A unique summer retreat dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of
our natural environment. Weeklong workshops are offered for youth and adults
that explore the natural world through the lens of creative arts and sciences.

The Bearnstow 2013 Summer Season

Dance faculty includes Ruth Grauert & Véronique MacKenzie, Peter Kyle & Scott Giguere, Robin Gilmore, Dorothy Vislocky, Claire Porter, Lynn Needle, and K.J. Holmes.  See 2013 Programs.

Meet the Summer 2013 Interns!

Second annual Natural History Week, June 2329. Presentations and nature walks led by naturalists.

Ruth Grauert receives honorary
doctorate on May 18. See story
at Bearnstow Journal.

Visit Bearnstow on facebook.


Bearnstow lies on sixty-five acres of pristine woodland, bordering the serene Parker Pond in Mount Vernon, Maine. Twelve rustic buildings, most nearly a century old, are nestled along the 2,400 feet of rocky shoreline. Participants are housed in rustic cabins, complete with electricity, full bathrooms, and charming screened porches where they can enjoy the soft breezes from the lake and listen to the loons call.

The property is protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement held by the Kennebec Land Trust. Its oldest structure, the Lodge, was the only building on the lake on the 1880 geological survey. Bearnstow is located at Spruce Point Camps, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Bearnstow has had a rich history of arts-related activities linked to a practice of environmental responsibility. Throughout our history the resonance of place in all activities has been central to our mission. Our unspoiled environment provides an alternative freedom for aesthetic expression away from the demands of daily life. Our attention to the care of place, land, and spirit is central to our daily practice.

Our summer programs emphasize the connection between environment and learning. The immediacy of our natural surroundings affects the breadth and depth of the learning that takes place, for both teacher and student. For a snapshot of a dancer's summer experience at Bearnstow, read Stories From Camp by Susan Douglas Roberts.

Sessions for Young People in 2013

In summer 2013 a two-week Day Camp for children 6 to 14 years of age will be offered June 30July 13. Children participate in a daily program focused on creative arts and physical activities, including classes in dance, art, swimming, and horsemanship.

Young people 15 to 18 years of age are invited to participate in morning adult classes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with permission of the instructor of the workshop. Fee is $75.00 for the five morning sessions. E-mail Bearnstow Administration to inquire.

Community Classes for All Ages

On Wednesday evenings, Bearnstow’s faculty will offer free classes to community members of all ages at the Mount Vernon Community Center at 7:30 p.m., beginning Wednesday, July 3, 2013. For more information see the workshop descriptions for the instructors and class content.

Workshops for Adults in 2013

In recent years Bearnstow has offered numerous workshops in movement studies taught by a world-class faculty. Summer 2013 will include workshops in movement and performance and a week devoted to natural sciences. See the Natural History Week at Bearnstow.


Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the following for contributions and/or in-kind services to Bearnstow during the 2012 season: Peggy Chambers, Jan Connor, Wayne R. Davis, Mary Therese Duffy, Elizabeth Enfield, Janet Erickson, Laura Faure, Robin Gilmore, Barbara Gottschalk, Ruth Grauert, Phillip Gregory, Kennebec Land Trust, Kents Hill School, Howard Lake, Margery Lieber, Susan Liebling, Douglas Lindner, Suzanne Dalton Jones, Bebe Miller, Sandra Merrick, Panera Breads, Jeff Pidot, Salvation Army, Joanna Tibby, Jim Van Abbema, Clyde Walton, and Fred Weber.


Bearnstow Board of Directors
  • Janet Erickson, Framingham, MA
  • Bobbie Gottschalk, Founder and Director, Seeds of Peace, Washington, DC
  • Ruth Grauert, Founder and Artistic Director, Bearnstow, Jersey City, NJ
  • Suzanne Jones, Ph.D., Psychologist, Towson, MD
  • Bebe Miller, Co-Director, Bearnstow, Dancer and Choreographer, Columbus, OH
  • Gerald Otte, Choreographer, Dancer, Composer; Adjunct Instructor in Dance, Hunter College, New York, NY
  • Jim Van Abbema, Webmaster and Wildlife Biologist, Bronx, NY
Advisory Board
  • Mary-Therese Duffy, Licensed Clinical Counselor, Raymond, ME
  • Vernon Dunn, Industrial Truss Designer, Belgrade, ME
  • Laura Faure, Director, Bates Dance Fesitval
  • Susan Leibling, Kennebec Land Trust, Mount Vernon, ME
  • Sandra Merrick, Community Contact, Mount Vernon, ME
  • Jo Tibby, Community Contact, Mount Vernon, ME
  • Clyde Walton, Kennebec Land Trust, Fayette, ME

Bearnstow is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, and all contributions are tax ductible. Please mail checks to Bearnstow, 83 Sanford Place, Jersey City, NJ 07307; or contribute online by credit card through PayPal (click PayPal button on the right).
Please visit our companion Web site — Bearnstow Journal — which offers articles on the Nikolais esthetic and the arts.