Fish and Flow Developmental Retreat

Join Heather Henson and a host of fish and waterways knowledge keepers to dive deep into the information informing the development of a new Fish & Flow parade experience. By participating in this teacher training and artistic development retreat, you'll become part of the for future parade presentations.  This parade experience will be presented at the Puppet Homecoming Northeast Regional Puppetry Festival in Ithaca, NY November 1-3, 2024. 

Current Schedule

Sunday, September 15

10am - Welcome from Heather Henson

10:30am - Introducing Frameworks for Understanding and Observing Rivers with Zbigniew Grabowski 

11am-1pm - Kayaking trip on the Housatonic River w/ Gretchen Klens

1-2pm - Reflections with Zbigniew Grabowski & Lunch (provided)

2-3pm - Evan Pritchard Presentation 

3:30-4:30pm - Nakai Clearwater Northup Pequot Fish Presentation

5-6pm - Heather Henson Presentation

6:30pm - Dinner (provided)

7:30pm - Fish Lantern Parade

**Between presentations, particpants will be encouraged to make use of craft supplies and movement and flow props to explore how to embody and teach the information learned.**

Follow Up Call on Tuesday September 17th @ 7:30pm ET - SIGN UP HERE **

Meals Both Lunch and dinner will be provided and will include plant-based and gluten free options. 

Housing Limited housing and camping space is available. Please note in your registration if you would be interested in one of these spaces.

Registration Fees  Registration is available for either the full day of programing or for all programs after 1pm. All meals and supplies are included within these fees. Pay-What-You-Can options are available, however additional scholarships are available as needed. For more information on scholarships email Brenna Ross at brenna.ross@ibexpuppetry.com.. 

About the Teachers

Heather Henson - Founder of Green Feather Foundation, Heather is a second-generation puppet artist whose work promotes healing for the planet. After studying at the Rhode Island School of Design and the California Institute of the Arts, Henson has focused her efforts on supporting other independent puppet artists, producing her own award-winning environmental spectacles, and bringing people and nature into reciprocal harmony through hands-on educational experiences. By supporting Indigenous knowledge keepers who are reviving traditional practices, Henson strives to support a sustainable and healthy world for generations to come.

Gretchen Klens - Hey! I’m Gretchen Klens. I live and play on the lands of the Tunxis, Massacoes, and Mohican peoples in Collinsville, Connecticut, a small river town nestled among the Tunxis (Farmington) River, hills of mountain laurels, and black bears. I’ve lived in and loved Aotearoa (New Zealand), so-called Maine, Colorado, and Alaska, drawing upon the beauty and magic of these lands and waters to inspire my art. I hope to initiate creativity, flow, and heart-centered connections in my community through my art, guiding, and way of life. www.spiritualknucklehead.com

Zbigniew Grabowski - Dr. Zbigniew J. Grabowski (Z or Zbig for short) is an Associate Extension Educator in Water Quality at UConn’s Center for Land Use Education and Research. Z brings his expertise in green infrastructure, just transitions, and systems approaches to address intersecting social and environmental challenges related to water.

He has previously worked at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, The Breakthrough Institute, The Urban Systems Lab at The New School, and the Technical University of Munich’s Research Training Group on Urban Green Infrastructure. He completed his BS and MS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Conservation Biology and Biodiversity at UConn, and received a PhD in Environmental Science and Resources through Portland State University’s NSF-IGERT focused on Ecosystem Services for Urbanizing Regions. You can see his full list of publications at: www.researchgate.net/profile/Zbigniew-Grabowski

Nakai Clearwater Northup - Head of Education Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and Founder of RezLifeOutdoor. Learn more on Instagram @rezlifeoutdoors

Evan Pritchard - Evan T. Pritchard, a descendant of the Mi’kmaq people, has taught Native American studies at Pace University, Vassar College, and Marist College and is the director of the Center for Algonquin Culture. Steeped in bird lore by his Mi’kmaq great aunt Helen Perley, he is the author of several books, including Native New Yorkers and No Word for Time. A regular on radio shows such as NPR’s Fresh Air and on the History Channel, he lives in the Hudson Valley of New York.