The Poetic Gesture - April 2025

The Poetic Gesture

International Dance Movement Therapy Winter Retreat

Located in the heart of Tuscany, Livorno is a small city on the sea, in the center of one of the Italian regions richest in Art, Nature and Culture.

Livorno is the birthplace of the Macchiaioli painting and of the great painter Modigliani.

During this period we will practice dance and movement to research, recharge, connect, breathe and be reborn but we will also be in close contact with the winter life of the city, participating in events and getting in touch with the locals, observing the sea and its infinite dialogue with the Etruscan coast.

What makes this retreat special:.

The Poetic Gesture is more than a dance program: it is a transformative experience that fuses movement, awareness, self-healing and culture.

Thanks to a deep connection between your internal and external space, you will not only move your body, you will move your soul!

Led by the expert guide Simonetta Ottone, you will explore:

Multiple and tested movement techniques: from contemporary dance to dance movement therapy, from somatic movement to Breath and Voice, from vibrations to Sound and Music, to Meditative and Ritual Dances.

You will be able to deepen your emotional, creative, transformative process thanks to the practical and theoretical work inherent to important disciplines of non-verbal language officially recognized for personal evolution, well-being, education, rehabilitative and preventive therapy.

What makes this Retreat extraordinary, one of a kind, is the possibility of experiencing the intimacy and warmth of the Tuscan winter, dancing and participating in an impressive 40-hour study path, valid as an introduction to the Dance To Live Method (R) Professional Program, pursuant to L.4/13 for the Dance Movement Therapy Profession in Italy and Europe; The Program is also internationally accredited by IACAET and by the Scientific Committee of Associazione Compagnia DanzArte (active in Italy since 1997).

What we will do:

• Concentration and Meditation, celebrating the mystery of life, its transcendent meaning, as happens in Meditative and Ritual Dances.

• Freely expressing your emotions through dance, movement and music, as happens in Dance Movement Therapy of Dance To Live Method®.

• Connecting with ancient traditions and different cultures through the meeting and exchange between people of different cultural and professional backgrounds.

• Cultivating a sense of deep Peace, through a vibrational world that is forming inside and outside of us.

It will be a special occasion for:

• Reduce stress and unlock self-awareness.

• Embrace joy and energize your spirit.

• Discover new ways to move and express yourself and new points of view.

• Our Team will facilitate participation in visits to theaters, museums, art galleries and historical sites.

• Accommodation will be provided in comfortable hotels and apartments.

• We will take care of your winter stay in Livorno!

MAY YOUR BEAUTY EXPLODE, SWEET, FULL, POWERFUL!

Limited spots. Sign up now!

The Dance Movement Experience program with "The Poetic Gesture" is a unique opportunity for nourishment and inspiration! An extraordinary combination of Art and Culture, through a holistic approach to well-being immersed in movement and self-discovery. Here's what it offers:

Movement, Dance and Music:

• Extensive Research and Exploration: various body techniques that we will practice, from Somatic Movement to Contemporary Dance, to Dance Movement Therapy, to Meditative Dance, to Ritual Dance, to Body Vocal Work.

• Intercultural Exchange: It will be a precious experience of "Dance between worlds", where dance will act as a bridge between different traditions and between people from different contexts and nationalities.

Wellbeing and Inner Research:

• DanceMovementTherapy, Maria Fux Method: allows you to dance your emotions, promoting self-awareness, stress reduction, originality and expressiveness of the danced gesture.

• Meditative Dance: encourages awareness and the connection between movement, breathing, contemplation.

• Ritual Dance: connects to traditions and cultural practices, offering a deep and symbolic meaning to movement.

With the guidance of  Simonetta Ottone:

The program is directed by Simonetta Ottone, DanceMovementTherapist, Dancer, Trainer, CEO of Dance To Live Method®; her guidance will be invaluable in tackling this journey into her land, Tuscany, so rich in beauty, history and culture.

The Poetic Gesture program is a full-body experience that combines physical movement, artistic expression, and opportunities for inner exploration, personal and professional development. It can be a great way to improve your health, connect with yourself and others, and discover new worlds and ways of moving and expressing yourself.