Grappelli-Django Weekend 2026
2026-02-20 12:00 - 2026-02-22 12:00 (America/New_York) | The Ashokan Center, 477 Beaverkill Road, Olivebridge, NY, 12461, United States
It’s happening! The Ashokan Center is proud to announce a new addition to our 2026 Music & Dance Camp lineup –Grappelli-Django Weekend. The new fiddle and guitar weekend led by Dutch gypsy jazz violin legend Tim Kliphuis, modeled on his sold-out camps in Europe. On guitar: America’s rising star Jimmy Grant, experienced tutor and international touring artist. Joining them is French star violinist Adrien Chevalier, who brings a Parisian flavor to the camp.
The Grappelli-Django Camps are designed to provide musicians of all levels an intimate opportunity to boost their improvisation skillset. All improvisation levels are welcome, a basic command of your instrument is necessary. All instruments are welcome: violins, guitars, basses, clarinets, saxes, cellos, violas, accordions, flutes, and beyond!
Camp Songs
Please work on the following 3 songs. They are your ticket into camp as we will start working on them straightaway:

Lady Be Good – sheet music
Manoir de Mes Rêves (Django’s Castle) – sheet music
Ma Première Guitare – sheet music

Top 8 jamming songs: these songs are most likely to be played in the evening jams! Download the Gypsy Jazz Fake Book for a collection of sheet music from anonymous contributors to prepare for jams throughout the weekend.

Minor Swing
Coquette
Danse Norvégienne
Avalon
I’ll See You In My Dreams
I’ve Found a New Baby
Clair de Lune
Swing Gitan

Trillium Twirl Sprint Dance Camp
2026-04-24 - 2026-04-26 | Battle Creek Outdoor Recreation Center, 10160 M-37, Dowling, MI, 49050, United States
A residential grand weekend of cool Contras, hot Squares, beautiful English Country Dance, plus singing, music jams, workshops, and more – featuring caller Bob Isaacs and Toss the Possum.
Full weekend registration includes the full dance and activities schedule, lodging, all meals, daily evening snacks, Sunday farewell ice cream social.
Full weekend registration for dancers aged 30+ is on a sliding scale starting at $225 up to $275 (or more). Ages 15-29 $160. Ages 6-14 $70. Staff Assistants $175 (apply by March 31).
À la carte options available (view details on website). Advance registration only—no walk-ins.

Whitewater Whirl Contra Dance Weekend
2026-05-01 - 2026-05-03 | Fayette County Park, 1268 Fayette County Park Rd, Fayetteville, WV, 25311, United States
Welcome to the 2026 Whitewater Whirl. Whether you’re a dedicated, would-not-miss-it Whirler or new to the weekend, we look forward to dancing with you! The weekend is held at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV. Online registration is now open.
The Bands
Louisville-based Hot Coffee Breakdown is one of the most popular bands on the contra dance weekend circuit. Tom Cunningham’s fiery fiddle combines with the driving rhythms of Kate Sanders on keyboard and Luis de Leon on percussion and harmonica. Their dynamic range and musical crescendos will make you want the dance to go on forever! From the Ohio hills, we welcome The Hollertones with Paul Brown on banjo, Linda Scutt on fiddle, Jeanie Thieken Creamer on guitar and vocals and Nick Weiland on bass, with a blend of traditional, old time and Celtic music that’s made them popular at contra dances throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
The callers
The talented Darlene Underwood from Cincinnati returns for her second Whirl to spread happiness, connection and fun. It’s a Whirl debut for the talented and very funny Bob Isaacs, choreographer of so many creative dances, who’s driving all the way from Princeton, NJ (thanks, Bob).
We’re delighted that Gaye Fifer will again join us to teach the Beyond the Basics waltz workshop. Regular Whirlers know that Gaye called at every Whirl from 2005 to 2024. She’s taking a break, but we hope she’ll be back as a regular Whirl caller in future.
In 2024, we added a late-night techno-contra with DJ Polly Whittaker teaming with “Queen Darlene.” It’s back by popular demand, retitled as “DJ Contra,” and with “King Bob” on the team.
Our sound engineer, maestro Hanno Meingast, will be making the music in the hall sound great.
Accommodation and meal plan
Cabin accommodation (metal frame bunk beds) or camping onsite at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV is included in the weekend price. When you register, let us know if you’ll be staying in one of the cabins, designated as coed, women and men.
You can pitch your tent anywhere, but if you’re pulling a camper the camp staff will tell you where to park.
The camp will open on Thursday night, April 30, for early arrivals. Consider staying Sunday night, May 3, hiking or rafting in the New River Gorge.
Café One Ten in Oak Hill, WV, will provide catering—a five-meal plan with vegetarian options. Jennifer Horrocks and Heather Oelker will be running the kitchen and dining hall, with Jennifer preparing her signature desserts for Saturday dinner.
$140 for weekend; a la carte for evening dances and workshops

Dancing Bears Dance Camp
2026-05-22 16:00 - 2026-05-25 12:00 (America/Anchorage) | Kings Lake Camp, Wasilla, AK, 99654, United States
The Dancing Bears Dance Camp is held every Memorial Day Weekend at King’s Lake Camp in Wasilla, Alaska. Our next camp will have calling by Lisa Greenleaf and Michael Karcher with music by Supertrad (Sam Bartlett, Eric Schedler, and Tadhg O’Meachair) and Steam Machine (AJ Srubas, Rina Rossi, Sam Bartlett, and Abby Ladin).
Registration will open in March 2026.

