Since 1992, the Smokebrush Foundation for the Arts has produced and presented innovative arts experiences that foster curiosity and collaboration. Providing creative leadership and inspiring positive change in the Southern Colorado community and beyond.
Music and Movement Classes
Ignite the Dancer Within:
Stretching, Posture & Mudras, Zumba & Dances of India
with AuroTejas Hemsell and Shakti Dance School
Red Crags Arts
and Agriculture House
Wednesdays
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Immerse yourself in a cultural fitness adventure with a series of invigorating classes led by the globally acclaimed dance artist AuroTejas Hemsell — presented by the Smokebrush Foundation for the Arts.
AuroTejas Hemsell is an international dance artist, born in India who has dedicated her life to the study of Indian Classical Dance.
Thursdays
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Discover the vibrant art of bellydance in this fun and inclusive class designed for all skill levels! Learn graceful movements, mesmerizing techniques, and expressive choreography while building strength, flexibility, and confidence.
Strengthen your core and awaken the deep intelligence of embodied movement through this time-honored art.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
African drumming is one of the most invigorating ways to feed your creativity and renew your spirit! Heidi’s classes are an upbeat, empowering, and FUN musical adventure into the power of African drumming. TWO intermediate sessions available weekly.
Develop rhythmic precision, increase stamina, and enjoy the energizing benefits of group drumming.
Sundays
9:00 - 10:15 am
Immerse yourself in a deeply meditative, heart-opening experience that creates spaciousness, an opportunity to slow down and reconnect with your true Self.
Rooted in the ancient tradition of Cha Dao, “The Way of Tea,” this ceremony honors Tea as a sacred guide. Each bowl invites a deepening of your inner journey, cultivating presence, curiosity, and awakened listening that reveals your inner wisdom.
Chakra Resonance:
A Seven Month Sound Journey
Seven gatherings. Seven chakras. One journey inward.
with Matthew Langford
⏰ 7:00-8:30pm | Sliding scale of $30–60 per session | Seven Class Pack for $300
Rockledge House, 328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Root Chakra - Mon. October 20
Sacral Chakra - Mon. November 10
Solar Plexus Chakra - Mon. December 8
Heart Chakra - Mon. January 12
Throat Chakra - Mon. February 9
Third Eye Chakra - Mon. March 2
Crown Chakra - Mon. April 13
Chakra Resonance is a seven-part series of 90-minute monthly sound baths, each dedicated to one of the seven major chakras—beginning with the Root and progressing to the Crown.
Drawing on the Vedic practices of Mehtab Benton, Eileen McKusick, the Sound Healing Academy (UK), and methods developed over time, each session is intentionally designed to explore the energetic qualities of a single chakra. The series offers a gradual pathway to grounding, balance, and activation of the inner energy centers.
Smokebrush Calendar
Upcoming Events and Workshops
336 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Express Your Pet: Tea Ceremony, Yoga, & Pet Portraits
with Kat Tudor and Gigi Chiarello
illuminatingsource.org
Sunday, December 7, 2025
1:00 am – 3:30 pm
$40 per guest, all art supplies provided
*Please bring photos of your pet for reference, and wear comfortable clothing for movement. For the comfort and safety of all guests, we ask that you do not bring pets to this gathering.
Celebrate your beloved furry, feathered, or scaled companion with an afternoon of mindfulness, movement, and creativity. Whether your pet is by your side in daily life or remembered with love, this gathering offers a gentle space to honor your bond and connect with the presence they continue to hold in your heart.
We begin with a grounding meditation led by Gigi Chiarello, founder of Illuminating Source and a dedicated Tea practitioner. As she welcomes the energy of your pet into the space, Gigi gently guides the group into a meditative Tea Ceremony, opening a doorway to presence, inner listening, and connection as we transition into the next part of the practice.
From this centered place, you will move into an embodied yoga experience with Kat Tudor, creative leader of the Smokebrush Foundation. Through movement, stretching, and creative interpretation, Kat gently guides you into a relaxed, expressive state that prepares you for a painting session where you will bring your pet’s essence to life on canvas. All levels are welcome, all supplies are provided, and no art experience is required.
