank you for supporting the Ashokan Center and each other!

Lodging Options
Staying Off-site | $0.00
Live nearby or commuting to and from Ashokan from a hotel, Air BnB, or friend's house?
Camping | $0.00
Camping areas include rec field (with bathhouse) upper pasture, and more. BYO camping gear. No open fires.
Sharing a Private Room purchased by someone else | $0.00
Ashokan doesn't assign roommates or split room costs at our end, but you're encouraged to coordinate sharing any private room.
Bunk in Men's Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Bunk in Women's Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Bunk in All Gender Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Mint Private Cabin | $300.00
A small private cabin with one queen bed, sleeps up to 2 people. Shared bathrooms nearby.
Nettle Private Cabin | $300.00
Small private cabin with two twin beds, sleeps up to 2 people. Shared bathrooms nearby.
Oregano Private Cabin | $300.00
Small private cabin with one queen bed, sleeps up to 2 people. Shared bathrooms nearby.
Longhouse Private Room | $300.00
Upstairs room with shared bathroom. Sleeps up to 3 people in one bunkbed with twin top and queen bottom bunk. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Longhouse Private Room | $300.00
Upstairs room with shared bathroom. Sleeps up to 3 people in one bunkbed with twin top and queen bottom bunk. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Longhouse Private Room | $300.00
Downstairs room with shared bathroom. Sleeps up to 3 people in one bunkbed with twin top and queen bottom bunk. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Red Maple Private Room (Porch) | $400.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Red Maple Private Room (Porch) | $400.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Sycamore Private Room (Upstairs) | $460.00
Upstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Sycamore Private Room (Upstairs) | $460.00
Upstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Sycamore Private Room (Downstairs) | $440.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Sycamore Private Room (Downstairs) | $440.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.

Can't make the full weekend? Drop in for the Saturday dance…


Judy Hyman

From Ithaca, NY, land of lakes, gorges, waterfalls and colleges, Judy is a co-founding member of the alt-trad band, The Horse Flies (www.thehorseflies.com), who toured extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe (including appearances on eTown, Prairie Home Companion, All Things Considered, World Café, and Mountain Stage), and recorded many albums (including releases on MCA and Rounder Records). Judy has a deep love of traditional Appalachian fiddle music and has taught at music camps and programs throughout the U.S. over many decades. Judy played with the remarkable Natalie Merchant’s band on several albums and tours, including appearances on Good Morning America and Late Night with Letterman. She also composes music for film and television (www.j2filmmusic.com), was featured in Electronic Musician Magazine for her film music, and won an Emmy Award.
Jeff Claus

Jeff was one of the founding members and main songwriters of the alt-folk-rock band, The Horse Flies (www.thehorseflies.com), about whom the New York Times said: “The Horse Flies have figured out how to hold a hoedown in a physics lab," and Rolling Stone wrote, "The Horse Flies churn out swirling, addictive songs, blending tradition with invention." Jeff’s toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe; recorded on Rounder and MCA; and taught at many festivals, camps, and music programs throughout the U.S. Canada, and Europe. He’s also co-composed, performed, and/or mixed music for over 25 feature and documentary films, mostly with his partner and best friend, Judy Hyman (www.j2filmmusic.com). Jeff has a deep and abiding love of Southern traditional fiddle music, having been immersed in it for about 50 years. He’s an especially committed fan of rhythm, groove, and drone, and loves working with diverse people interested in developing their skills for providing solid, rhythmic backup on guitar and banjo ukulele.
Jake Blount

