PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM
PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently accepting applications for a Professional Training Program ensemble in the 2024-25 year. We are taking this time to offer some shorter training opportunities and to thoughtfully restructure our longer programs. Please check back soon for a more in-depth announcement.
The Professional Training Program (PTP) is a nine-month journey into the realm of ensemble and actor-created physical theatre.
The PTP begins with foundational training in physical awareness, play, movement, a variety of global dance forms, and the FM Alexander Technique. The program continues with an in-depth study of Mask, Commedia Dell’Arte, Heightened Acting and Clown. The training incorporates the exploration of theatre dynamics, of character and relationship, and of the actor in the performance space. Ongoing research into the collaborative process of making theatre occurs through weekly assignments presented in Performance Lab.
Dell'Arte's PTP also develops the students’ capacity to work in Community-Based Arts, developing relationships with various communities in our area throughout the year which culminates in the Rural Residency creation block at the end of the program. DAI’s commitment to diverse, equitable and inclusive theatre is reflected in the content of the training, which includes classes and colloquiums in cross cultural competency and anti-racism.
This conservatory program is open to all performers. Certificate granted upon completion.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Dell’Arte International does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender identity, national origin, physical disability, sexual preference or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs and other school administered programs.
COVID Policy for the Professional Training Program
Proof of full vaccination is required (which includes a booster per the CDC) for all students. If you are not vaccinated please reach out to our School Administrator, Tawny Foskett (tawny@dellarte.com), to pursue an exemption. Some masking requirements will likely remain in place in certain instances.
Students at Dell'Arte International study and live in an environment like no other in the world. The town of Blue Lake, California, is surrounded by stunning natural beauty - majestic redwoods, the Mad River, the mountains, and the powerful Pacific Ocean. The observation and embodiment of the forces at work in the natural world is an integral part of the training.
The work of the students is grounded in rural life. Most student housing is within a 5 to 10-minute walk of the school's studios. The focus enabled by immersion in this environment has a sustained effect on the student body as a whole. The group of students truly works, studies, and lives as a community; through this experience, they come to more directly understand the nature of ensemble creation.
School Schedule
First Term: October–December
The first term is devoted to physical self-discovery, with physical training and investigations in the natural world, classes in voice, mask, dance, yoga, movement and improvisation. Weekly assignments are developed in ensemble and presented in Performance Lab.
Second Term: January – June
The second term continues classes in movement, voice and physical training, along with five-week studies and public performances of Commedia dell’Arte, Melodrama & Tragedy, and Clown. These style studies are followed by two week-long Rural Residency arts engagement in the community and a Final Performance Weekend.
