Halloween has arrived at the ADA! Here are some updates from this weeks bloggers Kyle Watkins, Amelia Dobbs, Bear Spiegel, Zach Montou, and Emily Burger!!

Kyle Watkins, Muhlenberg College

It’s amazing to see the way different cultures adopt and enjoy traditions that are so familiar at home. It was a pleasant surprise these past weeks to head into town and see Halloween fill the window displays of many-a-store in town. Costume pieces for sale and many Halloween declarations were available all over – giving us the chance to spice up our living space with some spooky decor. In a night of crafting I had the chance to combine my studies here at the ADA and my love for Halloween and carve a mask into a pumpkin! Happy Halloween from the ADA!

Zach Montou, Coastal Carolina University

Devising my own pieces is what I live for! Getting to be in a creative environment with so many different personalities is truly incredible. Everyone has something different and new to offer and I’ve absolutely loved working with all the artists here! I also (of course) love the time we get to travel. Whether it’s a four day weekend, Slovenia, or Fall Break, it’s been life changing to see different countries and the culture people have. I feel like I’ve really grown a lot not only as an artist but as an individual as well. I’ve been experiencing life in the best way I can think of and I’m so blessed. Now what I need to do is find a Halloween costume
HAPPY HALLOWEEN 

Bear Spiegel, Marymount Manhattan College

This week the physical theatre students got to experience an experimental lab with two fantastic instructors, Sam and Saso. So far this has been one of my absolute favorite weeks as an individual and as a group. I found myself moving in ways I’ve never tried before and making noises that have never come out of me before! As for group dynamics, this week taught us a lot about listening to each other and finding the time to put our egos aside to better collaborate. It was thrilling, a little frustrating at times, and I learned so much in such a short amount of time! To top it all of, I started off the halloween spirit by dressing up as Phi Phi O’Hara and Sharon Needles from Drag Race season 4 which was a great creative outlet for the weekend!

Emily Burger, Marymount Manhattan College

It is really interesting to work with European instructors because they have such a different world view than the professors I am used to working with back home. They definitely make you think differently and introduce totally new ways to work.

My two favorite things that we have done so far are mask making and the tarantella. Gianni had an almost poetic way of speaking and I love the cultural significance of the tarantella. Mask making was so much fun for me to be able to work with my hands and create something physical. I can’t wait to go home ad show everyone my mask!

Amelia Dobbs, Coastal Carolina University

One great thing about studying in Tuscany is the amazing food. A typical day at the villa consists of three meals. Italian breakfast always has a lot of nutella, toast, fruit, and of course espresso. Lunch usually has a pasta (spaghetti, linguini, gnocchi) and trays of meat or vegetables. Lunch and dinner are always served with a salad. Dinner typically includes a meat or fish dish and bread with olive oil and balsamic. Sometimes we get homemade tiramisu, which is the best thing in the world. One thing that makes the food here so special is the fresh herb seasonings like thyme, rosemary, and sage.

On the weekends we like to go out into Arezzo for a pizza and a glass of wine. Here is a picture of Amani appreciating the biggest calzone ever and another of Anna Rae expanding her wine palette at a bar.