As our spring semester at the Accademia comes to a close, both theatre and dance students have been evaluating the skills we have developed over the course of the past three months: How will our experience this past semester play a role in our future study of and/or career in the arts? What tools have we gained that we will continue to incorporate in our personal artistic practice?

After these months in Arezzo, I am certain that the key to my balance as a person and artist is by communication, with the body and the voice. I know now that I have to do this kind of work for the rest of my life. Because physical theatre is art dedicated to exploration of humanity. If I can spend every day of my life dedicated to understanding what it means to be human, I will find a true fulfillment. It is scary to leave this magical place, but that is part of my journey too. But the values I am learning here are ones that I already had an inkling that I liked, and that is what I imagine attracted most of us to ADA. These values: open communication, taking time for oneself, patience, acceptance, MOVING MOVING MOVING your body, touching others – physically and spiritually, now feel concrete within me and I’m ready to bring them home with me and incorporate them into my life indefinitely. The way in which I will successfully do this is by practice. Having patience, self-love, open-communication, and acceptance of oneself are all practices. And they are not easy to achieve, they might not ever be easy. Sometimes we have to teach ourselves the same thing every day. But these practices deserve dedication and devotion, because every day that I am able to practice them, is a day in which I feel fulfilled. I am so grateful for this journey.
-Haley Jakobson, Physical Theatre

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This question has actually been on my mind a lot lately and by that I mean it has been giving me a lot of stress. I am very nervous about how I will take this experience back with me into my “normal life.” But I have also come to the somewhat comforting realization that I don’t fully have an answer to this question yet because I am not done learning. There are still a few weeks left full of new discoveries. Also, I don’t think I will become fully aware of everything I have learned until I am away from this environment and I am put into situations in which I can explore how I have changed and grown. In the meantime, I am just trying to breath and remain present for the last few weeks. Too easily I could get bogged down with the fear and sadness of transitioning away from ADA and how I will carry this experience with me. Instead, I choose to live in the moments I have left and continue to soak up everything I can. There are still so many things left to learn.
-Alyssa Whitney, Dance

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I have been pondering my response to this question since I arrived here at the Accademia. Having spent last semester abroad as well, I understand that it is easy for me to get swept up in the rush of workshops and showcases without stopping to journal and process which techniques I’d like to carry into my professional career. While I still struggle with finding time to journal, I am unquestionably aware that these three months have led me to become acquainted with both my body and voice in a new way, particularly due to our Feldenkrais and Elemental Body Alignment System training. I have combined the freedoms I have discovered via contact improv and the EBAS to ground my physical and vocal abilities in one instrument and I will certainly utilize this union as I further pursue a career in the arts.
-Anna Rock, Physical Theatre

The Accademia, and Italy, have immensely changed my perspective on the role of the artist and their relationship to the world around them.
-Benjamin Ducoff, Physical Theatre-Design