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Old Time Rollick 2024

Fri Jun 7 - Sun Jun 9

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.

This year’s phenomenal staff includes Jake Blount, Emily Eagan, Becky Hill, Becca Wintle, Brian Slattery, Eli Hetko, Wayne Fugate, your host Emily Schaad, and friendly jambassadors Austin Scelzo, Huck Trisch, Tyler Dezago, and Geoff & Sarah Harden!

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!”

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

Square Dance at the Rollick 2024

June 8, 2024 - June 8, 2024

We welcome our local community to join in for a fine night of live music and square dancing at the Ashokan Center.

Tickets & Info
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.
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.
BECKY HILL (flatfooting & social dancing) is a sought after percussive dancer, Appalachian square dance caller, choreographer, and educator. Becky has worked with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Rhythm in Shoes, Good Foot Dance Company, and studied with an array of percussive dance luminaries.

Her choreography has been featured at Wheatland Music Festival, Jacob's Pillow, and the Kennedy Center among others. She performs regularly with the T-Mart Rounders, Jesse Milnes, Chao Tian, Rui Fu, and Ben Nelson. She was a 2018 OneBeat Fellow, a 2021 Artist-in-Residence at Strathmore, a 2022 Olive's Porch Artist-in-Residence at the John C.Campbell Folk School, and earned her MFA in Dance at University of Maryland College Park in 2022.

Becky has done extensive research into Appalachian Dance alongside folklorist Gerry Milnes, where they co-created a documentary "Reel 'Em Boys, Reel 'Em" on West Virginia dance traditions and co-founded the Mountain Dance Trail of Augusta Heritage Center. As an avid organizer and teacher, Becky’s work is deeply rooted in the connections between music and community. She believes there is always more to learn and is dedicated to creative innovative choreography tethered to traditional music and dance.
EMILY EAGAN (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.
BECCA WINTLE (fiddle) is an accomplished musician and music therapist. She plays fiddle, guitar and sings and has performed with bands such as The Farwells and a UK string-band The Waggonhoppers. She has been playing fiddle since she was young, originally learning classical and then playing in an English country-dance band for many years. She later became interested in bluegrass and ultimately Southern Appalachian string-band music. She taught fiddle at the Ashokan Center's Old-Time Rollick for 6 years, has facilitated many workshops at camps and gatherings and also teaches privately. She has gained a reputation for her patient and clear teaching style and her emphasis on bowing technique and how to get that driving rhythmic Southern Appalachian sound.

“The first thing I noticed about Becca’s fiddling is how clear and sweet, yet strong it is. As a teacher, she is tuned into what each student needs to keep growing and progressing. She is able to communicate what she is doing to achieve her sound in an highly accessible way. She is a generous teacher and takes her students seriously bc she really wants each one to get everything they can out of a lesson. If you get the chance to learn from her, don’t pass it up.” ~Amy, private fiddle student

“Becca is a talented musician who is invested in her students progress. She is masterful at tailoring her lesson structure to fit student needs and is skilled at finding music suited to individual interests. Becca’s done a fantastic job of helping me break down bowing patterns and apply them in my playing”
~Arden, private fiddle student
BRIAN SLATTERY (guitar, banjo, fiddle) is a multi-instrumentalist who has been playing Southern fiddle music for 30 years, with the Moon Shells, Harry Bolick and the Mississippi Travelers, and many others. As a fiddle festival rat who learned to play at parties, in bars, in fields, and at people's houses and apartments, he loves teaching people how to play in a way that makes the music as good and as fun as it can be.
ELI HETKO (guitar) has been playing music for dances, concerts, and sessions in NYC since 2011. He has enjoyed working with a variety of fiddlers and bands, and has taught privately and at the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music.
WAYNE FUGATE (mandolin) is one of the New York area's most versatile mandolin players. He makes his musical home in the space in, around and between the American roots styles of Bluegrass, Blues, Swing, and Old Time music, and can move gracefully from these styles to any of his other musical loves in the worlds of Classical, Quebecois and Scandinavian music.

Wayne recently played both the Broadway production and First National Tour of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's bluegrass-infused, five-time Tony nominated show, "Bright Star" and has acted as musical consultant for several College and Regional productions of the show.

Closer to home, Wayne splits his time between a few projects that include playing alongside Grammy Award winning fiddle player Lisa Gutkin (from the Klezmatics) in a new venture called "Lisa's Pieces" and  performing baroque period and contemporary classic music with the "NY Mandolin Ensemble", one of the premier mandolin-centric chamber groups in the country, playing this music exclusively on mandolin family instruments. Wayne has also authored a few instruction and tune books including the widely distributed and positively reviewed "Mastering Mandolin” for Alfred Publishing.

Wayne can be heard on the soundtracks of Emmy nominated film "Home" and Louis B. Mayer award winning short film, "Respects". Other film credits include an arranging credit and performing appearance in the internationally acclaimed, award-winning film "A Bread Factory", starring Tyne Daly, James Marsters and Janeane Garofalo.

He is active as a mandolin teacher, offering both private instruction and workshops at prominent festivals and music camps throughout the country.
AUSTIN SCELZO (jambassador) is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, and teacher who is passionate about education, empowering others, and inspiring a lifelong love of music in people of all ages. He has an eclectic background in classical, folk, and jazz styles and a love for jamming.
HUCK TRITSCH (jambassador) is an oldtime fiddler, jazz drummer, and haiku poet from Millheim, PA. Huck won first place in the Appalachian String Band Music Festival Youth Fiddle Contest in 2019 and 2022, and his band The Shoats won first place in the Neo-Traditional Band Contest in 2023. With distinguished folk musician Jake Blount, Huck has performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk, at the International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass Festival, The Gonda Theater at Georgetown University, and the Mansion at Strathmore. Huck is also a 2024 YoungArts National Competition Winner for jazz percussion, and he has performed with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band.
GEOFFREY HARDEN (jambassador) plays guitar, bass, and fiddle and has performed and recorded with the Stillhouse Rounders, Hudson Valley Flyers, Waydowns, Twangtones, Saturday Night Bluegrass Band, and many other area musicians who play fast and sing high. SARAH HARDEN (jambassador) has been playing old-time bass for 30 years. They are organizers of the long-running annual Fiddlin' Bear Old-Time Musicians' gathering, and can often be found in the corner of Woodstock's Catskill Mountain Pizza Company, playing fiddle tunes and singing old songs with a circle of friends.
TYLER DEZAGO is an Adirondack based fiddler, guitarist and singer-songwriter who's rooted in American traditional music. His repertoire is authentic kitchen-table music at the end of a working day, and his songs pull listeners in with relatable stories of love and hardship. On the fiddle, Tyler is a modern traditionalist. His upbringing as a classical violinist glimmers beneath the glow of old time stylings, whether its driving melody in the stringband High on the Hog, or accompanying voice with colorful harmony. Tyler splits his time teaching fiddle and guitar at Trestle Street Music in Saranac Lake, and guiding hiking, paddling and whitewater rafting trips in the Adirondack mountains.

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 JAM
  • 6pm: DINNER
  • 7:00 WELCOME GATHERING & STAFF CONCERT
  • 9:30pm: OPEN JAM

SATURDAY

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

SUNDAY

  • 8:30-9:30am: BREAKFAST
  • 9:30am: CLASSES
  • 12:30pm: LUNCH
  • 1-3pm: OPEN JAM
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 towels. There 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
CLICK to read more answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
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.

Ashokan Center programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature

Copyright 2024 - Ashokan Center