Arts Oasis - International Residency for Performers
We believe that performers all over the world belong to "one huge small world" speaking the universal “intercultural” language, and need to meet each other to refresh energies, find new collaborations, share creative ideas and have great fun! For this we have created Arts Oasis Residency! Arts Oasis is the annual international residential lab for performing arts practitioners from different countries working in various techniques, genres and styles. This creative residency is open to dancers, choreographers, actors and contemporary circus performers with professional stage experience, multidisciplinary artists passionate and inspired by movement, dance and Physical Theatre, interested in practical research of contemporary performance practice together with colleagues from all over the world.
Arts Oasis residency means:
UNIQUE LOCATION & VENUE
Arts Oasis residency offers the unique opportunity of full creative immersion. Participants will stay and create together literally in the secluded "oasis" at the territory of the XII century Monastery, surrounded by the Apuan Alps and the sky-blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the Monastery is mentioned by many prominent authors of Italian classical literature and is famous for being the place of seclusion for such outstanding figure as Dante Alighieri.
Everything is organized at the same territory: creative space, accommodation and full board, so participants can concentrate on creation and communication without distracting to routine necessaries. Click here to see the photos of this fabulous place and find out more about the Monastery! TEACHERS The programme includes intensive practical training and discussions guided by Sergei Ostrenko - Russian theatre director, choreographer and teacher, and Gennady Ostrenko - choreographer, movement director, theater artist, designer, painter. During the program participants will have opportunity to explore Ostrenko method of performer's physical training and rehearsal. Performer's physicality in the methods of Stanislavsky, Meyerhold and M.Chekhov, principles of Meyerhold's Biomechanics, Tai-chi for performers, training by method of improvisation, scene composition from exercises to performance: these are some of the elements uniquely transformed and combined in Ostrenko's teaching system. PROGRAMME STRUCTURE & DETAILS
The residency daily programme is structured in the four parts:
warm-up, morning practical session, creative lab and evening club.
1) MORNING WARM-UP.
Best start of the day in the nature!
Each morning before breakfast participants will do the group breathing training in the fresh air which will help them to wake up and tune their body, mind and spirit to the creative mood. The training will take place at the terrace on the top floor of the Monastery, where participants can fully enjoy the beauty of the rising sun in the landscape of the Apuan Alps and the Mediterranean Sea from the bird's-eye view. The dynamic gymnastics combines breathing and movement. It is based on the traditional Chinese Qi Gong practice, the ancient art that originated before the appearance of the written language.
The daily exercises will help participants to acquire harmonious and natural breathing, awake creative imagination, concentration, attention, smoothness in body movements, peaceful and joyful state of mind, and reach the harmonious allocation of energy for the whole intensive day. After the group warm-up participants are welcome to complete the group gymnastics by their own regular individual practices which help them to gain good shape and mood: stretching, yoga, etc.
2) MORNING PRACTICAL SESSION.
Establishing a "common creative language".
The morning practical sessions will develop in the form of various exercises and games based on improvisation, spatial exploration and interacting with partners. Individual, pair and group exercises develop in particular sequence from simple to more compound. Each set of exercises follows out of the previous and is connected with the subsequent one. Through the practical training participants explore how the systematized psycho-physical approach develops connection and cohesion among participants, fosters atmosphere of trust and group dynamics essential for collective creation. The objective of the morning sessions is to provide the creative space, time and environment where performers from various artistic backgrounds and techniques could gain understanding without
words; the space where all formulations and terms become relevant, and artists agree about their "common creative language" in the multidisciplinary and multicultural context, in these particular circumstances and the group composition.
Participants become familiar, ġet in tune with each other, learn to listen and hear each other beyond verbal communication - through the body and the space. The system of exercises based on the approach "from the body" allows the group to reach mutual understanding and playful creative atmosphere. The daily practice, as a ritual, by offering similar but developing sequences, creates "the course of the river" for the group flow. Each day the process involves participants into more complex developing tasks, as well as encourages more freedom in improvisation and spontaneity. The morning practical sessions will run after breakfast until lunch time. 3) CREATIVE LAB
From exercises to etudes and improvised performances.
Discovering and sharing ideas, merging and blending creative energies in unique ways.
After the lunch break the group proceeds to ensemble structural improvisations which gradually evolve to little etudes and improvised
performances. This part of the day is the playground and creative platform for non-trivial ideas and the precious art of the present moment. This is the territory where participants join their creative energies, play, experiment and make spontaneous discoveries. Performers will practically explore how to build up images and characters playing with physical language of movement, relationships with space and partners; how to connect various modules and elements into the whole performance fragments, how to unfold the actor’s creative nature, encourage relationship with artistic space, freedom in improvisation and spontaneity on the way to the light and joyful performance.
Participants will search the connection between physical action and voice, gesture, movement, dance and word, explore performer's physicality as the key to form, style, atmosphere and emotional palette, learn to build up the composition of the form and use the language of the artistic space of the performance, gain helpful practical tools and valuable tips for mounting a contemporary physical theatre performance stepping beyond the limits of text-based acting, acquire a reliable practical toolkit for creating
contemporary professional productions in limited rehearsal time. The creative lab will run after lunch before until dinner time. 4) EVENING CLUB Creative exchange, support and thrilling conversations about art.
