Week 3 Staff & Activities

Our talented staff returns year after year. Here's who's coming Week Three. Check back for frequent updates!

Adult Programs: Lori Biamonte (mosaics), Martha Siegel (strings), Dan Wells (nature exploration), Peter Hansen (tennis), Sophie Bell (writing), Kim Dunkley (circus arts), Steve Blane (singing Sondheim songs), Liz Ritter (improv)

Multiage Programs: Martha Siegel (strings), Justin Bouvier (waterfront coordinator), Ed Pazzanes

Youth and Teen Program Teachers: Lynne Lisa, David Kirsch, David Kano, Vanessa Anton, Lisa Stevens-Goodnight, Kelsey Head, Ed Pazzanes

Evening Programs: Brick oven pizza and games; Music by the campfire; The Big Show

(Actitivities are subject to change)

Class/Activity Descriptions

Adult Programs

• Mosaics with Lori Biamonte – The art form of mosaic making has a centuries old history of piecing together beauty from many varied materials, including tile, stone, and glass. In Lori's workshop, participants will complete either a "glass on glass" or masic frame project from start to finish, utilizing the "direct method" with stained glass as the tesserae. Appropriate for both beginners and masaic enthusiasts alike, this class will cover the use of tools and techniques necessary to score, break, and prepare stained glass for mosaic use as well as instruction on grouting the finished piece.  
• Tennis with Peter Hansen - Peter is an avid tennis player and teacher for 35 years. He trained with Peter Burwash International and wrote a book Zone Tennis: Passageway to the Spirit of Play so the teaching is always play and fun and free form is the rule. He loves the game and his love is infectious.
• Nature Exploration with Dan Wells -  Dan brings a keen eye and a wealth of knowledge to his nature explorations. He will lead hikes to the three acre Beaver Pond and also on some of the shorter trails searching for signs of wild life and enjoying the local flora.

• Circus Arts with Kim Dunkley - It’s never too late to join the circus! Become an acrobat or ribbon dancer, juggle plates, balls, bowling pins or scarves, find internal balance, build a human pyramid or simply resurrect your dormant cartwheel abilities. Many skills will be offered and people can focus on what they wish. Simply enjoy playing or prepare an act for the big show. Kim Dunkley attended Dell’Arte and enjoys sharing silly skills with people. 

• Improv with Liz Ritter -"Experts" debating the relative merits of broccoli versus cauliflower? A roomful of Fay Wrays "running" away from a scary monster in slow motion? Four paranoid hypochondriacs carpooling to work? Nothing is too far-out for improv, where we make it all up on the spot. Using easy-to-follow warm-ups to explore basic improv principles, we will have fun playing a variety of short games and one- to five-minute scenes. No prior experience necessary. Only qualifications are a willingness to relax, play, have fun, and enjoy whatever zany twists and turns the class may take. Just say YES! Elizabeth Lorris Ritter has been studying improv since 2003.

• Writing Your Life with Sophie Bell - Come spend a week writing about an important experience in your life, with helpful prompts to get you started. Share your work-in-progress with other writers and/or meet individually with Sophie to talk in more depth about your writing. Don’t worry; you don’t need to have a particular “experience” in mind to get something out of this class. Just an interest in doing some writing. If you like, bring a photo or photos related in some way to experiences you might want to write about!

Multi-Age Programs

• “Strings” lessons with Martha Siegel (all day) Martha is an icon at Common Ground. She sets up her music studio in the farmhouse and offers lessons in violin and cello to beginners and experienced players alike. People learn to play alone and in groups. One four year old learned to play “Twinkle, twinkle….” in one week at camp. Join all of Martha’s students for the Chamber Music Concert at the end of the week.