Come connect with cultures from around the world. Learn a variety of dances, fast and slow, in circles and in lines, serene, and joyful, and everything in between. Each dance will get us moving in body, mind, and spirit. Great music, great exercise, great fun, great community—and no need to do them “right”!

If you can write you can WRITE!! In this class we will use original exercises designed to stimulate creativity and break through writing blocks. Want to learn what part of your brain houses your imagination, or visit a word museum? After some playful warmups, through a series of prompts, you will write what you know best —the stories of your lives. In a safe, supportive, and confidential environment you will share these stories with each other. There will also be an art component where we will create visually stunning art-poetry and prose. There will be an optional opportunity to read your work to the larger ECRS community. This class is appropriate for people who have always wanted to write and never thought they could, experienced writers, and everyone in between. Come and discover your authentic voice and the written expression of your heart.

Age 16+. Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

Participants will use a chair. We will breathe and move within the confines of a chair. Each pose will be brief and we will experience a variety of poses. Each pose will be held for a short time. We will also do some standing near or with our chair. We will engage in most poses even with physical limitations.

Join the Winter Adventure Sketch Comedy Bootcamp to learn the secrets behind crafting hilarious sketches, from dissecting ‘Weekend Update’ to writing and performing your own original comedy gold. We will cover the basics of sketch comedy (what it is and where it came from), including proven sketch templates. After viewing and deconstructing a few classic SNL sketches from the “Best of” archives, we’ll brainstorm sketch ideas as a group and craft a piece (or two) to perform together in class and maybe even for others during free time. Participants are welcome to come as viewers, writers, and/or actors. No experience required, just a willingness to laugh and learn!

ECRS theory is based on working with groups to create cohesive, cooperative experiences. Effective leadership is maximized toward these goals when the leader understands the mechanisms of how groups operate. The purpose of this theory course is to help participants develop a working knowledge of group dynamics and specifically how this is incorporated in ECRS leadership. Through a combination of experiential exercises, structured fun activities, and discussions, participants will learn how to work with groups to foster a positive experience and how to create the magic that is unique to ECRS.

Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

This class will be an opportunity for any participant(s) to lead an activity (ex. singing, games, dance, informal activity, etc.). Each person will have the option of leadership feedback. Only those who volunteer will lead an activity. All participants will engage in activities but without any requirement to lead. If you know ahead of time what you plan to lead, please let me know at baskinfrank19@gmail.com. You can change your mind.

Why should the grown-ups have all the fun? ECRS offers a completely integrated program for children ages 5-11 during two class periods. Many activities mirror the cooperative play that ECRS is built on. Children may learn new games, create new crafts, sing silly songs, or even get the chance to share activities they have fun doing at home. Depending on age and interest, they may take a field trip to experience the more kid-friendly adult classes! Children’s Program is first and third periods only. A cooperatively-led Children’s Program staffed by parents and volunteers is 2nd period.

Note: Children are expected to stay for the entire program, and are the responsibility of their guardians at all other times.

There will also be childcare for ages 2-4.

Bask in the glow of the spontaneous and the surprising as we create a musical– improvised together without any planning! We’ll learn some basics through improv games and musical play, and then we’ll create our very own musical, which will be unforgettable and immediately forgotten. Beyond very fun, musical improv is a study in teamwork, flexibility within structure, and mutual support. No improv or musical experience needed.

You are invited to come create small whimsical hats, Fascinators and other festive head adornment in this 2-day mini course. Materials will include fancy papers, feathers, wire, found twigs sprigs and more. Come enjoy the creative process and perhaps don the final product on New Year’s Eve!

Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

Enjoy relaxing with friends over new or old games. Play an old favorite, or learn a new game. We’ll bring Bananagrams, Upwords, Scrabble, Boggle, Backgammon, Quiddler, Rummikub, and more. You can also bring your favorite game to share. Depending on interest, we can explore pencil and paper games and/or share examples of how to make board games such as 9 Man Morris and Chinese Friends.

