Meet the Ursprungs
Larissa and Jonathan Ursprung had this crazy idea in 2019 to find somewhere where they would have space to MAKE—dance, music, art, friends, crafts, community. That summer they purchased a historic property in Waitsfield, Vermont formerly known as the ‘Eurich Farm’ or ‘Stowell Farm.’ This 5+ acre gem sits in the heart of the Mad River Valley and overlooks the Green Mountains just off a local ‘scenic by-way’ (East Warren Road).
Larissa moved north with hopes of restoring the historic outbuildings on the property to make them public-facing gathering spaces; Jonathan moved up to be closer to Mad River Glen (and also to support his wife in living her dreams).
And from Larissa’s dreams and efforts, Farmsprung Gatherings was born! In 2020 she began with the restoration of the English Barn on their property, and hosted community events and artist retreats as soon as it was completed. She looks forward to doing similar work on their school house in the future.
Larissa D. K. Ursprung
is a classically trained dancer and choreographer; having a space to dance was one of her major motivators in restoring Stowell Barn.
Larissa began her dance education in Houston, TX at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts. She holds an A.B. in Psychology from Harvard College, and completed 2 years of an M.D. program at UT Southwestern in Dallas before realizing that returning to Texas was a HUGE mistake! As an undergraduate she received The Harvard Council on the Arts’ Suzanne Farrell Award, and an Artist Development Fellowship to attend José Limón Dance Company’s Professional Studies Program. Her works were featured at the American College Dance Festival, Festival du Mois Molière, and more recently the Faculty Dance Works at Dean College. She has had the honor of performing works by José Limón, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Trey McIntyre, Julie Adams Strandberg, Stephen Ursprung, and many more! She performed with NilsSprung Dance Project, Reject Dance Theatre, and currently performs for the Dancing Legacy Ensemble in RI, and teaches modern dance technique for the internationally acclaimed Blessed Sacrament Colorguard. She co-founded Augmentation Movement Project with Amy C. foley in 2019 and the CHIMERA Art Co-Lab at Stowell Barn; as part of this annual art-making residency she performed for Phantom Theater at the Edgcomb Barn in Warren, VT.
When not cultivating art-making and community gatherings with her business out of the historic barn she restored, Larissa serves on the Mad River Valley’s Rural Resource Commission and the Waitsfield Selectboard.