Y.E.T.E.

Yoga, Ensemble Thinking and the Ecological Body 15-21 June 2021 A retreat for yoga practitioners, performance artists, improvisers and nature lovers in the RSPB nature reserve on the isle of Islay, Scotland. hosted by Tamara Ashley, Andrew Wass, and Caroline Waters By combining yoga with ensemble thinking and environmental dance practice, we hope to offer a powerful immersion in techniques of seeing within and without by building positive relationships within our minds, within the group and with the environment. Ensemble Thinking, developed by Nina Martin/Lower Left, offers spatial and group structures that align the energies and mind of the group; it is a powerful form of practice that is like a yoga for working together in a group. The beautiful nature of Islay gives us a chance to reflect on the more than human communities of which we are a part and consider our creativity, community actions and expression as response. The practices are all suitable for practitioners of any level and we do not expect that you will have experience in all or any of the practices before. Join us for a midsummer island adventure in the wild west of Scotland on the remote Hebridean island of Islay! Our accommodation is a converted farmhouse with a large kitchen, open plan living, practice space, sauna, and accommodation for up to 12 people. The farmhouse is close to Loch Gruinart and miles and miles of pristine white sand beaches with stunning views and clear shallow waters. Other beaches on the island offer opportunities for water-sports and surfing. Catering will be vegetarian. Breakfast will be porridges, breads, fruit. Lunch will be a snack. The evening meal preparation will rotate around the group with a menu and ingredients provided. Please let us know of any allergies and dietary restrictions. Consumption of alcohol is discouraged, although you may want to make a distillery visit! Yoga As experienced movement professionals in dance, yoga, improvisation and somatics with belief in the positive benefits of the ashtanga method, we are offering morning practice in a free form Mysore style supported self-practice approach. We will hold space for a focused movement practice environment where you can practice with support. We can support you in your practice of the ashtanga sequences by assisting you, if you wish, and offering introductory classes. Our approach is flexible and inclusive, while also valuing the ritual of sharing practice time. Restorative yoga will also be offered in some evenings and you are welcome to practice restorative yoga, in the mornings also, where guidance and support in the use of props is available. If you have your own practice or wish to use the space to research your practice, please feel invited. You will be encouraged to practice every morning in ways that are nourishing and sustainable. Ensemble Thinking A performance methodology originated by dance-maker Nina Martin, Ensemble Thinking presents simple movement puzzles that relate to the spatial, temporal, and compositional relationships of a group of individuals. These puzzles are intended to challenge the awareness and foster connections among the individuals and between the whole ensemble and single person. Given the vast spaces on the island, one point of investigation will be how to maintain connection with others over long distances. The Ecological Body Listening, witnessing, responding Rates: All inclusive of instruction, accommodation and food: £475 early bird by 1st February 2021, £525 thereafter Food will be vegetarian. For booking and more information please email Caroline Waters: [email protected] COVID19 and cancellation: We will be responsive to the current situation regarding COVID19. A final decision on event viability will be made on 15th April 2021. About us: Caroline Waters works Internationally as a Dance/Theatre Practitioner and Arts Educator dedicated to the craft of Improvisation in Performance and the study of Contact Improvisation. Mainly drawing from C I and New Dance practices, Caroline teaches, performs and directs in various situations ranging from the performic to the therapeutic, being able to work with both professionals and non-professionals. The work often focuses on collaboration and working with other Art forms. This includes experience of working with a range of environments for the research into the ecological body. She was an Associate Lecturer at Dartington College of Arts UK for 11 years where she taught Contextual Practice and is currently an Associate Lecturer of Dance at Chichester University. Andrew Wass first encountered Ensemble Thinking (ET) in 1998 at a Lower Left summer intensive in San Diego. Since joining Lower Left in 2002, he has been instrumental in developing and theorizing about the movement scores of ET. Wass began studying Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Larry Schulz at Its Yoga in San Francisco in 2001. In 2014 he completed his RYT-200 certification with Dana Rae Pare at Infinite Yoga in San Diego. Since that time he has been working with private clients in Berlin. He is a graduate of the MA program of Solo/Dance/Authorship at the Hochschulübergreifendes Zentrum für Tanz in Berlin. Currently he is pursuing his PhD in Dance at TWU, Denton, TX, focusing on the intersections of cognitive science, philosophy, and improvised dancing.
