2025 Teachers

Our teaching staff is in process. Please check back often as we add names to the list!
Staff and class description listings are subject to update and change.

Iroquois Springs Site Map

Use this map to help you decide which cabin or cabin area to request on your registration form. Please note that the Hideaway rooms are generally reserved for staff.

Click here to download a full-size PDF of this map.

Getting to Iroquois Springs

Although you are responsible for getting yourself to camp, we will also try and help campers arrange carpools and ground transportation. For specifics and contact info for our ride coordination program, see the red Camper Info tab above.

BY AIR

Iroquois Springs is in Rock Hill, in the southeast corner of New York State in the Catskill Mountains. The nearest large airports are those that serve New York City (we suggest JFK or Newark), or Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY. The site is about 90 miles NW of New York City, 80 Miles NE of Scranton, PA, and 125 miles SW of Albany, NY.

BY BUS

There is frequent service via the Shortline Bus Co. to Monticello, NY from the Port Authority bus station in Manhattan. Monticello Terminal is about 6 miles from camp. We will do our best to arrange a ride from the station to camp, or you can take a taxi or other rideshare service yourself.

DRIVING

Set your GPS to: 66 Bowers Rd., Rock Hill, NY 12775.

From Manhattan, Westchester, Long Island:

• New York State Thruway North (87N)
• Exit 16 (Harriman) to
• Route 17 West (future 86)
• Exit 110 (Wanaksink Lake)
• Take a left at the stop sign off the exit
• Take a right at the fork (after the blinking light)
• This becomes Bowers Road and leads directly into camp.

• Take I-95 North to
• Garden State Parkway to
• New York State Thruway North (87N)
• Exit 16 (Harriman) to
• Route 17 West (future 86)
• Exit 110 (Wanaksink Lake)
• Take a left at the stop sign off the exit
• Take a right at the fork (after the blinking light)
• This becomes Bowers Road and leads directly into camp.

• Take the Mass. Turnpike West to Sturbridge
• take I-84 West to Walkill/Middleton NY
• take Route 17 West (future 86)
• Exit 110 (Wanaksink Lake)
• Take a left at the stop sign off the exit
• Take a right at the fork (after the blinking light)
• This becomes Bowers Road and leads directly into camp.
• From Albany & Points North:
• New York State Thruway South (87S) to Newburgh
• Take I-84 West to Walkill/Middleton NY
• Take Route 17 West (future 86)
• Route 17 West (future 86)
• Exit 110 (Wanaksink Lake)
• Take a left at the stop sign off the exit
• Take a right at the fork (after the blinking light)
• This becomes Bowers Road and leads directly into camp.

• Route 17 East to
• Exit 109 (Rock Hill)
• Make a left at the end of the exit ramp
• Make a right at the stop sign onto Rock Hill Road
• Go about one mile
• Make a left at the fork at the stop sign onto Bowers Road.

Dine & Dance—Bed & Breakfast

Come for dinner, early evening activities, the dance party and the late-night kafana. Then spend the night and enjoy breakfast before you hit the road!

Here’s how it works:

6:30 p.m.: Arrive at our lovely Catskills site in time for a delicious dinner (see Directions tab above). Before you get in the dinner line, check in at the Front Desk in the Dance Hall/Theater and set up your bunk.

At 8:00 p.m. take in a folklore presentation, singalong, or join in our auction. Dancing to live music begins in the main hall generally around 9:00.

Our Kafana in the woods is a bar and a club, a grill and a pub, and a place where much music and merriment happens into the wee hours. Stay as long as you like!

Sleep in a bunk with the bedding you brought from home.

Roll out of bed, have breakfast by 9:30 a.m., and hit the trail by 10.

All this can be yours for just $145. Such a bargain! A cheap hotel in Monticello is about $85 and contains no options for gajda, rakija, čočeks, or ćevapčići!

HOW TO REGISTER

Use our online form to register for the Bed & Breakfast option. See the red “Register Now” button above. Please note that all B&B registrants must follow the same procedures, timelines and protocols as all other camp registrants.

Evening Schedule 2024

This schedule is from last year, but we’ll keep it here a while to give you an idea of what to expect in 2025.

Culture Corners and Group Sings begin at 7:45 p.m. Dance parties, unless noted, begin at 9:00 p.m.

