Workshop with Maud Robart: Odes to the Ever-Living - Deadline to Apply April 30, 2015

[Rebecca Biason]

With Maud Robart
Odes to the Ever-Living 

		
Maud Robart will lead a workshop for 5 days in the Scottish Highlands in Inverness between the 6th and the 11th June 2015 with a maximum of 10 selected Participants. The sessions will take place in the Newboldhouse, 30 mins away from Inverness Airport, offering an immersive experience in a natural environment. 

A few words about the work
For the ancient Africans, the original natural purpose of art was the celebration of life. The aim of Maud Robart’s research is the realisation of this intimate and vital experience through an approach integrating ritual songs and movement from the Afro-Haitian Vaudou tradition.
These traditional models may have a specific effect on the sensibility and the perceptive abilities of the participants calling upon their spontaneity.
This spontaneity has nothing theatrical. It feeds on the history, motivation and impulse of each of us and is deeply personal and driven.
The experience emerges from the receptiveness and the adaptation to others and to the space, through the attention given to the melodic and rhythmical precision of the songs as well as the most refined internal perceptions of the singer.
This organic relation between precision and spontaneity, incites the artist to abandon him/herself confidently to the living force of the songs.

A few words about Maud Robart 
Maud Robart was born in Haiti. There, she got involved in a process of exploration of the Afro-Haitian Vaudou songs and she co-founded in 1974 the artistic movement Saint Soleil. In 1977, she participated with 30 members of this group to the International Theatre Festival in Nancy. Between 1977 and 1993 she collaborated as artist specialist with Jerzy Grotowski in programmes for the study of the traditional forms of the art of performance and the dramatic rituals. 
In 1987 and 1988 she was the recipient of the Award Lavoisier for her research in the field of theatre.
At the dawn of the new world, Maud Robart’s instrument of predilection in her research, are still the Songs of Tradition. Her approach questions pertinent ways of applying these native techniques. For her, clarifying their aim in order to share their universal values is a way of contributing to enriching modern culture.
Since 1994, Maud Robart has been conducting workshops in various countries in Europe and America.
Conditions of Participation
The workshop is for artists who are in good physical health, able to throw themselves into a personal challenge and who feel the necessity to engage in a process of personal and artistic discovery. 
Ability to sing in tune. 
Ability to maintain for a long time a simple and repetitive rhythm with the body and the voice.
A professional attitude in the research of technical details.
Ability to memorise quickly the ancient songs.
Knowledge of English or French.

Clothing requirements 
For the sessions dedicated to the songs: please bring white clothes, simple and elegant.
-	for women: a long, wide skirt and shirt.
-	for men: a pair of elegant trousers and shirt.
For the sessions of physical exercise: please bring light and comfortable clothing.
- long, light trousers and t-shirts in neutral colours, black, white, beige, cotton. Combination of colours is possible: white trousers-black t-shirt, black trousers-white t-shirt etc.
- exclude other colours such as red, yellow, brands etc.
- exclude jeans.
- clothing for physical exercises should only be worn for this purpose throughout the duration of the workshop.
- bring also a pair of shoes for work outside.

Fee: £550 all-inclusive (3 meals a day, coffee/tea at any time, shared accommodation, tuition and use of all the spaces)

To apply please send a CV and a letter of motivation to Maria at berawmaterial at gmail.com

Deadline: 30th April 2015
For further information write to Maria at berawmaterial at gmail.com