Juniper Tree School of Puppetry Arts http://junipertreepuppets.com Juniper Tree School of Puppetry Arts Thu, 11 Jan 2018 02:19:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.8 Spring Story Magic! Mini Puppet Boot Camp http://junipertreepuppets.com/spring-story-magic-mini-puppet-boot-camp/ Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:00:24 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1913 Spring Story Magic!

Mini Puppet Boot Camp Weekend

May 20-21   in  Davis California at the Davis Waldorf School

9-5 SAT., 9-12:30 SUN.

A rare event outside Colorado – a weekend puppet intensive!  Come join us as we
 dye spring silk (45″ square silk scarf) with a multi colored/overdyeing method to enhance our   spring story needle-felted landscape backdrop we  will create for our puppet tables,  and make wonderful needle-felted characters for the magical sweet tale of The Fairy Cradles.  

It is a full, practical, delightful boot camp weekend, which means we get a LOT done!

Welcome teachers and parents for this early childhood weekend with Suzanne Down, Founder of Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts!!

$150 plus $50 materials  numbers limited to space needs.

contact suzannedown@gmail.com for further information and questions

early registration recommended – PayPal, check, or cash.

payment plans always possible.

]]> Southwest Regional Summer 2017 ECE Puppetry – The Puppet Boot Camp! http://junipertreepuppets.com/southwest-regional-summer-2017-ece-puppetry-the-puppet-boot-camp/ Wed, 22 Mar 2017 02:35:28 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1907 Southwest Regional Summer 2017 ECE Puppetry

5-Day Puppetry Intensive (The Puppet Boot Camp!)

June 23-27, 2017

LOCATION: BOULDER, CO


JOIN US IN COLORADO FOR A  FIVE DAY EARLY CHILDHOOD PUPPETRY INTENSIVE!

THIS SERIOUS PUPPETRY IMMERSION COURSE IS ON HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL,

THERAPEUTIC, AND MAGICAL PUPPETRY FOR CHILDREN 2-9.

IT WILL BE INVALUABLE FOR TEACHERS OF KINDERGARTEN, EARLY GRADES, PRESCHOOL, CHILDCARE,

AFTER CARE, HOME PROGRAMS, CHILDREN’S LIBRARIANS,

THERAPISTS, SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, PARENTS, HOMESCHOOLING, AND ALL WHO LOVE CHILDREN.

WE WILL WORK ON THE WISE ART OF THE PUPPET, AND HOW ENLIVENING PUPPETRY SUPPORTS THE MILESTONES OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.

A VERY POPULAR PUPPET INTENSIVE, CREATIVE, PRACTICAL, AND LOADS OF FUN!  THIS YEAR’S DATES ARE JUNE 23-27 2017 – THIS YEAR WE WILL FOCUS ON THE ART OF THE ROD PUPPET, PROTECTION STORY DEVELOPMENT, AND BRINGING THERAPEUTIC BREATHING INTO OUR PUPPETRY FOCUSING ON MARIONETTES THAT MOVE IN THE ELEMENT OF ‘AIR’ – LOTS OF HANDS-ON PUPPET MAKING AND STORY PRESENTATION, STORY VOICE WORK, PUPPET GESTURE, AND ENORMOUS FUN! REGISTER EARLY!!! NUMBERS LIMITED.

WE WILL FILL OUR PUPPETS AND VOICES WITH WARMTH, WONDER, AND HEALING ARCHETYPE.

THIS IS A VERY RENEWING, JOYFUL, USEFUL, PRACTICAL SKILL BUILDING WEEK OF PUPPET ABUNDANCE!

ALL ENTHUSIASTS ARE WELCOME!

5 DAYS – 9:00-4:00 – JUNE 23-27, 2017

COST – $495 PLUS $100 MATERIALS.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS AVAILABLE

PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE

PAYPAL, CHECK, CASH

CONTACT suzannedown@gmail.com FOR REGISTRATION AND COURSE INFO.

Some housing finding help available

]]> A Year of Writing Program 2017/18 – Walkabout Tales – writing for children http://junipertreepuppets.com/a-year-of-writing-program-201718-walkabout-tales-writing-for-children/ Wed, 22 Mar 2017 02:21:59 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1903 ‘A Year of Writing’ Program

Walkabout Tales – Writing for Children Inspired by Nature

A NEW Writing for Children Course 2017/2018
‘A Year of Writing’ Program
Walkabout Tales – Writing Children’s Stories Inspired By Nature
Begins August 5-8 2017 Boulder, CO

Here is how it works!

