summer school

#2 – 2025

25. – 29.08.2025

MALVAUX FOREST

A week of transdisciplinary research in the forest of Biel/Bienne

organized by MALVAUX – center d’explorations écosomatiques en forêt

Theme

For this second edition of the summer school, the Malvaux forest is our guide, our support and our playground. Our ecosomatic and thinking-sensing-acting capacities will be mobilized to listen to and relate to the forest and its peoples. As a pre-movement, a prerequisite for gesture, interaction and transformation of self and others. To sing, dance, dream, reflect, sleep… To be abundant, silentin wait, at rest. Every day, our practices will be transdisciplinary, incorporating movement, voice and writing.

Over the course of a week, we will create an ephemeral community of explorers of our bodies, located in the Malvaux forest. This year, we aim to foster a fertile ground for experimentation and research, where each participant would bring their own desires and engage in a specific aspect of their personal inquiry. They would bring a question or issue that is personal to them, for which the relationship with the forest might provide insight or guidance. The group will serve as a resonance space, where experiences are shared, attempts are made, know-how and knowledge are exchanged, and a critical eye is offered to help move forward in the journey.

Photos: Simone Haug

Children

Important information: This year, we want to experiment with an inclusive week involving a few children (maximum 10-12, from age 6). We invite parents who wish to attend with their child(ren) to contact us. A joint program, running in parallel, will be implemented during the research periods. Children will spend most of their time outdoors and remain under the responsibility of the parents for the rest of the time.

Séverine will take care of the group and speaks mainly French, with basic knowledge of English, German, and Spanish.

Program

The day will be divided into two parts: mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM with group practices (collective, then children and adults separated), and the rest of the day dedicated to research. We will spend the lunch break at the scout house. We will close the days with collective exchange times, following different modalities. Other exploratory activities may be organized outside this framework, depending on the group’s desires.

One evening during the week, we will sleep in the forest, with the children.

On Wednesday or Thursday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, there will be a public evening with a lecture – to be defined.

Who do we address?

The summer school is open to people interested in movement and voice, curious about the forest and already involved in some form of artistic research for several years.

We ask participants to be available for the entire duration of the school to facilitate group dynamics and research.

Organization

Joanne Clavel is a researcher in Ecological Humanities at CNRS. She will share with us her sensitive knowledge at the intersection of art and ecological sciences. She investigates how thinking, feeling, and acting intersect within the web of life, and how situated experiences of nature challenge Western dualisms. She will offer reading and reflection workshops in the forest based on selected texts.

Noemie Wyss is a vocal coach. For several years, she has combined her passion for singing, dance, and nature in outdoor explorations during various workshops. She will guide us in vocal explorations throughout the week. She will guide us in vocal explorations throughout the week.

Eve Chariatte is a choreographer. She is passionate about fascia (the connective tissue of the human body) and its ability to make us sensitive/attuned to an environment. She will offer exercises to activate the fascial system and will share sensitive mapping scores she has developed in recent years.

Gregory Stauffer is a choreographer and researcher. His work draws as much from movement and the expressive arts as from drawing and writing. In recent years, he has been conducting research into sustainability and resilience in creative processes. Inspired and educated by plants and ecological gardening for 20 years, he weaves links between these fields.

Price

Per adult: accommodation, full board, workshops: between 400 and 600 euros, depending on income.

Per child: accommodation, full board, workshops: to be discussed according to number of children

These rates are made possible by a research grant.

However, if you are facing financial difficulties and wish to participate, please reach out to us.

Registration.

deadline: June 15, 2025

The summer school is open to a maximum of 14 adults.

To apply, please send us a short cover letter with your wishes, motivations and/or research intentions for this summer school#2 (max 1 page A4). We want to understand how/if our visions resonate with each other.

Please specify if you would like to bring your child/children, how many and what ages.

more info:

www.malvaux.net

more activities at MALVAUX

https://malvaux.net/accueil/ateliers-publics

Photos: Simone Haug

summer school

#1 – 2024

19. – 23.08.2024

MALVAUX FOREST

listening

like a buffet

free of charge

all you can hear

Theme

For this first edition of the Malvaux Summer School, we want to return to the foundations of our bodily and eco-somatic practices, namely our ability to listen. Over the course of a week, we’ll be forming an ephemeral community of explorers of our bodies in the Malvaux forest. Listen to yourself, a group, a forest and its inhabitants. Listening to enter into a relationship with oneself and beyond in a specific environment. Like a pre-movement, a prerequisite for gestures and interaction. Be abundant together, sing, dance. Be silent, watchful, at rest. Every day, our practices are transdisciplinary, involving movement, voice, drawing and writing.

Guests

Joanne Clavel is a researcher in Ecological Humanities at the CNRS. She will share with us her sensitive knowledge, at the crossroads of art and science. She asks how thinking-feeling-acting is articulated in the interweaving of the living, or how experiences of situated natures go beyond the great Western dualisms.

Noemie Wyss is a vocal coach. For several years now, she has been combining her passion for singing, dance and nature at various workshops. She will guide us in vocal explorations throughout the week.

Organizers

Eve Chariatte is a choreographer. She is passionate about fascias (connective tissues in the human body) and their ability to make us sensitive/ attuned to an environment. She will propose exercises for activating the web of the fascial system, as well as scores of sensitive cartographies that she has imagined over the last few years.

Gregory Stauffer is a choreographer and researcher. His work draws as much from movement and the expressive arts as from drawing and writing. In recent years, he has been conducting research into sustainability and resilience in creative processes. Inspired and educated by plants and ecological gardening for 20 years, he weaves links between these fields.

Dates

Monday August 19 to Friday August 23, 2024.

From 9am to 5pm every day.

Thursday August 22 from 18:00 to 20:00 lecture at the Pasquart center for contemporary art in Biel/Bienne.

We ask participants to be available for the entire duration of the school to facilitate group dynamics and research.

Program

The day will be divided into two practice sessions: mornings from 9:00 to 13:00 and afternoons from 14:00 to 17:00. In between, we’ll eat lunch together at the scout hut. Other times of exploration can be organized outside this framework, according to the wishes of the group.

On Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, there will be conference on ecosomatics at the Kunsthaus Biel Centre d’art Bienne (Pasquart), presented by Joanne Clavel.

Who do we address? : The summer school is open to anyone interested in practicing movement, voice and improvisation, and curious about the forest.

Location: Malvaux forest. Accomodation and meeting point at the Orion scout hut, Ried, Biel/Bienne. 5 min walk from bus stop 8. From Biel/Bienne station, take bus 8 towards Fuchsenried and stop at Ried. Follow Orion sign.

Meals: Food is included, and meals are prepared by a cook. Please inform us in advance of any food intolerances or preferences.

Accommodation: For those who wish, there is the possibility of sleeping at the scout hut in Orion, places limited to 22 people. The house has 4 dormitories, from 4 to 8 places. You can also sleep in tents in the vicinity of the house with your own equipment.

Possibility of arriving on Sunday afternoon, August 18. Departure on Friday, August 23 from 5:00 pm or Saturday morning, August 24 until 12:00 am.

Price: For those staying on site: accommodation, full board, workshops: CHF 400

For those not staying overnight: lunch and workshops: CHF 200

These preferential rates are made possible by a CICAS research grant. Thanks to her! However, if you find it difficult to pay and would like to take part, please write to us.

Children: We would like to organize day care for children, so that parents can take part in daytime workshops. Nothing’s certain yet, but if you’re interested, write to us as soon as possible so we can work out something together.

Registration deadline: July 22, 2024

The summer school is open to a maximum of 22 people.