(fiddle, banjo) is an award-winning musician and scholar based in Providence, RI. He is half of the internationally touring duo Tui, a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, and a two-time winner of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival (better known as Clifftop). Blount, a specialist in the early folk music of Black Americans, is a skilled performer of spirituals, blues and string band repertoire. Blount has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Newport Folk Festival, and numerous other venues across and beyond the United States. He has presented his scholarly work at museums and universities including the Smithsonian Institution, Berklee College of Music and Yale University. His writing has appeared in Paste Magazine, No Depression, and NPR, and he has been a guest on Radiolab and Soundcheck. His first solo album, Spider Tales, debuted at #2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart, received positive coverage from NPR, Rolling Stone and Billboard among others, and earned five out of five stars as The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month. Spider Tales later appeared on “Best of 2020” lists from NPR, Bandcamp, The New Yorker, the Guardian, and elsewhere. His latest album, The New Faith, was released on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings as part of their African American Legacy Series.
Emily Eagen

(singing) is native of Cincinnati, OH, Emily lives and works in NYC as a performer, songwriter, and teacher, where she divides her time between folk music, early music, and new music. Emily has worked with artists such as Meredith Monk, Annie Dorsen, and Bang on a Can, and is a teaching artist for Carnegie Hall, leading Lullaby songwriting workshops for parents and families, hosting the video series "Sing with Carnegie Hall," and writing music for various programs, including co-writing Nooma, an opera for babies ages 0-3. Emily teaches vocal harmony and vocal technique at the Jalopy Music Theater and School of Music, and is a professional whistler and two-time International Whistling Champion. Emily was a founding member of NYC’s old time/blues/bluegrass band The Whistling Wolves, and currently can be heard with the vocal improvisation ensemble Moving Star, the close-harmony trio Up At Dawn, and on her forthcoming album of songs for the young and young at heart.
Will Mentor

Will Mentor is a contra and square dance caller from Northern Vermont known for his clear teaching, upbeat wit, and relaxed stage presence. He loves to choreograph evenings with a variety of dances and tempos that at times surprise and always delight, all the while keeping intact his guiding principle as a caller: "It's about the dancers!"
Joseph DeJarnette

Musician and audio engineer Joseph “joebass” DeJarnette was raised in the rural foothills of the blue ridge mountains on a hodgepodge of strange 78 rpm records. He later spent many years living in Brooklyn, NY touring the world with vaudevillian ragtime jugband blues and hillbilly swing band The WIYOS and making occasional appearances with Curtis Eller, New York’s angriest yodeling acrobatic banjo player. After an unpleasant stadium tour, he founded STudio808A in historic Floyd, Virginia, a “band and breakfast” recording studio where he has made hundreds of stringband records. He is a regular at fiddle camps and festivals and has coordinated the oldtime music camps at the Augusta Heritage Center, and the Handmade Music school.
A’yen Tran
A'yen Tran is a guitarist, vocalist and lover of the old-time string band music. She sings and plays guitar in the group Ginny’s Kitchen. A’yen finds inspiration in the vibrant tradition of women in American string band and traditional music. Alice Gerrard, Hazel Dickens, The Coon Creek Girls, Ginny Hawker, and Val Mindel are among her greatest inspirations.

A’yen was raised in New York where she grew into an artist and community organizer. She spent years building boats with the artist Swoon and brought singers together on her ‘Boat for Singing Together’ project in New York City. Her background in activism and intersectional feminism permeate her mission in the old time community: to honor the roots of old time music while helping the community become more inclusive. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Jalopy Theatre in NY and the Youth Traditional Song Weekend board.
Emily Schaad

is known for a complex and powerful fiddling style, and has taken first place in numerous stringband and fiddle contests, including the Appalachian Stringband Music Festival in Clifftop, WV. Emily came to the music of the southern Appalachians as a classical violist, teacher, and conductor, and once the archaic and driving sound of the fiddle and banjo found her, she never looked back.
Tyler Dezago

Tyler Dezago is a fiddler, guitarist, music educator and songwriter rooted in American Traditional Music. As a songwriter, Tyler’s brings new repertoire to the genre, continuing the tradition of sharing stories centered around place, people, and the adversities they faced. Tyler teaches fiddle, guitar, and clawhammer banjo by ear in person in the Hudson Valley and online.

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
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.