lowerleft.org
wasswasswass.com Tamara Ashley is a dance artist, yoga practitioner and researcher with a PhD in Dance and Environmental Change from Texas Woman’s University. She has created several large site sensitive performances including a month long durational performance of the Pennine Way national trail, and regularly leads eco somatic and environmental dance workshops, and her writing has been published in several books and journals. She has practiced contact improvisation since 1996, and has participated in several Ensemble Thinking workshops with Nina Martin/Lower Left, finding the work very helpful for performance work and community building. Tamara practices meditation in the Tibetan kagyu lineage, and often shares some of the practices in workshops. As part of recovering from a back injury, she has been practicing ashtanga yoga with her teachers Juha Javanainen and Petri Raisanen for the past few years. The practice of ashtanga yoga has been deeply healing and beneficial and she integrates her own bodywork and somatic background into the practice. She is a senior lecturer in dance at the University of Bedfordshire. Travel Air: The nearest airport is Glasgow, but Edinburgh may have more international connections and travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow is easy with many buses and trains per day. From Glasgow international airport there are 2 flights per day to Islay that take 45 minutes: www.loganair.co.uk Train/Bus to connect with Ferry: Train/bus to Glasgow from all major UK destinations is possible – there is a sleeper train from London but the faster daytime trains from London take about 4.5 hours. The Eurostar arrives into the St Pancras which is adjacent to Kings Cross and Euston (10 minute walk) from which the Scotland trains depart. www.nationalrail.co.uk Bus from Glasgow Buchanan Station to Kennacraig The Citylink Coach travels to Kennacraig four times a day, every day, from Buchanan Street Bus Station. Departure times are 6:35am, 9:15am, 12:00pm and 14:00pm, travel time around 3hrs and 15mins. Tickets are £19-£26 https://www.citylink.co.uk Car to connect with Ferry: From the south/east: M74, M8 to Glasgow to connect with the A82 north and then the A83 towards Tarbet and Campbeltown (the old military road known as the ‘rest and be thankful’). Alternative shorter driving routes are possible by using the ferries that connect Arran to Kintyre or Cowal to Kintyre. Ferry: From Kennacraig Ferry Terminal on the mainland, the crossing is just over 2 hours. www.calmac.co.uk Tickets are valid for a month from the date of travel. If you have a car, booking is essential. Book on the specific service that you wish to travel but you can change it if the weather conditions affect the sailings. You can go to either Port Ellen or Port Askaig – they are about equal distance away from the retreat. A passenger ticket is £26 return. A car ticket is £82 return. Islay is a remote island connected to the mainland by 3-4 ferries per day. The island is relatively flat, and can be navigated by bike. There are bus services that connect with the ferries, e-bike and car hire is also possible on the island. The retreat is 15 miles from the ferry ports. Kit list: Yoga mat Walking shoes Beach shoes – crocs, flip flops etc Waterproofs Torch Notebook Warm layers/thermals Swim wear Video camera/tripod/documentation tools Towels for sauna and beach Insect repellent/midgie hood – there aren’t too many midges but its good to be prepared Weather for those unfamiliar with the West Coast of Scotland The weather is changeable and variable. The temperatures are generally mild. It can be very windy and the sun can be unexpectedly strong. Storms and rain can come in quite quickly. It can also be warm, delightful and subtropical due to its position in the north atlantic drift. Best to pack clothes for all weather! Islay is big sky country and the weather is a spectacular part of it.