From the 9th to the 18th of September 2019 we came together to Veselice,Czech Republic...

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 ... to be, move, play, observe, listen, share, challenge ourselves,
learn from within and from each other, get to know new
people & ways & attitudes, and create this experience together.

We explored and experimented together with activities and
methods which help us to tune in into the unfolding moment
and cultivate our ability to improvise.

 

Yes, and... was an 8-day training course which aimed to introduce and explore principles of “improvisation” and experiment with practical and fun tools and techniques that can be readily used in daily life, creative work and in the other situations and places too.

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We learned how to jump into the unknown and to respond properly to the needs of the diverse people and situations we are working with.

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Why improvisation?

Improvisation serves to strengthen one’s confidence in himself and in his skills and abilities.

It allows participants in training to experience visceral, ‘in the moment’ practice within an overtly reflective and supportive environment. Furthermore, improvisation encourages one to actively seek the unfamiliar, rather than simply learn to cope with it. It also represents a more fitting response to the complexity of human relations in which youth workers operate and thereby help to preserve the integrity of process-based practice.

 

Who was this training for?

The training was designed for youth workers, volunteers, activists, trainers and other people who work with people, that want to refresh their skills and attitudes to their days, to other people, to work and to the world.

 

25 participants from the following countries:

 France, Spain, Latvia, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Romania and Macedonia.

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What have we been doing?

During the training we were:

• collecting new inputs and inspiration that renew motivations to act with commitment and new ideas.

• refreshing curiosity and playfulness in approaching your work in order to prevent burning out.

• improving your trainers’ skills to be more efficient, adaptable, responding to issues and demands in your work.

• widening your perspectives and points of view to see new opportunities, create new patterns, and avoid situations of stalemate when working with people with different cultural background.

• gathering specific tools from non formal artistic fields (theatre, dance, creative expression) that are not easily accessible for all the youth workers.

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By training your own awareness, acceptance, sense of initiative you can improve the quality of your actions. We wish to support you in finding ways to more efficient and creative approach through improvisation – by developing your skills to be fully present, listen, accept and act, by equipping you with new improv based tools that you can later on use in your practice.

 

Working methods

We were exploring the principles and techniques of various improvisation-based methodologies. From theatre improvisation and contact improvisation activities, going into more subtler improvisation with rhythm, music and dance, closing with creative storytelling.

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The dramaturgy of the program, the red line connecting above mentioned activities, was developed around the U theory of Otto Sharmer. It will guide us through a process that helps break through past unproductive patterns of behavior. 

 

The course had also a strong component based on the sharing of ideas, opinions, experiences and best practices, whereby participants were designing and facilitating their own activities and workshps.

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In the 10 day together, we moved, talked, listened, tried, failed, tried again and succeeded. All in random (improvised) order. 

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More information and outcomes

 

For more detailed information about the day to day programm please read the DAILY REPORT

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Description and instructions to all activities designed and implemented by participants in "IMPROspace" in second half of the training you can find in Yes,And...BOOKLET

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To tune into the soundtrack of the training listen to Yes,And... Spotify Playlist

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Stay updated by following the FACEBOOK PAGE

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Or contact us

via mail: improjecttraining@gmail.com

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Few words from participants

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The sun shines and there's no more rain.

And when it rains what we can say? It's okay.

Sometimes I feel the sadness in my mouth, in my tongue, in my chest

and it hurts and I dont' know why.

And I've learnt that I have just to accept it.

To don't know what I'm feeling it doesn't mean that I'm not feeling.

When the moon appears she moves with me

and I move with herand now I also move with you.

I didn't know before that you existed (neither you did)

but now our humanity makes us breath.

I don't know if I could define what happiness is but

for sure is something like this:

A deep breath, the bees, the bread, the sun, the woods, the warm, the hearts, the hugs.

A deep breath.

We cannot go faster than life.

                                                                                Lorena

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The project that I took part in was not only one of hundreds. It was an unforgettable adventure. I have not only improved my professional skills, but also, which is probably even more important, worked on my personality and my weaknesses. There, in Veselice, every day was a challenge. We were focusing on basic things that are obvious for us but which we’re actually not aware of how to do properly. So, we were learning how to observe what is around us, listen to each other, be in a present moment and more. The workshops were so diverse that we could try many different activities that involved elements of theatre, dance, art or music. Back home, I have so much energy and motivation to change everything in my life for better! Now, with new fresh impro skills, I know how to respond to what happens around me and I am able to connect with people in a deeper way. I am so glad that I had an opporunity to take part in such an amazing experience!

 

                                                                                Ania C.

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When I read the program description for the first time, I thought that I was going to have a nice return to exercises I know, connected to improvisation and other theatrical activities. How surprised I was when it turned out that I was going to learn much much more than I could have expected! Proposed exercises on improvisation turned out to be just a pretext to work intensively on myself and on relationships with other people. This work was deepened by elements of mindfulness, which significantly changed my perception of reality. I have become more attentive to what surrounds me every day, more present and deepened my acceptance of reality as it is. I also learned to get into different situations that happen to me in the way I learned to get on stage – with openness and readiness for what comes, both from outside and inside. A lot of merit should go to the trainers building a warm and safe space, allowing us, the participants to be open to completely new experiences. For me this project was an amazing experience and the beginning of a series of changes that I try to introduce in my everyday life.

                                                                        

                                                                   Klaudia

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When I’ve seen an offer for that training, I didn’t hesitate not a minute. I knew that I want to go there …and definitely I don’t regret! I liked so much that program was set in a way that I had even a time to rest and then I could fully use of the program. Suprising for me were mindfulness exercises on improvisation training. However ultimately they taught me the most, and also I really liked them. Otherwise this training gave me quite a few opportunities, to leave me comfort zone. And see that even a terrifying stage it’s not that scary.

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                                                                Kasia

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Thanks to this training I had an unforgettable time full of creative sessions. It was really intensive and challenging time, everyday we were expressing ourselves and observing how our bodies and minds do it. Finally we know that there are a lot of ways to improvise. Smile, energy and good advices of the trainers helped us to improve and become wise! We had also an opportunity of participate in permaculture – the owner of the venue prepared special walk for us to show us every detail of how it works. The mindfulness sessions helped me to connect with people, nature and myself, I come back home full of motivation to practice more and more!

 

                                                                                      Ania W.

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