Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield Papers

The Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp is a dance, theater and equestrian camp located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1913 by Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield, it is the oldest continuously operating dance and theater school in America. The camp boasts a 76 acre campus 7,000 feet above sea level and 150 miles from Denver, CO.

Charlotte Perry was born in Denver CO on December 21, 1889. She received a BA in English literature and botany from Smith College in 1911.

Portia Mansfield was born in Chicago IL on November 19, 1887. In 1906, she began studies in philosophy and psychology at Smith College but also took courses in physical education. After graduating from Smith College, Mansfield undertook further studies in dance in Europe and the United States and then operated a dance school in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1921, Mansfield established a dance company, the Portia Mansfield Dancers, later known as the Perry-Mansfield Dancers. She provided the choreography for the company. Perry served as general designer and technical director and later was one of the leading dancers for the company.

When Perry and Mansfield arrived in Steamboat Springs CO, they were known to the locals as the "mad ladies of Steamboat." Although the town was populated with people primarily engaged in mining and ranching, it was Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield’s vision to explore and teach “natural dance forms” and “artistic expression close to creatures and mountains and out-of-doors.” Perry and Mansfield original mission for the camp was "Creative practice through art and nature manifests in an insightful, compassionate and courageous life”, and this mission still guides the camp today. They opened the camp in 1913.

Early on, Perry and Mansfield lived in a small cabin on the property while local carpenters constructed a dining hall and dance studio with a small theater on the property. Other residents stayed in tents on the campus. Perry-Mansfield became an important part of the physical education movement in the early 20th century, as it was one of the few places where women could study dance and return to their own programs prepared to teach physical education. Besides the arts: dance, drama, art and music, the camp incorporated outdoor activities including tennis, swimming, horseback riding and overnight camping.

Notable alumni and faculty of the school include Julie Harris, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, José Limón, Hanya Holm, Valerie Bettis, Merce Cunningham, Louis Horst, Agnes de Mille, Martha Clarke, Jessica Biel, Dustin Hoffman, and Ruthana Boris.

A detailed history of the camp can be found at: https://www.steamboatpilot.com/explore-steamboat/perry-mansfield-through-the-years/