Become an InterPlay Ambassador!
International InterPlay Trip to India
CathyAnn Beaty,
Prashant Olalekar,
Trish Watts, and
Cynthia Winton-Henry
India
One time event January 3-22, 2010
Become an InterPlay Ambassador!
International InterPlay Trip to India
• foster local and global cultural exchange
• empower people through artistic practices
• advance intergenerational learning
• strengthen and uplift women
• make peace through lasting friendships
We are inviting experienced and willing InterPlayers to come along on and help us create connections with other countries.
InterPlay is fast becoming a proven tool kit for international community-building. Perhaps you could be an InterPlay “ambassador” playing a significant role in that process. By traveling with InterPlay leaders to other countries and providing body-to-body support in various groups, ambassadors increase the "yes" factor in the experience; listening at the heart and the edges of the group, and sharing personal experiences using InterPlay forms. Sometimes ambassadors are asked to lead and perform. The gift of people-to-people intimacy accelerates friendship and understanding between our different cultural contexts. What a powerful way to experience another country!
This is the third trip to India for Cynthia and the second for CathyAnn and Trish. They say, “The rewards of being an InterPlay ambassador are so profound that we can’t stop thinking about going back, InterPlaying with Indian teachers, therapists, spiritual leaders, parents, kids, villages, schools, centers and NGO’s changed, inspired and healed us. In spite of travel, communication, and economic challenges, we encountered great interfaith spirituality, playfulness, and entrepreneurial wisdom. Dance and song are easy to access. Like many of us, Indians need to decrease stress and strengthen community. These trips also teach us to serve and receive from our own communities in new ways.”
This year’s trip is unique. We will share InterPlay in four cities over two weeks: Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, and Mumbai. All participants gather in Bangalore at a lovely Franciscan retreat center outside of the city. This will be our base for the beginning of the trip, giving time to adjust to the land, spirit, and people of southern India. Then, we move to one of three different cities where Trish, Cathy Ann, and Cynthia provide workshop leadership each in a different location. Group members will accompany one of these leaders. The trip concludes in Mumbai at Atmadarshan (Andheri) Cultural Retreat Center with a multiday workshop and training for InterPlay leaders. This training is at the request of Indian participants who are now organizing and using InterPlay elements in their communities. International travelers may choose to take time off on these days to sightsee.
2010 Itinerary
Jan 5 Tuesday: Arrive Bangalore Airport and travel by bus to Claret Nivas Retreat Center outside of Bangalore
Jan 6 Wednesday: Ambassadors InterPlay gathering 9 am-12 noon; rest in the afternoon; InterPlay with Indian participants in the evening
Jan 7 Thursday: Workshop with prostitutes
Jan 8–10 Friday–Sunday: InterPlay community retreat and training
Jan 10 Sunday: Travelers’ time off, sightseeing in Bangalore
Jan 11-13 Monday–Wednesday: Travel in separate groups to Pune, Chennai and Mumbai on Monday for Tuesday–Wednesday workshops
Jan 14 Thursday: Travel to Mumbai—Atmadarshan (Andheri) Cultural Retreat Center
Jan 15 Friday: Free time
Jan 15–17 Friday evening to Sunday noon: InterPlay retreat
Jan 17 Sunday: Community performance at 7 pm
Jan 18 Monday–Tuesday: Leadership training with Cynthia and CathyAnn or sightseeing Gather after dinner for final evaluation/celebration
Jan 19 Tuesday: Departure
“It felt like a blue print of communal life was reawakened in my blood and bones, with my muscles twitching a total YES in response! Some deep archetypal, indigenous pattern was invoked in my being & it screamed out: ‘Remember this? Remember this!
Don’t forget to dance!
Don’t forget to sing!
Don’t forget to drum!
Don’t forget to dream!
Never ever forget!!!!
© Trish Watts January 2009 Bardi Pada Tribal Festival, India
For more inspiration go to the InterPlay India blog
International InterPlay Trip to India
• foster local and global cultural exchange
• empower people through artistic practices
• advance intergenerational learning
• strengthen and uplift women
• make peace through lasting friendships
We are inviting experienced and willing InterPlayers to come along on and help us create connections with other countries.
InterPlay is fast becoming a proven tool kit for international community-building. Perhaps you could be an InterPlay “ambassador” playing a significant role in that process. By traveling with InterPlay leaders to other countries and providing body-to-body support in various groups, ambassadors increase the "yes" factor in the experience; listening at the heart and the edges of the group, and sharing personal experiences using InterPlay forms. Sometimes ambassadors are asked to lead and perform. The gift of people-to-people intimacy accelerates friendship and understanding between our different cultural contexts. What a powerful way to experience another country!
This is the third trip to India for Cynthia and the second for CathyAnn and Trish. They say, “The rewards of being an InterPlay ambassador are so profound that we can’t stop thinking about going back, InterPlaying with Indian teachers, therapists, spiritual leaders, parents, kids, villages, schools, centers and NGO’s changed, inspired and healed us. In spite of travel, communication, and economic challenges, we encountered great interfaith spirituality, playfulness, and entrepreneurial wisdom. Dance and song are easy to access. Like many of us, Indians need to decrease stress and strengthen community. These trips also teach us to serve and receive from our own communities in new ways.”