To close, we gather for an optional sharing circle for those wishing to be witnessed in their experience. The ceremony concludes with a guided reflection to help you integrate any inner wisdom that arose as you carry the experience forward.
328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
New Year SOUL SONGS & HEALING SOUND For Hope, Restoration & Renewal
with Judith Piazza
Sunday, January 11, 2026
10:30 am – Noon
🎟️ Suggested donation $15-$25; Always less if you can’t
RSVP appreciated.
judypiazza@gmail.com / 720-982-8291
Celebrate and mark this new cycle in a community of song and chant.
Live into new possibilities, relax into a sense of steadfast purpose for your life on Earth. We’ll be inspired by sacred chants and cultures around the world, invoking the power of cycles as we gather in song and stillness. We’ll sing in simple call and response style. No experience necessary. Sing, sit, meditate, hum, dance, rest. We sing from our natural voice to still our minds, open our hearts, and let our spirits soar. Bring your favorite morning beverage. Mats, blankets, cushions and chairs are provided. Please come in good health.
328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Chocolate Truffle Making Class
with Smokebrush Chef Aimee Morrow
souleverchocolates@gmail.com
📆 Saturday, March 14th 2026
⏰ 1:00 — 3:30 pm
🎟️ $65 per student
Ticket price Includes:
• ½ dozen hand-dipped truffles
• Custom chocolate bark
Fresh off her sold-out Culinary Masterclass series, Chef Aimee returns to guide guests through the art and precision of dairy-free ganache and professional chocolate tempering, techniques grounded in professional practice.
Working with organic, Fair Trade Peruvian dark chocolate, student will prepare three ganache variations and practice controlled tempering, dipping, and finishing. Each participant leaves with ½ dozen hand-dipped truffles and custom chocolate bark.
We conclude in the Rockledge grand parlor with warm Peruvian drinking chocolate and a house-made honey vanilla marshmallow. A curated selection of additional chocolates will be available for purchase.
All ingredients are organic, Fair Trade, soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Please email souleverchocolates@gmail.com with any dietary concerns.
328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Fruit Tree & Orchard Management WORKSHOPS
with Kelsey Pazera
📞 719-238-8632 📧 kpazera@hotmail.com
🎟️ $45 per workshop
🎟️ $75 for both workshops
Includes discounted heirloom fruit trees, $25 each.
Holistic Orchard Management WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 14, 2026
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Explore whole-system orchard care rooted in biodiversity and resilience. Learn to build biologically active soil, use holistic sprays and natural inputs, manage pests through ecosystem balance, and design diverse orchard systems that support long-term tree vitality. Ideal for growers ready to strengthen their orchards from the soil up.
Fruit Tree Pruning for Sustainable Orchards WORKSHOP
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Develop confidence in structural pruning and fruit tree physiology through hands-on practice at Smokebrush Farm. Learn how trees respond to cuts, proper tool care, thinning vs. heading cuts, and pruning methods that support long-term health and productivity. Practical skills you can immediately apply to your own orchard.
ROCKLEDGE HOUSE • RED CRAGS ARTS and AGRICULTURE HOUSE • ONALEDGE HOUSE
Historic mountain estates thoughtfully transformed into an expansive retreat and urban farm destination — a haven for wellness, creativity, and connection.
Nestled in the majestic Rocky Mountain foothills near the natural healing mineral waters of Manitou Springs, this serene environment is designed to be a peaceful space for deepening your practice.
Rockledge House
Guest Check-in, Commercial Kitchen, and Retreat Rental Office
328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Onaledge House
Retreats, Private Events and Whole House Rentals
336 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Smokebrush Farm Headquarters
Agricultural Center, Community Farm Stand and Gift Shop
328 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Red Crags Arts and
Agriculture House
Main Foundation Office, Studios and Artist Residences
302 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
