Rebellious Performance Retreat: August 31-September 4, 2023 in Eastern Kentucky

The Rebellious Performance Retreat in rural Southeastern Kentucky will be a 5-day immersive residential retreat focused on activist performance practices and support for the artists who make this work (or desire to learn).

The retreat will take place over Labor Day weekend in a beautiful setting with access to nature and other humans who share struggles and joys on our paths as creators. Artists interested in intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA+ rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression of all kinds to the front! People of all genders are welcome to participate.

Retreat Activities:

(1) Physical and vocal training.

Performers use our bodies and voices as the medium of our work. Sharing training practices not only conditions the individual, it builds group trust and cohesion. Through training, we set a tone that honors all bodies and gives us space to practice consent with each other.

(2) Process work.

Time and care in the retreat will be dedicated to establishing how we handle conflict; how we give and receive feedback on our work; and how we care for ourselves, the community, and the world.

(3) Sharing of works in progress.

Many artists have ideas they want to try, but lack the space to experiment with performance-in-progress (especially in places outside major cultural centers). Everyone will be invited to show their work. Feedback will center the needs of the artist rather than criticizing or fixing anyone else’s work.

(4) Workshop sessions.

Methodologies such as Nicole Garneau’s book Performing Revolutionary: Art, Action, Activism; story circle practice, and anti-capitalist practices/solidarity economy may be shared. We will uplift the work of artists whose work is connected to our own lineages of practice.

Retreat Outcomes:

(1) Focused Time to Make your Work.

Getting time away from regular responsibilities and distractions, you might be amazed what you can make in 4-5 days.

(2) Documentation of your Work.

A professional photographer/videographer will be employed by the retreat to document the work of all retreat participants for use in publicity and grant applications. Every participant will receive a collection of still images and one video file, ready to be uploaded wherever the artist wishes to share (YouTube, Vimeo, etc).

(3) Community of Rad Artists!

New Comrades! Colleagues! Collaborators! Pen pals! Hookups! Gig-sharers! Hustlers! Dreamers! Builders of the world we want to live in!

(4) Public Sharing.

Performance opportunities may manifest from the gathering of people at the retreat.

Schedule Overview

Thursday, August 31:

3pm-5pm Arrive, get housing assignments

5pm-7pm Supper

7pm-9pm Retreat orientation, overview of the space, community agreements, goal sharing

9pm Free/unscheduled time could include: sleeping, socializing, snacking, fires, music jams, movies, games, stargazing

Friday, September 1-Sunday September 3:

8am Breakfast

9:30am Physical warmup/conditioning, vocal training (optional)

11am Workshop sessions:

• Performing Revolutionary/UPRISING: Encourage participants to animate their activism by infusing creativity into their social justice work, engaging with political content, and reclaiming public space for art.

• Story Circle: Learn about the story circle process and how it can be used to develop performance material. Build on generations of Appalachian / Southern performance-makers who use(d) story circle in their theater work

• Other Workshop TBD based on needs/desires of Participants

12noon Lunch

1pm-5pm Open space for rehearsal and exploration. All participants will have designated space in which to work.

5pm Supper

7pm Performance Sharing and Feedback

9pm Free/unscheduled time could include: sleeping, socializing, snacking, fires, music jams, movies, games, stargazing

Monday, September 4

8am Breakfast

9:30am Physical warmup/conditioning, vocal training (optional)

11am Closing circle and reflection, distribution of documentation

12noon Retreat concludes. Lunch (optional)

Who This Retreat is For:

• People 18+ who are engaged in any form of performance or theater

• People who support feminism, LGBTQIA+ rights, and anti-racism, and/or whose work engages with these ideas

• Individuals who are developing new solo performances

• Small groups of collaborators who want intensive time to work together on a group project

• People who like watching performance and theater, and who want to offer generative feedback to other artists

• Artists who are from Kentucky and/or making work in Kentucky

• Artists from anywhere in the world who would like to visit Kentucky, appreciate its beauty, and get to know some of Kentucky’s rad artists!

This Retreat is Not For:

• People who are looking for a LOT of instruction or a fully guided experience. This retreat will have some workshop/skill sharing aspects but also a lot of unstructured time for people to guide their own work.

• People who are hostile to feminism, anti-racism, and/or LGBTQIA+ rights, or who need the basics explained or justified.

• People who need constant reliable cell service and/or internet (the retreat center has very good wifi in/around the buildings but there is no cell service in the area and if you are away from a building you may not be connected)

Retreat Logistics & Registration Process

Dates: Thursday August 31, 2023- Monday September 4, 2023

Location: Retreat center in Kentucky. Location details will be shared with people who are registered, or who email Nicole Garneau directly.

Lodging and Meals: All participants will have their own (dormitory-style) room unless they would like to share a room with someone. All meals will be provided, and dietary restrictions will be honored whenever possible. Retreat participants will also have access to a full kitchen and fridge for snacks or personal food.

Tuition: Tuition includes all meals and housing, materials for the retreat, facilitation, and documentation. Tuition is based on a sliding scale in an attempt to make the retreat accessible to as many people as possible. If you have questions or need more information about tuition, please email Nicole Garneau.

Invest in your Work! $1,500 - $500 Sliding Scale