* We meet 4 days for 2 summers ( 2017 and 2018) to practice the art of walking in beautiful and diverse nature as a meditation, with specific writing exercises living in us. We write, we observe, we invite the muse, we create stories, we share, we edit, we practice our storytelling, we celebrate!

* We look into how to get our work published. We practice writing query letters to editors. We explore where to send them.

For the 10 months in between, we have individual and group mentoring via email and phone. Monthly writing assignments, editing support, new ideas, story writing sparks, seasonal suggestions to ponder, publishing encouragement and guides, and good hearted cheerleading on all counts will help you define and reach your writing goals and improve your writing over time.

*each summer when we meet in person, we will spend time walking in nature, observing through our senses, and writing, guided by writing exercises. We will share our writing practice with each other through reading of our works in progress.

At the end of one year you will have many wonderful stories written and edited. We will choose our best work and compile them in a ‘Walkabout Tales’ Journal. Some of you may become published through the year. All of you will have shared your work in different ways with your community and beyond.

Join Us For This Year of Creative Renewal!!

*****

Contact Suzanne Down – suzannedown@gmail.com for further information about the program or about registering for the course.

The cost for the year long program is $2000. There is a $375. non-refundable registration fee (which goes toward the year fee)

Payment Plans are always available

It is possible that you will be paying for the program with your published work from the year!

Hurray!!

]]> Summer Professional Development Courses 2016 – Join Us!!! http://junipertreepuppets.com/summer-professional-development-courses-2016-join-us/ Sat, 16 Apr 2016 18:51:16 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1856 Summer 2016

Courses and Trainings / Professional Development

Boulder, CO

New Series – Puppetry Training Course Begins July 2016

Our 21st training group!  Join us for this wonderful deepening into the Puppetry Arts

for details CLICK HERE

PT2011 wendy:jpeg

******

Southwest Regional Professional Development week

Join us!  5 day puppet intensive – the popular Puppet Boot Camp!!!

June 24-28 2016   in    Boulder, CO

CLICK HERE for details

IMG_5999

*****

Hurray!   Multicolor Silk Dye Day!!!

Sat. May 21  near Boulder , CO

email suzannedown@gmail.com for details

a day exploring multi color dyeing with nature dyes and over dyeing magic

IMG_3440

Contact Suzanne Down for more information and registration!  Fill your summer Pro-D time with creative renewal!!!

suzannedown@gmail.com

payment plans available!!

]]> 2016/17 Puppetry Training Program Information and Application http://junipertreepuppets.com/201617-puppetry-training-program-information-and-application/ Thu, 03 Mar 2016 23:34:05 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1861 Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts

suzannedown@gmail.com                                                                               http://junipertreepuppets.com

PT2011 wendy:jpeg

Dear Puppetry Friends,

The New Certificate Puppetry Training Series begins July 2016.  the dates are as follows:

July 11-22 2016

Monthly one on one Mentoring through the year

July 2017 similar dates as 2016

2016/17 Location: Boulder CO

The 3 focus themes are:

  1. Pedagogical puppetry with an early childhood focus
  2. Therapeutic puppetry – How we can use puppetry to bring about healing and transformation.
  3. Artistic/performance in puppet theater– concentrating on archetypes of movement and gesture in the healing art of the marionettes and fairy tales.

The three themes weave together throughout the concentrated one-year course.  It has the healing possibilities at the forefront.   The artistic is a fundamental part of it being meaningful.

This is a serious intensive training working with the inner transformative  elements that are our guides in the awakening of the ensoulment process in puppetry.  How do we begin to meaningfully enliven the puppet with truth in gesture, soul warmth, and archetype inspired movement?

This course welcomes those ready to work inwardly and outwardly with joy, enthusiasm, and will.  There is a full year commitment. The process of unfolding the artistic and therapeutic ability is a time process and requires practicing the skills during the months in between our training sessions.  Each participant designs a puppet project that is suited to their life situation and interests.  It allows for a practice and deepening of the puppet training. Monthly one on one mentoring will support and guide you with your puppet practice and project through the year.  When participants do this, the steps forward in depth of skill and healing quality is profound.

Pedagogical

We will explore the fundamentals of enlivening simple puppets with artistry and healing qualities.  There is an early childhood focus, working with many types of puppets and presentation approaches most suitable for this age.  We will work on storytelling voice, music and puppetry, puppet making, movement, gesture, staging, and story writing.  We will explore presenting puppet plays with finger puppets, wool roving and felt table puppets, the amazing rod puppet, and the story apron.  Stories, poems, and songs suitable for this age will be looked at, as well as the wisdom of the nursery rhyme.

