“Nikolais’ students, his company dancers, and his creative colleagues are
deeply grateful for his generous giving of his vision and his artistry — to us
and to the world. We thank Nik for being our teacher, guide, and inspiration.”

—Ruth E. Grauert


Tent 1968

Tent  1968
Journal of Art and Idea (JAI) is an online publication, offering articles on the Nikolais esthetic and the arts.  Editor Ruth Grauert worked for Alwin Nikolais for forty years.  She has created lighting designs for many dancers in that discipline.  A published poet and essayist, Ms. Grauert is the executive director of Bearnstow, an arts and nature summer place in Mt. Vernon, Maine.

JAI on this Web site is published by Bearnstow, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.  The site’s development and maintenance are dependent on your tax-ductible contributions.  Please mail checks to Bearnstow, 83 Sanford Place, Jersey City, NJ 07307; or contribute online by credit card through PayPal (click PayPal button above).


News and Announcements


Journal Articles

  • Essays on the art of Alwin Nikolais, by Ruth E. Grauert, comprise Volume I.  Included are Nikolais’ use of light, sound, properties, and motion; a comparison between Nikolais and the Bauhaus; and a brief historic overview and current thought on stage lighting and dance.  Go to the Index of Volume I articles.


  • Essays on Mary Wigman:  We are pleased to present Volume II of JAI, devoted to essays on Mary Wigman.  These include Wigman’s own article on her early experience with Rudolph von Laban, Susan Buirge’s interview with Hanya Holm about Hanya’s early experiences at the Wigman School, Joan Woobury’s and Beverly Blossom’s accounts of their school year with Wigman in Berlin, reprints of Joan Woodbury’s 1956 articles on Wigman from Dance Observer, notes from Peggy Chambers, Julie Hamilton Pleus, and John Wilson, and finally excerpts from Mary Wigman’s letters to Joan Woodbury from 1957 to 1970.


  • A Dance Course Curriculum by Dale Thompson.  Dale Thompson (NDT 1978–1983) has developed a sixteen-week dance curriculum, which also includes a comprehensive reading list.  Click for more information and downloading links.

Photo by Glenn Trudel Ruth Grauert and Alwin Nikolais

Ruth Grauert with
Alwin Nikolais in 1978
Special Links on This Site


The Chatterbox is an e-mail discussion forum of former
Nikolais/Louis dancers, students, and technical staff members.


You may submit articles, contributions to The Chatterbox, and poetry for inclusion on this site by e-mail to Ruth Grauert.  Please include a short biography and any other information you may consider pertinent.

This Web site (BearnstowJournal.org) is maintained by Jim Van Abbema, who was associated as sound engineer and stage manager / technical director with the Nikolais and Louis companies from 1968 to 1975.  He is currently a Webmaster and copy editor.  For questions about this Web site, e-mail Jim.

Kay Anderson, Coral (Martindale) Aubert, Gladys Bailin, Tandy Beal, Anne Sherman Berry, Bob Beswick, Dorothy Scott Bostwick, Janet Connor, Kitty Cunningham, Virginia Dillon, Louise Eckerson, Suzie Macdermaid Freidell, Mimi Garrard, Claudia Gitelman, Sheila Mason Gonzales, Jan Justis, Paul Lawton, Patricia Mayer, Mark Needle, Helen Kent Nicoll, Sara Pearson, Chris Reisner, Frances (Goldie) Stone, and Joan Woodbury have helped us maintain the Bearnstowjournal over this past year.

All work (images and written material) on Bearnstow Journal is copyrighted. It is illegal to reproduce any item from this site without prior written permission or authorization from Bearnstow.