Dance Residency with Illan Riviere
Shapes from Nature
Feel & Follow
Dance Residency with Illan Rivière
July 13 - 18, 2025
Stay on or Offsite
The Program
July 13 - 18, 2025
An immersive movement experience in co-creation with nature. Diving into Illan Rivière’s physical philosophy, and embodying fluid and organic movement flow to awaken new perceptions, tap into the power of movement and discover new movement landscapes. Enjoying and empowering energy in motion in the studio, exploring and expanding dance experience in Natural environments.
SHAPES FROM NATURE
This movement residency with Illan Rivière is an invitation to connect, embody and co-create with natural resources, immersing ourselves into the pure flow of nature, it’s movement, it’s power, it’s spiritual dimension. Using the body as a portal to explore and integrate new perceptions, open new perspectives and delve into the power of movement from its purest form. During this retreat we will be able to tap into the essence of organic movement , fluid motions and be in tune with the energy flow living within us.
Nature will be the main ingredient of inspiration to explore dance and unfold our potentials.
About Illan
Artist / Dancer / Movement philosopher...
Born in 1993 in France, it was from a very young age that Illan was fascinated by the colors, materials and lights surrounding him making him a professional dreamer, inspired by every day’s details. Inspired by nature and the energy in motion, Illan is passionate about creating high quality work that unlock human perceptions and provide an immersive and hypnotic space to transfer and resonate with. Continuously evolving path as a mover, Illan developed a very unique, fluid, expressive movement language. He creates soft and powerful imagery though a textural current of organic movement flow.
Sample daily schedule
(Approximate Schedule – Subject to change)
9-10 am – Breakfast
10:30 – 1 pm – Dance Session in Studio
1:15 pm – Lunch
2:30 – 5 pm Beach time/Day trip
5 – 7:30 pm – Movement in Nature
8:00 pm – Dinner
Accommodations
-
(2 per room, shared bathroom, includes meals and transport)
The rooms at Villa Shakti includes bath towel set, Greek beach towel, bedding and blankets, table fan, WIFI, access to apartment kitchen, spacious living room and dining area, cable TV. Places are limited. The house is strictly vegetarian.
Includes:
20 hours Training
Double Share Room at Villa Shakti
12 Healthy Vegetarian meals per week (dinners at local tavernas are not covered)
Transportation (Day trips, Airport Pick up and Drop off shuttle)
-
(up to 5 per room, shared bathroom, includes meals and transport)
These traditional restored apartments are a 10 minute walk from Villa Shakti on peaceful a country road. The apartments are in a rustic traditional village with a plentiful organic garden, traditional orthodox church, goats, a fresh spring fountain and many flowers!
Option 1 ( 2 trainings):
20 hours Training
Village Apartment (either Double Share or Dorm)
12 Healthy Vegetarian meals per week (dinners at local tavernas are not covered)
Transportation (Day trips, Airport Pick up and Drop off
-
(Includes lunch only. Does not Include any transport.)
If you are looking for more privacy, you will find many other villas and rentals nearby our village of Aikirgiannis (Topolia). We suggest you have a look at Airbnb or booking.com. We recommend looking in the Topolia area and no farther than Kissamos so travel time to classes are not an issue. You can use the FB event page to post if you are looking for others to share a villa with you. You will need your own rental car for this option. Greece is a very popular summer destination so book soon!
Includes:
20 hours Training
6 Healthy Vegetarian meals (welcome dinner, farewell brunch and 4 lunches)
-
Check in to Villa Shakti is on the specified date
Orientation Meeting & Welcome Dinner at 7-9 PM on check in date is *required
Everyday classes start at 9 am and end at 7:30 pm (except days with trips planned)
Day Trips are included to beautiful beaches and local Greek tavernas
-
Flight to Greece
Snacks and meals out at Tavernas or cafes (see your course schedule for details)
Your own personal rental car or taxis
Extra excursions, trips to town or private taxis
Food
We enjoy offering a healthy Vegetarian take on local Cretan recipes. Cretan and Greek cuisine is full of roasted vegetables, rices dishes, cucumber salads and of course, a decadent selection of homemade local cheeses! Occasionally we change up the menu by preparing mild Ayurvedic Indian food or Italian pasta, etc. All meals are served buffet style – all you can eat! Special dietary needs such as vegan, gluten free, and allergies can be catered to with prior notice.
*Our villa is strictly Vegetarian in celebration of life! Yet we can offer you local goat, sheep and cow cheese and a range of farm to table dairy products.
TYPICAL MENU:
Breakfast: Coffee/tea, fruit, toast and spreads, yogurt, granola, porridge, smoothie.
Lunch: Main dish, 2 salads, bakery breads, spreads, vegetable side dishes, local olive oil/olives, ice teas infusions.
Dinner: Main dish, salads, bakery breads, spreads, bean dish, vegetable side dishes, local olive oil / olives, and desert!
WEEKLY MEAL PLAN:
Check IN Day – Welcome dinner feast served at sunset on the veranda!
Daily Breakfast served for all participants staying onsite
Lunch and Dinners provided most days – 2 lunches and 2 dinners will be off-site
Off-site guests are provided 6 meals (welcome dinner, farewell brunch and 4 lunches)
Transportation
-
Guests will want to arrive to the closest airport: Chania (CHQ). Airport it is a 1 hour drive to the villa. Heraklion is 3-4 hours drive. We will have an orientation dinner on the evening of June 2 (open level) or June 9 (advanced level)
Most visitors on Crete rent a car to enjoy exploring the wild nature and beaches. This is what we always recommend to guests since there are many secret beaches and isolated trails to discover on the Western side of the island within an hours drive.
-
The cost of transportation is now included in your tuition. Villa Shakti is in a rural location, so please be aware buses are not an option and taxis will need to be booked in advance.
Scheduled Shuttle Transportation Includes:
(Times are fixed, no exceptions.)
ARRIVAL DAY:
Chania Port Pick up at 5 pm
Chania Airport Pick up at 5:30 pm
DEPARTURE DAY:
Chania Port Drop off at 12 pm
Chania Airport Drop off at 12:30 pm
TRANSPORT DURING IRINA’S DANCE RESIDENCY:
Daily nature trips: each day we will discover new beaches and landscapes
-
Please meet our driver at the scheduled times, the driver can not wait for late passengers. If your flight arrives or departs at another time than the scheduled shuttle pick up/drop of times, you can easily get a local taxi to/from Airport to Chania Port to enjoy some time there and then meet at the scheduled time and location to catch your ride to Villa Shakti.
Please Note: No late arrivals allowed after 9 pm on check-in day.
-
If you wish to have your own car, we recommend booking online. Prices are approximately €25-45 per day / per vehicle. Non EU licensed drivers will need and International Driving License to drive in Greece.