Therapeutic Puppetry

We will be going deeper into the understanding of the therapeutic aspects of the human being through the wisdom of the four poles of humanness, the four virtues of puppetry, the 12 senses, particularly the sense of touch, life, movement, balance, and warmth, and how this can guide us and inspire the exploration of our therapeutic puppetry.  We will work with the Rod Puppet – the heart puppet, as well as review all puppet types in a therapeutic light.  This concentration strengthens and deepens the transfer of the puppeteer’s inner imagination of soul archetype into and around the puppet.

Artistic/Performance

We will work on the performance and artistic process from beginning to end, focusing on the fairy tales and the marionette.  We will work deeply with the archetypes, which enliven the marionettes movements and gesture with meaning – physical activities, age, character, soul moods, temperaments, culture, etc.  These guide us in the process of ensouling the puppets in a healthy way.  We will work with storytelling, story ritual, staging, color, music, simple lighting.  We will dye silk in a multicolor method and make a 5-string marionette for an all age audience.

Visioning the directions to take your puppetry, expanding goals and possibilities, and the practical business aspects of puppetry such as creating flyers, brochures, proposal writing, grant sources, etc. is worked with throughout the training. 

Course fee for the year is $3500., which includes all puppet/story resources and puppet making materials provided to participants.  You only need to bring scissors and a sewing kit. 

Payments are to be made with post-dated checks made payable to Suzanne Down.  Individual Monthly Payment plans may be worked out with me.

$350. non-refundable deposit with acceptance. 

Enclosed is the application form.  Please contact me with any questions!

Warmly,

Suzanne Down

Director Juniper Tree

http://junipertreepuppets.com

suzannedown@gmail.com

720 438-8344

BIO: Suzanne Down is founder and director of Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts, which offers a one year part time certificate puppetry training, regional puppetry conferences, professional development and community workshops, and performance internationally.  She has taught puppetry at Emerson College, Antioch College, Sunbridge College, Rudolf Steiner College, Rudolf Steiner Institute, Lifeways North America, Sophia’s Hearth, Magical Years conferences, the Creative Human spirit conference, and in many more adult teacher training centers and Waldorf School communities.  She was co-founder and co-chair of NAARPA, the healing arts puppetry association in North America, and is on the education committee of the Puppeteers of America. 

‘A Year of Writing’ Program, Walkabout Tales – writing stories for children inspired by nature is under the umbrella of Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts.  Currently there are ongoing writing programs based in San Francisco, and one in Boulder, CO. 

Suzanne has written seven puppetry and story resource books, with several more in the works. 

Suzanne travels internationally extensively throughout the year bringing her experience and belief in puppetry as a healing art to many teachers, therapists, parents, and children.

Application Form

for Juniper Tree School of Storytelling and Puppetry Arts

One-Year Part Time Certificate Puppetry Training 2016/17

Please note: This application is entirely confidential

Name_______________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________

Phone and email______________________________________________________

(please answer the following on a separate paper)

  1. What is your puppetry experience?  Serious beginners to experienced puppeteers are welcome to apply
  1. Are you currently on a spiritual path?  Can you imagine puppetry as a support to your spiritual path?
  1. Do you have a history of health problems? Physiological or emotional, please explain. 
  1. Are you a positive person (check one) __very much,  __average,  __ an area I need to work on.
  1. Are you happy with your life or looking for a meaningful change?  If so, what direction of change do you seek?
  1. What draws you to do a serious puppetry training?  What are you most interested in learning in this training? 
  1. How do you see using it in your life and work?
  1. Name 3 personal and 3 professional references and phone #s

1.

2.

3. Please include an outline of your study and work experience with this application.

Please send this completed application as soon as you can.  Numbers are limited in these courses.  Upon acceptance, there is a $350. non-refundable payment to guarantee and hold your spot (of course this goes toward the course cost).  Make checks payable to Suzanne Down

Mail to:

Suzanne Down

1604 Whitehall Dr

Longmont, CO

USA

  suzannedown@gmail.com       www.junipertreepuppets.com

720 438-8344

]]> Snow Bunnies Valentine Surprise! a free story valentine for you! http://junipertreepuppets.com/snow-bunnies-valentine-surprise-a-free-story-valentine-for-you/ Wed, 10 Feb 2016 15:03:52 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1850

Here is a Valentine Story for you!

