School is back in session at the Accademia dell’Arte!

The Summer Arts Program 2012 team arrived on Monday and have been thrown into the whirlwind of Italian culture and life at the Villa.

Here’s what this past week has looked like.

Monday: Arrival day.

The students arrived throughout the day from various departure points. Some students had been traveling in Europe before the program started, while others stepped directly off the plane and into the ADA pickup van. After getting settled in, the students and staff enjoyed dinner together in the Mensa and then enjoyed their first Italian tramonto (sunset).

Tuesday: Orientation day

The students enjoyed breakfast together and then moved to a variety of orientations. The welcome orientation involved introductions to the internal faculty and the philosophies of the Accademia dell’Arte before the students broke into their smaller academic groups, for film and theatre, respectively. After lunch students met with Monica for an introduction to Italian culture (complete with useful hand signals). The students then headed out to town with Monica for a historical tour of Arezzo.

Wednesday: First day of classes

The first day of classes began with a new tradition in the Summer Arts Program: morning warmup. From 9.30-10 daily, the students and some faculty meet all together for a warmup. This warmup consists of yoga and conditioning as well as creative exercises that get the brain and body flowing and ready for the day. In addition to being a great way to wake up, it’s a whole lot of fun.

Thursday: Classes and Pam excursion

Classes for the students in the Summer Arts Program are typically in two and a half hours blocks: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Classes end around five or five thirty. At 6 p.m. the students took a stroll through the olive grove and nearby park to get to Pam, the local grocery store. After stocking up on groceries for the weekend, they made it back just in time for dinner. Many of the students spent the evening hanging out in the Sala Danza, stretching, working on acrobatics, playing music and learning basic football-throwing techniques.

Friday: T.G.I.F.

Breakfast on Friday was a cacophony of grateful choruses: “It’s Friday!” Sensing the the students were a little tired, the morning warmup was a gentle extended yoga with an emphasis on stretching. Weekend plans for the students include: overnight trips to Florence, day trips to Siena and other small Tuscan towns, exploring the Arezzo Antiques Fair and Saturday market, and weekend trips to Rome.