BACDS Family Week
2026-06-21 - 2026-06-27 | Monte Toyon Camp & Conference Center, 220 Cloister Ln, Aptos, CA, 95003, United States
Family Week is a place to bring your whole family to learn music and dance together in the beautiful redwoods of California.
Our program is structured to provide daytime dance, song, theater, and crafts classes for children with their own age groups, and separate classes for adults. The evenings feature dances for all, with the younger children sung off to bed with the Pied Piper parade, and our roving babysitters checking on them so that parents can keep dancing. This could be your chance to try stilt walking too.
We welcome families of all shapes and sizes, and always have some single adults who enjoy the slower pace of a family camp and the opportunity to share these traditions in our multigenerational setting.

Lady of the Lake Music and Dance Week
2026-06-21 15:00 - 2026-06-27 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | N-Sid-Sen Camp & Retreat Center, 36395 S Hwy 97, Harrison, ID, 83833, United States
Lady of the Lake Music and Dance Week on the shores of Coeur d’Alene Lake, 75 minutes from Spokane, WA, features a unique blend of contra and English country dance, including workshops in dancing, calling, and playing music.
Our community, made of campers from 20 different states and four Canadian provinces, is welcoming and supportive. Program includes singing and art as well. And there is plenty of time for swimming, hiking, canoeing and bicycling. Fabulous food with gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free options.
Staff include: Lisa Greenleaf and Maia McCormick calling contras; Joanna Reiner Wilkenson caling English country. Contra Sutra and Audrey Jabor, Rachael Bell, and Karen Axelrod will play for both English and contras along with Countercurrent playing contras.
Transportation provided from the Spokane Airport to camp and back.

Cumberland Dance Week
2026-06-28 - 2026-07-03 | Nacome Camp & Retreat Center, 3232 Sulphur Creek Rd, Pleasantville, TN, 37033, United States
An intergenerational folk dance and music camp. Includes 5 nights of dancing, 4 days of classes created for each dance group, air-conditioned lodging, and meals. Staff from around the country and opportunities for campers to engage with leadership.

BACDS American Week
2026-06-28 - 2026-07-03 | Quaker Center, 1000 Hubbard Gulch Road, Ben Lomond, CA, 95005, United States
Five days of contra dancing, music, and more in Ben Lomond, CA, in the Santa Cruz mountains south of San Francisco.
It’s a dance camp with music! It’s a music camp with dance!

Freight x Lark Youth Music Camp
2026-06-29 - 2026-07-03 | The Freight, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA, 94703, United States
Early Bird Registration open now through March 31st.
The Freight x Lark Youth Music Camp is designed to strengthen foundational music and rhythm skills for youth aged 8-14 through hands-on experience in a range of global artistic traditions. Running from June 29 through July 3rd, the camp is anchored by daily harmonica lessons with the Bay Area’s King of Bollywood Blues, Aki Kumar. Campers will learn through Aki’s genre-bending lens that opens harmonica up to a world of new practices. In addition to daily harmonica and basic music theory lessons, students will receive global percussion instruction from a rotating cast of percussionists from Lark Camp and The Freight’s teams. Afternoons will be filled with movement and dance activities, building upon themes from the day’s lessons. Parents are able to opt in to optional aftercare as needed.

Bear Hug Contra Dance Festival
2026-09-11 16:00 - 2026-09-13 13:00 (America/Denver) | Flathead Lake United Methodist Camp, 21339 Methodist Camp Rd, Rollins, MT, 59931, United States
Get ready to contra dance, sing, swim, canoe, and play music at the 2026 Bear Hug weekend on the shores of Montana’s Flathead Lake! Music provided by Raven and Goose and The Unstrung String Band, with callers Susan Petrick and Rab Cummings. Singles, couples, families, and all ages are welcome! Entertainment, meals, and lodging (shared rustic cabins, or tent or RV camping) are provided. Registration fees are on a sliding scale. Hope to see you there!

Lady of the Lake Music and Dance Weekend
2026-10-02 15:00 - 2026-10-04 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | N-Sid-Sen Camp & Retreat Center, 36395 S Hwy 97, Harrison, ID, 83833, United States
The 45th annual Lady of the Lake Music and Dance Weekend features a wonderful staff drawing from across the Northwest and well beyond. Callers Lindsey Dono and Jeremy Kors will lead contra dances and workshops. The Dam Beavers and the Baby Corns featuring Hayden Sterns will provide rousing music. Enjoy the falling leaves from heritage apple trees and the cry of loons from the bordering Coeur d’Alene Lake, just 75 minutes from Spokane, WA. Amazing food with five different dietary options.

Head for the Hills
2026-11-13 - 2026-11-15 | Camp Harlam, 575 Smith Rd., Kunkletown, PA, 18058, United States
Princeton Country Dancers’ getaway weekend of dance, music, and song at Camp Harlam near Kresgeville, PA in the Poconos.

Contra Holiday in Medieval England
2027-04-07 - 2027-04-14 | King’s School, Ely, England, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, CB7 4EW, United Kingdom
Seven night residential contra dance camp for 150 participants in a former monastery in Ely, near Cambridge, England, with Wild Asparagus and George Marshall and Lisa Greenleaf calling. Food and accommodations included. Dancing each evening, excursions during the days. Our tenth such event.