If you would like more sweet tales for young children you may buy our book

‘Valentine Tales for Young Children’

click here for details

IMG_4974

 enjoy our free story

Snow Bunny’s Valentine Surprise

Little snow bunny was hop hop hopping in the snow where the woodlands meet the meadow. Not far off in the meadow was the red schoolhouse where all the children of the village were busy with their school work.

This one morning, bunny could hear the children laughing and talking excitedly.  Little snow bunny hopped closer to have a look. He hop hop hopped up to the school and hop hop hopped up the stairs where he could see right inside through a big window.

The children were all making something beautiful. There was lacy white paper,red and pink paper, glue, and scissors.  Little snow bunny could hear the teacher talking about making valentines to give to friends to let them know you care for them.

As snow bunny watched, he saw children folding crisp white paper and cutting out little shapes, and when they opened the paper again it looked magical. Snow bunny had never seen anything so lovely, but they did remind him of something….he just could not remember what!

While he was looking through the window, one little boy looked up and saw him!  ‘Look!   There’s a little bunny watching us,’ he called out!   And all the children jumped out off their chairs and ran to the window.  Snow bunny was so startled that he tumbled backwards and rolled and rolled onto the snowy playground. He quickly scampered into the woods and hid. His heart was beating so fast, he had to be still for along time to calm down.

As he sat there, all he could think about were those beautiful paper valentines, with so many little holes cut out to let the light shine through.

‘Oh how I wish I could make such fine valentines for all my forest friends! ButI am just a little snow bunny. I do not have scissors and paper like children do.’

So he sighed a big sigh, and made a wish…’dear dear Mother Earth, help me find something a little bunny can give to a friend to say, Happy Valentine’s Day.’

By now his little bunny heart was calm, and he hop hop hopped along the trail in the woods, back to the bunny village where all his friends and family also lived safely in their ground houses..

Suddenly, he felt something fall cool and white on his nose! It had begun to snow, and not an ordinary snow, but a big giant flake snow. Snow bunny looked up and all around. Yes! This is what the children’s valentines reminded me of….snow flakes!!! For each one had many little holes in them to let the light through. And each one was more beautiful than the next!

“Thank you Mother Earth,’ snow bunny called out, ‘for sending valentines from the sky!’

Snow bunny called to all his friends and family. ‘Come out, come out, snow valentines’ are falling and wishing us all a Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Hurray!’

And all the bunnies came out of their homes in the ground and looked up. What a beautiful sight it was.

]]> ‘A Year of Writing’ Program – Walkabout Tales – all welcome from near and far http://junipertreepuppets.com/a-year-of-writing-program-walkabout-tales-adapted-for-a-regional-colorado-group/ Fri, 27 Nov 2015 20:57:10 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1818 A NEW Writing for Children Course 2017/2018

‘A Year of Writing’ Program

Walkabout Tales – Writing Children’s Stories Inspired By Nature

Begins August 5-8 2017 Boulder, CO

IMG_1115

Here is how it works!

* We meet 4 days for 2 summers  ( 2017 and 2018)  to practice the art of walking in beautiful and diverse nature as a meditation, with specific writing exercises living in us.  We write, we observe, we invite the muse, we create stories, we share, we edit, we practice our storytelling, we celebrate!

* We look into how to get our work published.  We practice writing query letters to editors.  We explore where to send them.

For the 10 months in between, we have individual and group mentoring via email and phone.  Monthly writing assignments, editing support, new ideas, story writing sparks, seasonal suggestions to ponder, publishing encouragement and guides, and good hearted cheerleading on all counts will help you define and reach your writing goals and improve your writing over time.

*each summer when we meet in person, we will spend time walking in nature, observing through our senses, and writing, guided by writing exercises.  We will share our writing practice with each other through reading of our works in progress.

At the end of one year you will have many wonderful stories written and edited.  We will choose our best work and compile them in a ‘Walkabout Tales’ Journal.    Some of you may become published through the year.  All of you will have shared your work in different ways with your community and beyond.

Join Us For This Year of Creative Renewal!!

*****

Contact Suzanne Down – suzannedown@gmail.com for further information about the program or about registering for the course.

The cost for the year long program is $2000.  There is a $375. non-refundable registration fee (which goes toward the year fee)

Payment Plans are always available

It is possible that you will be paying for the program with your published work from the year!

Hurray!!

]]> Southwest Regional 5-Day Summer 2017 Puppetry Boot Camp Course http://junipertreepuppets.com/northwest-regional-summer-2016-puppetry-course/ Sun, 01 Mar 2015 00:42:49 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1780 Southwest Regional Summer 2017 ECE Puppetry

5-Day Puppetry Intensive  (The Puppet Boot Camp!)

