JAY UNGAR & MOLLY MASON'S FIDDLE & DANCE CAMPS have been held each year since 1980 at Ashokan, a field campus of the State University of New York in the Catskill Mountains. Our Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps have become known as a meeting ground, where people of all ages learn new skills, make new friends and share good times in a secluded woodland setting.

EACH WEEK is packed with great classes in dance, instrumental music and singing at a wide variety of experience levels, as well as jam sessions, dances, song sessions and much more. Participants create their own daily schedule focusing on their personal interests in music, dance or both. You're welcome to attend any classes and workshops that are appropriate for your level of skill or that you'd just like to observe. There's no need to pre-register for specific classes.

CHILDREN CAN ATTEND with a parent or guardian. See our Guidelines for Families for more information.

DAY ONE at each of our summer programs begins with a 3:00pm orientation program followed by short performances by the instructors demonstrating some of what they're planning to teach. You can then meet with the teachers in small groups before dinner, and ask questions about the level and content of their classes and let them know more about your particular interests and needs as a student. After dinner there's a first night dance party plus jam sessions and song swaps. Classes begin at 9:30am the following day.

GREAT FOOD is part of the Ashokan experience. Delectable meals, continuous beverages plus late night snacks each evening are provided by Chef, Michael Hughes. Choose regular meals, vegetarian, or no red meat plans.

OUTDOOR RECREATION! You can swim, sauna, canoe, play volleyball, walk the trails or just relax by the lake while beautiful music drifts through the trees. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of natural beauty, it's easy to avoid phones, cars and daily cares, and immerse yourself in music and dancing.

EASY TO GET TO! Ashokan is located in the Catskill Mountains 25 minutes west of Kingston, New York. We're two and one half hours north of New York City and about four hours from Philadelphia or Boston. Follow our driving directions from the NYS Thruway (I-87), see our sheet with Public Transportation information, or call us if you'd like carpooling suggestions.

ACCOMMODATIONS
THE BUNKHOUSE accommodates 15-20 people per room and has modern bathrooms and showers. Rooms are designated: men, women, or coed.
CAMPSITES are available for those who prefer to bring a tent or camper. Choose from centrally located athletic field sites, or more secluded forest sites.
MOTELS are also available in the vicinity. Please check out our Local Lodging page for a list of nearby motels and bed & breakfasts and our Accommodations page for more information.

YOU CAN APPLY and pay online, OR fill out our online form, print it and send it by mail with your check. We can accept 175 people per week including staff for our summer programs and only about 100 for our New Years at Ashokan. Sorry, we have no provision for part-time attendance or guests, but there's an Open Dance the night before Northern Week and Southern Week and an open New Years Eve Dance at our New Years at Ashokan.

DIRECTIONS TO ASHOKAN

We plan to offer all staff and classes listed on these pages, however, there are occasionally staff and program changes that are beyond our control. These have been extremely rare in the past.