This year’s trip is unique. We will share InterPlay in four cities over two weeks: Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, and Mumbai. All participants gather in Bangalore at a lovely Franciscan retreat center outside of the city. This will be our base for the beginning of the trip, giving time to adjust to the land, spirit, and people of southern India. Then, we move to one of three different cities where Trish, Cathy Ann, and Cynthia provide workshop leadership each in a different location. Group members will accompany one of these leaders. The trip concludes in Mumbai at Atmadarshan (Andheri) Cultural Retreat Center with a multiday workshop and training for InterPlay leaders. This training is at the request of Indian participants who are now organizing and using InterPlay elements in their communities. International travelers may choose to take time off on these days to sightsee.
2010 Itinerary
Jan 5 Tuesday: Arrive Bangalore Airport and travel by bus to Claret Nivas Retreat Center outside of Bangalore
Jan 6 Wednesday: Ambassadors InterPlay gathering 9 am-12 noon; rest in the afternoon; InterPlay with Indian participants in the evening
Jan 7 Thursday: Workshop with prostitutes
Jan 8–10 Friday–Sunday: InterPlay community retreat and training
Jan 10 Sunday: Travelers’ time off, sightseeing in Bangalore
Jan 11-13 Monday–Wednesday: Travel in separate groups to Pune, Chennai and Mumbai on Monday for Tuesday–Wednesday workshops
Jan 14 Thursday: Travel to Mumbai—Atmadarshan (Andheri) Cultural Retreat Center
Jan 15 Friday: Free time
Jan 15–17 Friday evening to Sunday noon: InterPlay retreat
Jan 17 Sunday: Community performance at 7 pm
Jan 18 Monday–Tuesday: Leadership training with Cynthia and CathyAnn or sightseeing Gather after dinner for final evaluation/celebration
Jan 19 Tuesday: Departure
“It felt like a blue print of communal life was reawakened in my blood and bones, with my muscles twitching a total YES in response! Some deep archetypal, indigenous pattern was invoked in my being & it screamed out: ‘Remember this? Remember this!
Don’t forget to dance!
Don’t forget to sing!
Don’t forget to drum!
Don’t forget to dream!
Never ever forget!!!!
© Trish Watts January 2009 Bardi Pada Tribal Festival, India
For more inspiration go to the InterPlay India blog
Cost: The cost of the trip will be $3500, which includes airfare from San Francisco, room and board, internal transportation, and participant fees.
Registration/Information: InterPlay office: 510/465-2797, info@interplay.org
Leaders
CathyAnn Beaty
CathyAnn Beaty, MDiv, is a master InterPlay leader,
dancer and visual artist. She has been working with
ongoing groups of therapists, clergy and other helping
professionals for the past 12 years through her business
SoulPlay, www.soulplay.org and has developed new
approaches to healing based both on her professional and
personal experience. CathyAnn is an ordained minister and
began her InterPlay journey in 1989 when serving as pastor at
Spirit of the Lakes UCC. She got her Masters of Divinity
at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 1984
and did her Clinical Pastoral Education at Hennipen County
Medical Center in Minneapolis. She served three parishes
over 15 years. CathyAnn leads the InterPlay Life Practice
Program, The InterPlay Way, performance workshops,
couples classes, mentors leaders in training and directs
SoulPlay Performance Ensemble. She has taught InterPlay
in India, Australia and around the United States.
Prashant Olalekar
Prashant Olalekar together with the InterPlay India team played a pioneering role in actively promoting InterPlay in India and building bridges through Global Peace Exchanges. He is a Jesuit, peace activist, spiritual director, and educator. He travels throughout India and abroad to share what he is learning about the power of play, spirit, and the deep wisdom of the body to foster peace. He has served as the former Novice Director and Coordinator of Formation of the Bombay Jesuit Province. He was also director of Jivanvikas Sadan Retreat House in Mumbai and founder of Pasayadaan Peace Partnership, a fledgling global network for peace. He is currently playing with integrating Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuit Education and Body Wisdom. Prashant encourages lay collaboration to foster the vision of InterPlay India namely, “to co-create a universe InterPlaying for Peace.” He enjoys exploring new frontiers especially playing with people on the margins.
Trish Watts
Trish Watts
A singer, songwriter, educator and community choir director, with over 40 years experience as a performer, animator and creative arts facilitator in Australia and overseas. Co-founder of InterPlay Australia, she has completed studies in Voice Movement Therapy in the US. Trish has published over 10 collections of original music. She offers workshops and retreats in singing, creativity, spirituality and body wisdom. For more info see the International Association for Voice Movement Therapy, InterPlay Australia Association, and in the US: www.Interplay.org
Cynthia Winton-Henry
Cynthia Winton-Henry, co-founder of InterPlay with Phil Porter, has researched "what the body wants" in the arts, in jails, shelters, slums, hospitals, churches, businesses, classrooms, doctoral programs in theology and the arts, and in multicultural education. She develops somatic curriculums to address racism, leadership for the Earth, and spiritual intelligence with an eye to supporting millennials. A featured speaker on the Body Intelligence Summit and a keynoter at conferences, Cynthia is the author of What the Body Wants, Having It All: Body, Mind, Heart & Spirit Together Again at Last; Dance - A Sacred Art: Discovering the Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice, Chasing the Dance of Life: A Faith Journey, and The Art of Ensoulment: A Playbook on How to Create From Body and Soul.. Check out her writing, The Dancing Center, on Substack, her Hidden Monastery Online Dance Chapels and courses for those seeking spiritual intelligence for our time at cynthiawinton-henry.com.