Saturday
Dance
Brass—Zlatne Uste

Sunday
Culture: A conversation with Emil Adamski and Aleksandar Jovevski with David Bilides and special guest Carol Silverman
Dance
Pontic—special guest Chris Tiktapanidis
Bulgarian—Bulgarian Staff Musicians

Monday
Group Sing: “Southern,” led by special guest Kristina Vaškys in memory of Corinna Snyder
Dance
Macedonian Village—Macedonian Staff Musicians
Zurla and Tapan—Emil Adamski & Jerry Kisslinger
Greek Demotika—Beth Bahia Cohen, Mavrothi Kontanis, Yianni Roussos

Tuesday
Auction Night (dance party begins around 10:00 p.m.)
Dance
Rhodope Gajda Sing-Along—special guest Mark Levy & Gajda Mafia
Greek Brass—Kavala

Wednesday
Group Sing: “Northern,” led by special guest Henry Goldberg
Dance
Greek Island—Beth Bahia Cohen
Pontic—Pontic Firebird
Albanian—Raif Hyseni & Merita Halili

Thursday
Culture: Joe Graziosi presents! Topic TBA
Dance
Mensur Hatić with special guest Toni Ristovski
Bulgarian—Bulgarian Staff Musicians
Macedonian—Macedonian Staff Musicians

Friday
Student Ensembles play for your dancing pleasure (dance party begins at 8:00 p.m.)

Daily Schedule 2024

This schedule is from last year, but we’ll keep it here a while to give you an idea of what to expect in 2025.

CLASS LEVELS

• Beginner (B): You are new to this instrument/singing style.
• Intermediate (I): You have some proficiency: can match pitches, accurately replicate phrases heard by ear, and play at speed.
• Advanced (A): You have technical mastery: you are focused on stylistic details and self-expression.

If you are interested in a class that is not at your level, you can always audit! Please remember that the pace of instruction will not be geared to you, and hold your questions till the end of each session. If a class does not have a designated level, all are welcome!

CLASS SCHEDULE

SLOT 1 (9:30-10:45)
Dance: Bulgarian—Kotse Marinov
Sing:

• Macedonian—Brenna MacCrimmon
• Greek Mainland Songs—Mavrothi Kontanis

Instrumental:

• Santouri B—Yianni Roussos
• Balkan Theory—Kalin Kirilov
• Tapan B—Jerry Kisslnger
• Macedonian Tambura A—Aleksandar Jovevski

Kids: Children’s Activities—Marlis Kraft & Jaquetta Bustion

SLOT 2 (11:00-12:15)
Dance: Balkan–Steve Kotansky
Sing:

• Bosnian—Mensur Hatić
• Bulgarian—Donka Koleva

Instrumental:

• Bulgarian Kaval I/A—Valeri Georgiev
• Doumbek B—Polly Tapia Ferber
• Bulgarian Tambura I—Stoyan Kostov
• Tapan A—Jerry Kisslinger
• Macedonian Gajda—Emil Adamski

Ensemble: Greek—Beth Bahia Cohen

Kids: Children’s Activities—Marlis Kraft & Jaquetta Bustion

SLOT 3 (2:00-3:15):
Dance: Greek—Joe Graziosi
Sing:

• Introduction to Balkan Singing B—Lauren Brody
• Albanian—Merita Halili
• Greek Island Songs—Mavrothi Kontanis

Instrumental:

• Santouri I/A—Yianni Roussos
• Brass Band Melody—Catherine Foster
• Bulgarian Tambura B—Stoyan Kostov
• Gudulka B—Nikolay Kolev

Ensemble:

• Macedonian Village—David Bilides
• Albanian/Kosovar—Raif Hyseni

SLOT 4 (3:30-4:45):
Dance: Bulgarian—Kotse Marinov
Sing:

• Bosnian—Mensur Hatić
• Turkish—Brenna MacCrimmon
• Bulgarian—Donka Koleva

Instrumental:

• Doumbek I—Polly Tapia Ferber
• Accordion—Raif Hyseni
• Bulgarian Kaval B—Valeri Georgiev

Ensemble: Bitov (Bulgarian Village)—Kalin Kirilov

Kids: Youth Band “Mlado Selo”—Sarah Ferholt

SLOT 5 (5:00-6:15):
Dance: Balkan—Steve Kotansky
Sing:

• Bulgarian Shope Duets—Lauren Brody
• Albanian—Merita Halili

Instrumental:

• Macedonian Tambura B/I—David Bilides
• Macedonian Kaval I/A—Aleksandar Jovevski
• Zurla—Emil Adamski
• Greek & Turkish Violin—Beth Bahia Cohen
• Gudulka I/A—Nikolay Kolev

Ensemble: Brass Band—Catherine Foster & Aani Kisslinger