DC Open Gathering
A full Day of In Person Play
Theresa Cunningham,
Douglass Farnum,
Liz Lescault,
Mike Perz,
Kathryn Sparks,
Kirk Johnson-Weider,
Elena Khazanova,
Monisha Mittal, and
John Peterson
Washington, DC
First Saturdays of the month / September 2023 - May 2024
The Open Gathering is a full day event, meeting on the first Saturday of each month from Sept. 2023 - May 2024.The DC Open Gathering is open to all. No previous experience is required.
Certified InterPlay leaders will guide participants through a series of InterPlay forms that anyone can do. Our leaders bring their own style and grace to the InterPlay table exploring different themes and concepts using InterPlay forms and philosophy.
InterPlay celebrates the creativity in every one of us and reminds us to play and embrace life, expand our personal awareness and discover our full potential. Leaders guide participants through a series of playful storytelling, movement, and vocalization. Each person decides how much or how little to do based on their own comfort level.
Interplay helps us explore our own new possibilities. Dare a little or a lot depending on how you feel on the day. InterPlay can move you in surprising ways, much like the quiet reflection of watching a sunset or the exhilaration and discovery of climbing a mountain.
InterPlay was created by Cynthia Winton-Henry and Phil Porter and is practiced throughout the world.
Covid Policy: full vaccination and boosters required. Bring your masks.
Cost: $25.00 for the day
Registration/Information: lizlescault@gmail.com
Leaders
Theresa Cunningham
Theresa Cunningham is an award-winning actor, singer, dancer, director, and teaching artist who does math for fun. A Certified Interplay Leader, she believes in the power of play as a tool for exploration, healing, and community.
Douglass Farnum
Since retiring, play deprived Douglass works hard at doing nothing. He finds that interplay feeds his inner growth and complements his meditation and Non Violent Communication (NVC) practices. After 10 years of dabbling in interplay Doug recently became an interplay leader.
Liz Lescault
Liz Lescault, a visual artist and sculptor, has practiced and taught art for over 40 years. Liz is Coordinator of the DC InterPlay Metro Region with Kate Amoss and is a member of the DC InterPlay Board. Currently, Liz melds her art, teaching and personal philosophy with InterPlay wisdom, tools and forms.
Liz also leads InterPlay for elders with chronic illness and cognitive disabilities at Iona Senior Center, as well as leading InterPlay for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts offering programs for adults living with cancer and their caregivers.
Mike Perz
Mike is a collaborator. His reliance on collaborating has gotten so bad that he can’t seem to get anything done unless he is collaborating with someone else. During the day, Mike creates web applications. His customer has learned how to develop web applications in order to support Mike’s collaborating. (Or maybe it’s that Mike’s customer also likes to collaborate?)
Kathryn Sparks
Kirk Johnson-Weider
My introduction to InterPlay was a Men's Retreat I attended in early 2016, an amazing experience that began my journey with InterPlay. It has become an important part of my life. For me I enjoy InterPlay because it’s fun and deceptively deep. I’ve used InterPlay forms as icebreakers and teambuilding exercises at trainings and events I host. It’s a fantastic tool for community building and opening people up. This I why I became a Certified InterPlay Leader to better utilize it with my work, which involves a national service program, and my hobbies, which are pretty geeky like roleplaying games. InterPlay is something I’ve tried to integrate into all aspects of my life and I love sharing it with others.
Elena Khazanova
Monisha Mittal
Monisha is a somatic coach and Applied Play Practioner who comes to Play as a recovering over-achiever. She has always cherished bringing out the unique expression and voice of others, secretly recognizing it as an expression of their Divine self. Inspired by the freedom, connection and laughter InterPlay has brought to her life and to those it touches, she enjoys connecting people to their Divine power and presence for greater expression and abundance in the world. Monisha is a certified Sacred Depths coach and leads the Hidden Monastery Dance Chapel every Tuesday. Contact her about tapping into your unique inner guidance through one-on-one sessions (your own Holy Play Dates!).
John Peterson