Date
December 27, 2021 – January 1, 2022
Starts 4:00 PM · Ends 10:30 AM
Location
The Y at Watson Woods
Painted Post, NY
ECRS Winter Adventure is a creative and joyous alternative holiday experience. Young and old are thoroughly engaged in four days filled with a diverse array of classes, evening programs, and late-night activities. A dedicated children's program makes sure our youngest members have as much fun as the grown-ups during class times.
This year's event required every attendee age five and up to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with rapid antigen testing at check-in and again on day 3, and no in-person event would have been held if the board couldn't meet CDC safety requirements.
Tuition
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plus | $350 |
| Full | $250 |
| Reduced | $150 |
| Child (3-17) | $125 |
| Child (0-2) | Free |
Room & Board
Main Lodge
Dorm-style rooms with twin or bunk beds and shared bath; guests must bring sheets and towels.
| Occupancy | Per Person |
|---|---|
| 2-4 per room | $215 |
| Single | $265 |
West Wing
Attached to Main Lodge. Hotel-style rooms with two double beds, private bath, and carpeting; all linens supplied.
| Occupancy | Per Person |
|---|---|
| 2-4 per room | $430 |
| Single | $650 |
Hillside
A short walk up a hill from Main Lodge; limited rooms with shared baths. Guests must bring sheets and towels.
| Occupancy | Per Person |
|---|---|
| 2 per room | $340 |
| Single | $540 |
Meals
Food charge: $200 per adult, $100 per child (3-17), free for children 0-2.
A $25 per person fee was added to cover on-site rapid COVID tests.
Schedule
- International Folk Dancing — All 4 days
Cultural appreciation, physical movement, community-building, and fun, with a wide variety of dances. (Ages 9+, opportunities for practice teaching)
- Wish You Were Here: Crafting Postcards to Send — Teri Wilkinson Days 1-2 and Days 3-4
A crafts class in the ECRS tradition of "process over product." Energy + Creativity = Community. (Age 16+, class size limited to 16)
- Valued Living — Days 1-2
Discover your core value statements through journaling, games, meditation, and personal reflection. (Age 18+)
- Joy, Games, Vocals and Rhythm — Days 3-4
Use vocals and rhythms to explore joy, emotions, silliness, and spontaneity through sound, movement, and improvised vocal tapestries. (Age 18+)
- Printing with Adinkra Symbols — Days 3-4
Create small Adinkra-style symbols from cardboard for rubbing patterned arrangements on paper, inspired by traditional Ghanaian symbolic language. (Age 14+, class size limited to 20)
- The Write Stuff — Two 2-day minis
Original exercises to stimulate creativity and break through writing blocks, then write from what you know best — the stories of your lives. (Age 16+, class size limited to 16)
- The Joy of Movement — and Marko Schmale Days 1-2
Exercises and dance exploring rhythm and full-body movement. Fun for all ages and abilities.
- Informal Dramatics — Days 1-2
Use your imagination to bring whatever you choose to life through creative dramatic warm-ups, exercises, and games. (Age 11+)
- Outdoor Meditation — Days 1-2
Disconnect and refocus attention to the natural environment — walking silently, centering, and becoming more aware of the senses.
- Improv — Days 3-4
Learn the basic tenets of improv and the core ideas. No age restrictions.
- Leadership: Skill or Art? — Days 3-4
Examines what it means to be an effective leader, with emphasis on ECRS leadership philosophy and group dynamic theory. (Age 13+)
- Song and Joke Swap — Days 3-4
Take turns leading a song and telling a joke. Instruments optional.
- Small Scenes — All 4 days
Comedy, drama, and everything in between — using scripts to rehearse, create, and perform. (Age 16+, class size limited to 16, commitment to all four days)
- Active Games and More — Days 1-2
Interactive, active, sedate, dramatic, quiet, raucous, and silly games, revisiting old favorites and discovering new ones. (Age 16+)
- Late Night Dances — Days 1-2
Learn the steps to the dances everyone else seems to know at New Year's Eve. All ages and energy levels welcome.
- Active Games and More — Days 3-4
Interactive, active, sedate, dramatic, quiet, raucous, and silly games, revisiting old favorites and discovering new ones. (Age 16+)
- Children's Program Elementary ages All 4 days
A completely integrated program for children ages 5-11 during two class periods, cooperative-led for the remaining period.
Policies
Health
Every attendee age five and up was required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend (children under five were exempt). Proof of vaccination was required at online registration, plus a rapid antigen test at check-in and a follow-up test on day 3. Anyone with symptoms or a positive test was required to quarantine and mask until cleared. Masking was otherwise optional. The board reserved the right to cancel the in-person event if COVID conditions made it unsafe.
Patricia Williams
Folk Dance Instructor
Patricia has taught International Folk Dancing (IFD) at ECRS for many years, bringing dances from around the world to our community. Throughout the year she leads IFD and Scottish country dancing at community events, music and dance workshops, leadership development courses, fundraisers, and private celebrations. She is known for a warm and welcoming manner and a deep appreciation for the cultural nuances of dances. From novice to expert dancers, people find her instructions simple and clear, her enthusiasm infectious!