June 23-27, 2017

Location:   Boulder, CO

 IMG_0951

Join us in Colorado for a 5 day early childhood puppetry intensive!

 

This serious puppetry immersion course is on how to create meaningful,

therapeutic, and magical puppetry for children 2-9.

It will be invaluable for teachers of kindergarten, early grades, preschool, childcare,

after care, home programs, children’s librarians,

therapists, speech pathologists, parents, homeschooling, and all who love children.

 

We will work on the wise art of the hand, and how enlivening puppetry supports the milestones of early childhood development.

A very popular puppet intensive, creative, practical, and loads of fun! This year’s dates are June 23-27 2017 – This year we will focus on the Art of the Rod Puppet, Protection Story Development, and bringing Therapeutic Breathing into story with marionettes that move in the element of ‘Air’ – lots of hands-on puppet making and story presentation, story voice, puppet gesture, and enormous fun! Register Early!!! numbers limited.

Along side the puppetry, we will work on our story voices and story development,

filling them with warmth, wonder, and healing archetype.

This is a very renewing,  joyful, useful, practical skill building week of puppet abundance!

 

All enthusiasts are welcome!

5 days –  9:00-4:00 – June 23-27, 2017

Cost – $495 plus $100 materials.

professional development hours available

Payment Plans Available

Paypal, Check, Cash

contact suzannedown@gmail.com for registration and course info.

http://junipertreepuppets.com

some housing finding help available

]]> The Magic of the Incredible Rod Puppet http://junipertreepuppets.com/the-magic-of-the-incredible-rod-puppet/ Tue, 27 Jan 2015 20:51:25 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1763 Regional ECE Professional Development Workshop

The Magic of the Incredible Rod Puppet 

IMG_3404

 

     April 25, 26       Santa Monica, CA

May 2,3           Spokane WA

                            May 16, 17        Davis, CA                         

Puppetry can bring magic and delight to our children, as well as the peaceful reassurance that all is right within the world. In this workshop we will create wonderful Rod Puppets, the keepers of the healthy sense of well-being and heart. We will explore visual story through the healing gesture possibilities of this incredible puppet. It is the puppet children want to hug and talk to. If you want one special puppet for telling stories that are meaningful for our children, this is the one!

Everyone is welcome, beginners and experienced enthusiasts.

Contact suzannedown@gmail.com for info and pre-registration

Weekend course cost $150 plus $25 materials

check or paypal invoice

]]> A Year of Writing Children’s Tales – a one year training program in writing for children and getting published! http://junipertreepuppets.com/a-year-of-writing-childrens-tales-a-one-year-training-program-in-writing-for-children-and-getting-published/ Tue, 27 Jan 2015 20:28:02 +0000 http://junipertreepuppets.com/?p=1751 Walkabout Tales

A Year of Writing Children’s Tales

A year long program to inspire your story writing and learn how to get published!

IMG_4270

Here’s how it works:

* We meet for a 4 day session to practice the art of walking in beautiful and diverse nature as a meditation, with specific writing exercises living in us.  We write, we observe, we invite the muse, we create stories, we share, we edit, we practice our storytelling, we celebrate!

 

* We look into how to get our work published.  We practice writing query letters to editors.  We explore where to send them.

 

*With 4 days orientation in walkabout writing  we go home to write on a rhythm we set before leaving.

 

*One time a month for 10 months, you will have an hour mentor phone session to go over your monthly writing assignments (you will have emailed them ahead).  With new ideas, directions, suggestions to ponder, you will have ideas for editing your work.   You will also receive the next month’s writing exercises.

 

*The monthly assignments include ‘writing sparks’ for your story development, as well as query writing assignments.   This includes emailing some proposals out to potential publishers!

 

*You may very well get publishing interest right away!  Maybe this will pay for this program!!!!

* 10 months of mentor sessions will result in a lot of story writing!  

*One year from our first gathering, we meet again for 4 days.  With the support of the year of writing, group work, we will share more walkabout writing practice together, further storytelling voice practice, we will rejoice in the growth and  productivity of the year.  We will gather our best stories and produce our own story collection to publish!

hip hip hooray!

Dates:

July 11-14 2015

monthly session to set up together

summer 2016 dates we will set up together.

 

Location:  San Francisco, California

6-8 sleeping spaces available for $15. a night – other options – sharing Air B&B places

************

One Year Training Program cost – $2,000

payment plans are always available.

****************

For questions or to apply, please email suzannedown@gmail.com

This program is also available for other locations – email me – let’s brainstorm!

 

]]>