Stone & Water: Being Nature Retreat 24-29 September Donego, Italy Dolores Dewhurst Marks

24-29 September 2022 Donego, Italy Stone & Water: Being Nature Retreat with Dolores Dewhurst Marks Ecosomatics, Dance Improvisation and Embodied Poetry. In the contemplative mountain village of Donego, overseeing Lago Maggiore lake, in northern Italy. This retreat will center on the tangible and metaphoric conversation betwen stone & water. Discovering the silence and resilience inherent in stone, the fluency and perseverance implicit in water. Their nature invites a dynamic dialogue within us, offering a vast landscape of meaning and experience. Connecting with these elements open an integrative perspective in the bodymind we inhabit; bringing relational insights, expanded imagination, and wholeness to our expression. We will relate through our bones and fluids in touch based partner work and movement explorations. Embodying the elements' qualities and behaviours while in physical contact with each other. Encountering stone & water sensorially and poetically; anchoring our attention in the immediacy and listening beneath its surface. Deepening our sensitivity and benevolence for our interdependency with nature. We will be working outdoors, in the forest, river, and lake. Part of our practice will happen in silence, giving more space for direct experience, witnessing and contemplation. There will be invitations to write and share poetry, perform in nature, and hike in the surrounding mountains. Our first meeting will be on the 24th at 16:00. Location: Donego, a rustic village 200 meters above Lago Maggiore Lake and 13 kilometers from the Swiss border. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/5xyGg3C5RfAGGwXL8 It can be reached by bus from Milan Malpensa airport (approx 1 hour drive) and Milan city by train & bus via the town of Verbania-Pallanze. From the Verbania train station it is a 20 minute bus line026 to Donego stop. Cannero Riviera is the closest town, it takes 30-40 min scenic walk through the forest or 8 min by car. (3.5km distance). There you can find supermarkets, cafes & restaurants. Price & Registration: Sliding scale options Regular price: 270 EUR Budget price: 210 EUR Includes 1 hearty Italian meal per day. Accommodation is not included. Note: budget is for those who are in need of a reduced rate in order to attend. If you cannot afford the budget price, please specify in the registration form how much you can contribute. Places limited, approximate group size 15. 10 places available. Registration form: https://forms.gle/tryXoPAy2Xsj7fBMA For accommodation, there are a few places, private and shared available, contact us via registration form for more details. Additional food will be self-organized, with an option of cooking together and sharing the cost. Weather: The specific geography of Lago Maggiore makes quick changes in temperature and precipitation. It’s good to bring a raincoat and warmer layers for cooler days, on average 15-8 *C. About Dolores:� Dolores Dewhurst-Marks is a multidisciplinary artist, working with somatics, dance, performance, poetry, and nature. Her project Being Nature encourages people to discover their own way of connecting with deeper self and the natural world. Inspiring them to feel nature as part of their body, and from that embodied understanding move towards positive change, with acknowledgment of the current environmental situation. Offering space for exploration, collaboration, artistic expression and environmental activism. In an ongoing artistic collaboration with Sasha Dødø, she co-directs and curates REVERSE RIVERS COMPANY, a vehicle for their artistic work, interweaving movement, visual and text; ART CONTINUUM NOMADIC RESIDENCY, designed for international artistic exchange, development and production of art, focused in fields of dance improvisation, performance, poetry and film; TOWARDS, center for education and research of Contact Improvisation (in development), and is co-author of THE LOST PLACE book of poetry and FORGOTTEN POEM, a contemplative poetic dance film. https://reverserivers.com/ Since 2020, they are based in Thailand, teaching workshops and retreats; organizing art residencies and events including Thailand Contact Improvisation Conference and Being Nature Gathering. Full version: https://beingnature.space/ The workshop is a part of art continuum nomadic residency program in Italy 2022 art continuum residency is designed for international artistic exchange, development and production of art, focused in fields of dance improvisation, performance, poetry and film. The residency is a supportive and inspiring environment for emerging artists and artists searching for new perspectives, multidisciplinary experimentation and artistic development in collaboration. It supports the process of clarifying artistic vision and mastering its articulation. It gathers people of different backgrounds and nationalities, both amateur and professional. https://artcontinuum.space