About​

Gina Patterson

“The seed for this “center” was planted 30 years ago and grew deeper roots as part of my work with a 2021 Bogliasco Fellowship Award in Italy.“

Gina Patterson has won such honors as the Choo San Goh Award, a nomination for an Isadora Duncan Award, the Hubbard Street 2 National Choreographic Competition, New Choreographers on Pointe, the National Choreographic Initiative, and a commission by The Cowles Center / SOLO Commissioning Program, funded by the McKnight Foundation. Numerous works over the decades have been generously funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. During her long career as a principal artist, she was known as a versatile, consummate performer, dancing with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet Austin, Ballet Florida, and as an international guest artist in North America and Europe.

Ms. Patterson has been a prolific dance maker since 1998, creating more than 130 choreographies for companies, universities, and international audiences. Multi-disciplinary full-evening productions include the Emmy Award winning Liquid Roads for MADCO, a contemporary adaptation of Romeo and Juliet for CoDa21, and Hansel and Gretel created for the Croatian National Theatre. Her work appears in the repertoire of companies across the US and has been presented internationally in Italy, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Spain.

She educates through classes, creativity workshops, and multi-disciplinary collaboration with young artists, working with University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, Dancers’ Workshop, Interlochen Arts Academy, Point Park University, Goucher College, Mercyhurst University, Texas Christian University, University of Alabama, and University of Iowa.

Ms. Patterson advocates for empathy and compassion, searching to uncover the authentic and vulnerable – the voice within. She uses her art to examine our humanity and interconnection, believing in the art form’s power — to heal; and through the creative process, build unity and community.

Full Bio
Reel

Team

There are so many wonderful people in this community that will be touching in at various points in time. And I so look forward to you meeting one another. A special thanks to Dancers’ Workshop for use of the space for our time together. 

We will be including some key people’s info that are facilitators of the program here, so please check back to learn more about them!

Eric Midgley

I wouldn’t be able to provide this offering this without Eric’s help. He is so key to helping birth Rivers + Roots. My partner in life and art, he has worked countless hours getting the developed content into this beautiful site. I am so fortunate to have him by my side.
He is also chief “grill man” and wonderful cook, shares in van driving duties with me, and will help with logistics when we come to the time together, eco-guide and more.
That all being said, his contribution to the art form is extraordinary. Currently School Director at Dancer’s Workshop, he also is a sound engineer, creates light/sound design, production and crew for DW shows and events as well as touring shows at the Center of the Arts.
We have been co-directors, a marketing team, he engineers sound for a lot of my commissioned work and productions. Also a “lifer” in the field, he has held titles of Artistic Director, Managing Director, Co-founder, Production Manager, Technical Director, Marketing Director, Professional Ballet Dancer of 25 years, and Choreographer.
He has a special gift in education and being a positive and guiding role model for young people, as well as professionals. The students here LOVE him. He will also be teaching some ballet classes for our time together.
He has so much wisdom and knowledge to share in dance, and life. Please ask him questions as well when you are here. He will make you laugh and help you know beyond a doubt that you are cared for, and seen while you are here. The title he is most proud of is ERIC, human.

Kevin Taylor

It is an honor and privilege to have Kevin an integral part of this program. Kevin will help kick off the program at the welcome dinner. Our nature guide and facilitator, he brings a wealth of wisdom about our natural world to weave into the content and discussions. We feel so much gratitude to have him a part of our family here in Jackson and look forward to you getting to know and feel what we do about him! He will also be a wonderful support for your time here.

Here is a beautiful article on Kevin.

Bio:
Kevin Taylor has been an environmental educator with Teton Science Schools  since 2002. Kevin has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Masters of Science in Botany. His biological research experience includes several wildlife research projects, as well as mapping distribution of rare plant species and the effects of global climate change on mountain plants. He believes that it is critical to include modern humans when discussing natural history and ecology, and he studies and teaches ethnobotany and ethnozoology. Hunting, gathering wild plants for food and medicine, gardening, raising chickens and bees, and constantly performing ethnological experiments in Jackson Hole allows Kevin to become increasingly intimate with the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and interpret the human history of the GYE with a hands-on perspective.

Pilialoha Schulte

We are so fortunate to have Pili a part of this team. Her generosity towards us and her community is beyond compare. She will also be there to kick off the program at the welcome dinner. Pili works as a facilitator to help ground in the healing process through touch and somatic practices. In our program together she will be leading a breath work session and sound bowls to close our community day. She will also be around for support during your time here. We love you Pili!

Check out Pili’s healing offerings here.

Ray McDaniel

Thanks to Ray, we travel in style! Pastor of First Baptist Church, he is always a support for us. Ray is also a gifted artist and sculptor and most recently built the set piece for my new creation with Contemporary Dance Wyoming premiering in June. This piece is integral to the work and so loved by all, perhaps because of the love that seeps out of him in his gift for giving, to us and all the community of Jackson Hole, and beyond.

shared experiences

What Our Artists Say

Hear from our attendees who have experienced the power of the retreat.

From this experience, I have a newfound motivation to truly nurture the soil, my soul, and society. I have learned to follow the paths that make my heart sing instead of the ones that expectations set for me. Just as nature endures, forest fires lead to new growth, and mountains stand tall, I too can endure in times of struggle and let go of the fears that stop me. I was so inspired by the impact that Gina and Eric have in their community, and I hope to use my gifts and the inspiration I’ve gained from this retreat to impact my own community. I also gained an appreciation for how all of the things that surround us can provide inspiration for the creative process. 

Gwynevere Deterding – 2025 Retreat Participant, Blue Springs MO

I felt like the balance between studio time and immersive activities was wonderful. I was grateful to experience the community of Jackson Hole because they helped return me to the question of why I dance at all. That way, I could easily combine the immersive activities we were experiencing to the dancing we were doing. I also felt that the schedule being flexible was a good place to be so that we could take longer in the studio or in the community if we felt called to do so. 

Montana Pastore – 2025 Retreat Participant, Pittsburgh PA