At Flourish Summer Camp, art and nature intertwine to create a unique performing arts experience for young individuals. Nestled on DreamAcres Farm, an off-the-grid organic farm in Wykoff, Minnesota, this residential camp offers youth ages 11-15 a week-long immersion in creative expression and environmental connection.
The heart of Flourish is its distinctive approach to performing arts education. Young campers spend their days developing original performance pieces while being mentored in techniques like puppetry and movement. The program intentionally integrates these programs with the natural surroundings of the farm—participants harvest from the vegetable garden to connect with food sources, explore the woodlands to discover natural performance spaces, and play in the creek to understand how water can inspire performance. These environmental interactions are essential components of the camp’s creative process, informing performances that respond directly to place, and allowing campers to develop work that couldn’t exist in conventional theater spaces.
The 2024 season culminated in a public performance on August 4th titled “Ruffled Feathers and Flying Soles.” As audiences gathered at the farm, they were led through various natural “stages” across the property. The performance began with spectators seated on hay bales and blankets spread across a sloping field, as performers emerged from the woods in colorful, handcrafted costumes.
A highlight of the performance featured a young performer who climbed into a tree where aerial silks were set up. Camp director Eva Barr described it as “a comedic silks piece that took place up in a tree.” The performer demonstrated both technical skill and humor as they performed against the backdrop of sky and trees, drawing both laughter and amazed reactions from the audience.
The performance journey continued as viewers were guided to another location where “another sketch took place down in a hole”—a depression in the earth cleverly transformed into a stage, with performers appearing and disappearing from view, playing with perspective and visibility in ways conventional theater spaces don’t allow.
In another part of the performance, dancers used the meadow as their stage. Tall grasses swayed alongside the performers as they moved through the space. The show progressed to what Barr described as “an Olympic event that culminated in the creek and was cut short by a big chicken.” During this segment, the audience watched from the creek banks as performers showcased expressive movements inspired by the water. The scene ended unexpectedly when a large, handmade chicken puppet appeared, surprising the audience and causing much laughter.
Barr mentions that one challenge was when “visions perhaps being bigger than the week allows.” This reflects how ambitious the campers’ creative ideas often are, despite the limited time available. These time constraints actually help the young artists learn to work within boundaries—a familiar creative challenge that many in our SEMAC arts community can attest.
Another unexpected challenge in the 2024 season came when two staff members—including the morning cook and puppeteer—were unable to participate due to COVID. “This left us with a ‘skeleton crew,'” Barr explains, “one that proved the strength of flexibility.” Despite these setbacks, the staff demonstrated adaptability. As Barr humorously recalls, “While there was a bit of scrambling in the morning, and not just the eggs, we managed to get everyone fed and speeding to their first class of the day. And there were puppets in the final show.”
The show’s title had layers of meaning beyond what audiences might have initially perceived. Barr reflects, “‘Ruffled Feathers and Flying Soles'” referred to the giant chicken puppet and the shoes thrown during two of the pieces, but it could just as well have referred to the mood set each morning in a very creative kitchen.”
For nearly two decades, Flourish has maintained its commitment to accessibility, never turning away a prospective camper due to inability to pay. As Barr proudly states, “Flourish, after almost 20 years, has never turned anyone away for lack of ability to pay.” The program intentionally remains small in scale, creating an intimate community where each young artist receives individualized attention and support.
Flourish Summer Camp will return in 2025, running from July 27 to August 3, with a public performance scheduled for August 3rd at 2pm at DreamAcres Farm. This program continues to provide a space where young artists can develop their creative voices while forming meaningful connections with each other and the natural world.
Flourish Summer Camps 2025 has a few participant slots still available! For more information, visit https://www.dreamacresfarm.org/summer-camp, call 507-316-3795, or email Eva Barr at flourishsummercamp@gmail.com