View full profile →Heather Klemanski
Well-Being and Self-Compassion
Heather Klemanski is a well-being expert in stress management, mindfulness, and self-compassion. She empowers individuals and groups through transformations that build resilience, self-worth, and compassion. With qualifications in Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), Safe Space Facilitation, and Somatic Practices, Heather supports individuals navigating overwhelm, burnout, and emotional disconnection through a trauma-sensitive approach, gently guiding them back to balance and well-being.
With a love for creativity and play, whether it's making earrings, collaging, or weaving beauty into the everyday, Heather brings warmth, presence, and meaning into all she does. To learn more: heatherklemanski.com
Julie Lipson
Music and Improv
Julie and Miles are music therapists and musicians with more than 3 decades of experience facilitating musical community adventures. The two perform with Ants on a Log, a nationally acclaimed social-justice family music band. As facilitators, Miles and Julie create inclusive spaces for people to express themselves, make genuine connections, and have lots of fun!
View full profile →Julie Siftar
Crafts
Julie Siftar grew up attending ECRS programs. She has a degree in Art Education from Temple University and has been teaching Art in Massachusetts for 20+ years. "ECRS has been an essential influence in my teaching success."
View full profile →Beverly Pincus
Creative Writing
Dr. Beverly Pincus is a bilingual Licensed Clinical Psychologist with expertise in trauma treatment and Cross-Cultural Psychology, an award winning author of personal essay and poetry, and a teacher of Creative Writing. She has taught her playshop "The Write Stuff" at ECRS events over the last five years. This year, she is excited to be assisting in the Children's Program. Beverly's Bachelors degree is in Human Development and Family Studies and after completing her doctorate she worked for many years as a Child Psychologist, at NY Presbyterian Children's Hospital and later as Director of Psychology Training at NY Foundling. She is a former camp counselor who remembers all the silly songs more than forty years later!
A proud Colombian-American "Jewtina," Beverly loves to write, read, dance, travel, do yoga, go to live theater, take long walks in nature, enjoy good food (which she likes to cook) with good friends, and cuddle with her furry, funny cat Cole. She lives in New York City with her wonderfully wise elder sage of a mother, and the aforementioned cat.
Lane Neubauer
Leadership Theory
Lane has been attending ECRS since she was 11 (over 55 years!). She has been on staff many times teaching a variety of classes including Informal Dramatics, Games, Square Dancing, Group Dynamics and Leadership. She has been Staff Coordinator as well Evening Program Coordinator multiple times. Lane served on the ECRS Board and was Chair for two years of her three year term. Professionally, Lane was Associate Dean of Students for 17 years at La Salle University. She initiated and facilitated a Peer Education program and grew this to be over 60 students. Prior to La Salle, she was Director of 'Wellness Services' at Arcadia University for 10 years and was an Adjunct Faculty member teaching Group Dynamics to Masters level teachers; in this course, she incorporated ECRS philosophy in teaching teachers how to build a positive, inclusive climate with their students. Throughout her professional career as well as after she retired, Lane has been called upon by a variety of different populations to facilitate workshops focusing on team building, conflict resolution and leadership.
View full profile →Isaac Lebwohl-Steiner
Improv and Drama
Isaac has been coming to ECRS his entire life and currently serves as Board Chair. He leads improv, cooperative and theater games, Small Scenes, and other ways to play at ECRS events. He has served on various committees over the years. He invites you to join him at ECRS for the same reason he leads here: to connect with a caring community and play, just because we can.
View full profile →Jacquie Adain
Games
Jacquie Adain, born in England but living in Canada most of her life has been playing games at ECRS for about 25 years and leading much of that time. She was a substitute teacher until she retired. Although she misses the kids she makes up for it with her 'kids' and 'family' at ECRS. Dancing, singing, playing the uke and word games are also on her agenda. At home she is involved with RWC, the Canadian 'cousin' of ECRS.
View full profile →Rain Woods
Late Night Dances
Rain Woods is the child of long-time ECRS love-birds Steve & Martha Woods, and a member from childhood. As an adult, they have regularly led crafts and dance classes and are always looking for an opportunity to goof around. Outside of camp, they spend their time working as an urban farmer in Chicago, IL, where they live with their partner Alice.
View full profile →Judi Powers
Movement
Judi has been a member of the ECRS family for over 10 years. She has her blue belt in NIA and is a certified instructor for Moving to Heal. She loves teaching joy of movement, moving your body's way. Dancing is an experience that can be so uplifting and healing on many levels; in a group it's just infectious! She lives in the Adirondack Mountains where she enjoys her many outdoor passions from skiing to gardening. She is a licensed Adirondack guide in hiking, camping and whitewater. She is part of the local theater group of dancing witches. Hope you come join me and share some smiles!
View full profile →Dan Nicholson
Dan has been an ECRS member for nearly 20 years with his spouse Julie Siftar and their two daughters, Celia and Sonia. At his home in Stow, MA, Dan enjoys making Raku pottery, sailing, and making videos for his local TV station. A retired high school art teacher, Dan has taught Percussion as well as Crafts classes at ECRS Winter Adventure.
View full profile →