 Arts Oasis programme is highly recommended to performers interested in learning about ensemble building, structuring the rehearsal process, to clarify and hone what they already know, to get exposed to new techniques and methodologies, and ultimately, to network with practitioners from different countries and establish future creative partnerships with like-minded people.
The working language is English.
REGISTRATION To apply for participation, please contact us for application details. Participation fee (room, three meals per day - all included).
Participants can choose one of the two options depending on the preferred accommodation: a shared twin room with 2 separate beds or a single room.
The participation fee covers participation in all events of the program, accommodation, three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner), transportation from Bocca di Magra to Monastero venue. Click here to find out more about Monastero Santa Croce, accommodation and transportation details.
IUGTE Staff will be glad to help you in planning your travel itinerary and practical details.
|      "Participating in the Arts Oasis Program was one of the most educational, enriching, transformative and beautiful experiences I have ever had. I learned a lot about myself, about other people, about relationships, creativity, and collaboration..." Alexander Jones, USA "This was a truly outstanding program, and I can’t express how grateful I am for having had the opportunity to be a part of this very, very special group and experience." Jennifer Krempa, USA "No matter what the origins, language barriers, training differences were in that space, we all shared The Human Experience; that is the most universal language, across the globe...It helped to really understand what I do as an Actor and why I do it. For seven (7) days, I literally ate, slept and breathed my craft, only finding myself wanting that much more; another hour to brainstorm, another day to practice, another week to play." Donnell E. Smith, USA "During my time at the IUGTE Arts Oasis I gained many skills and valuable insights..." Aslam Abdus-Samad, Australia "I highly recommend Art Oasis to any Artist who wants to stretch their mind, body and spirit." Nathaniel J. Ryan, USA "The strength of this programme lay in three things; the fact that it is residential, the fact that it is international and it's location. A lot of the trust that was felt within the group was attributed to the exercises and whilst I feel that the exercises absolutely provided the richness of detail within that trust, it itself was built from the bottom up - the base line being the fact that thirty of us worked, played, lived, slept, swam and ate togethe for a week. The benefit of that within the workshops and with regards to creating a common denominator of trust and knowledge of each other, cannot be undersetimated when gauging just how far we progressed artistically (which is a lot!)... I came away from 'Arts Oasis' feeling completely rejuvenated in my passion for theatre. I felt an energy that, even in my youthful career, I hadn't felt in years..." Sinead Bolger, Ireland "All throughout the Arts Oasis program, much of the teaching styles greatly aligned with my own personal practice. From mutual respect to creating an environment where participants felt safe and welcomed this program exuded its purpose, a true integration of cultures and art idioms...In sum, what I will take away from this experience is not only the practice of physical movement but also the methods that were utilized to create a harmonious environment amongst participants..." Myra Joy Veluz, USA "Fate took me to Art Oasis and taught me to trust and love, she took me to Sergei who taught me vital skills for my future and showed me my passion for what I do..." Katie Cunningham, UK "What are the things I took back home?: Attentiveness... Surrender...Trust...Action... Opening...I strongly feel that I came to Arts Oasis at the right time. I had come there with questions, with thirst; and it has triggered interesting inquiries and resolved old queries...I would really like to thank each and everyone associated with IUGTE who all have put their hearts and efforts together to make Arts Oasis happen; my utter gratitude towards all of you for letting me be part of this wonderful experience. I would love to experience more times like this in future..." Kalyanee Mulay, India "I was delighted and inspired by the people that I have met, and am even more grateful that we all keep in contact, swapping information and helping one another out from the other ends of the world. I am thankful of the bounds of knowledge that I was given from the course itself, the professional manner in which it was transmitted to us and the nurturing nature in which these workshops are conducted...." Gabriella Bishop, South Africa "The combination of exercises and discussions was well-balanced, the location at the Monastero Santa Croce in Bocca di Magra was breathtaking, the staff members were personal and attentive and the leadership of Sergei Ostrenko was inspiring. What also made the program unique was the diversity of the participants. Not only was the group multicultural, it was multidisciplinary..." Katelyn Foster, USA "I took a lot of new inpsiration in terms of how I will now behave and conduct myself in future works with my pick-up company in terms of “enjoying” letting go and truly letting my ensemble gain trust towards themselves with and for the work. I have gained inspiration in terms of how to feel different energies and enjoy slowing down a bit in my ways of working and thinking and in efforts I will take to continue participating in such wonderful exchanges with so many different artists...." Cynthia Gonzalez, Switzerland "It was a real connection between body, mind and soul. My eternal gratitude and love, I think are the words that best define what felt this week with you. Love, friendship, gratitude, knowledge and especially trust in me and my co-workers is the most important that I carry with me this wonderful experience. I'm sure this week has been and will be fundamental in my practice as an actress..." Bruna Lança, Brazil "Personally, I would return to another IUGTE program in a heartbeat. I loved the chance to see breathtaking sights and connect with artists around the globe. This experience of working with such a range of artists has opened my eyes to new artistic goals and I’m incredibly grateful!" Erin Carr, USA "The whole experience has been so holistic in terms of mind, body, health and spirit...The location was a dream. It was phenomenal to wake up and go for a run up the mountain then come back and relax with That Chi Chung all before breakfast. It was wonderful to meet such a mix of artist from diverse background, creatively and culturally..." Luca Rutherford, UK |