This class is for anyone who hopes to age well. Ageist stereotypes are abundant in our society and they start from an early age. How we think about aging impacts our life in big and small ways. We’ll look at compelling new research on how the stereotypes operate, compare our own experiences with ageism, and explore how to change our own negative beliefs. This class will be a combination of learning the latest research on aging, writing, and group discussion. All ages welcome from teens and above.

Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

This type of social dancing is loads of fun! Dances vary from lively to slow and elegant, and from simple to more interesting patterns, all to different types of Celtic music. Enjoy gender-free partnering and a new partner for each dance. The only requirements are the ability to walk quickly and smile to others along the way!

Explore your post career life with others to gain knowledge and insights. Think about where you are now and where you want to go. Get to a clearer place on what you want your future to look like. Transitions in later life (age 50+) present their own challenges but also create new opportunities. Leave this Mini with new ideas, insights, and an action plan for 2025! We’ll have a combination of short presentations, group discussions, and breakouts. A number of resources and planning tools will be provided. This Mini is geared to those close to retirement or who have already retired from their main career. All ages welcome.

Group activities organized and staffed by parents and volunteers. We will create a sign-up sheet and there will be a room designated with some materials that can be shared.

If you’ve seen a play or a movie and imagined yourself as one of the characters, if you miss your time in the school play, or if you just want to be someone else for a minute, here is your chance! Comedy, drama, we have it all. Using scripts we will rehearse, perform, and discuss a collection of scenes. Explore, discover, and create!

Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

Have you ever been at late night dancing and wish you just knew some of the dances better, or at all? Well, this class is your opportunity. We will learn/review some of the popular dances we do later in the evening as well as some other ECRS favorites. There will be opportunities to request dances to add to our list!

Begin with a bit of games theory, working through five elements: people, equipment, movement pattern, rules and purpose. For example, think about Hot Potato. Then, using the 5 elements, change it from a game that deals people out into an engaging and fun-filled experience. On the second day we will briefly review what we learned on the first day and then, with live action, collaboration and creativity, find new, different and even better ways to play.

Come sing with us! If you play a musical instrument, bring it along so we can have fun singing and playing together. You could even play a verse on a kazoo! Our new ECRS songbook has lyrics and chords that include folk, rock, funny songs, pop, ballads, and even some show tunes. We will take turns selecting songs, and those who want to lead will have that opportunity. Extra ukuleles will be available. All levels and ages are welcome.

Let’s work through play-FULL and purpose-FULL games and activities. From silence to singing, from still to full action, from hands free to plenty of equipment, from regulated to rule breaking, from participation to performance…what could we do when we’re all in it together?

In this class we will be making zines (short for magazine) together!! What is a zine, you may ask? A zine does not have any strict rules or styles, but in general, they are usually small paper books that anyone can make about anything they’re interested in. In your zine you might share small works of art, create a manifesto, develop a story, or share information. Historically they have been used as a pre-digital way for fans to build community around bands or subcultures, and they are often used as a tool for activism. We are offering two minis where you can choose-your-own-adventure for a 2-day project or a 4-day project. In other words, come to one mini or two! We will bring colorful supplies, good vibes, and give you a loose structure to work with. We can’t wait to see what we’ll create together!

Class size is limited. Please register in advance. We will keep a wait list once we have reached capacity.

Why should the grown-ups have all the fun? ECRS offers a completely integrated program for children ages 5-11 during two class periods. Many activities mirror the cooperative play that ECRS is built on. Children may learn new games, create new crafts, sing silly songs, or even get the chance to share activities they have fun doing at home. Depending on age and interest, they may take a field trip to experience the more kid-friendly adult classes! Children’s Program is first and third periods only. A cooperatively-led Children’s Program staffed by parents and volunteers is 2nd period.

Note: Children are expected to stay for the entire program, and are the responsibility of their guardians at all other times.

There will also be childcare for ages 2-4.