Looking Back at the 2021 NIPAI Physical Theatre Intensive in Hungary

NIPAI
Aug 23, 2021
2 min read

Updated: May 11

A special three-week Physical Theatre Intensive Residency, designed for dancers, physical theatre actors, circus performers, musical theatre performers, and performance artists from around the world, took place this year in the small Hungarian town of Csurgó from June 7 to 20, 2021.

These are the students of #NIPAI_intensive: Mario, Andrea, Lexie, Charlene, Anna, Jim, Paolo!

They spent three weeks at the NIPAI residency in Hungary, immersing themselves in physical theatre - with only two days off.

During this intense three-week period, they:

created short etudes and scenes,
explored various approaches to working with text,
experienced the Method of Physical Actions on stage,
studied mise-en-scène and stage composition,
developed their physicality in acting and discovered new personal approaches to performance,
and, in the end, created a performance that they presented to the local audience - and it’s fair to say, the audience loved it!

Watch the trailer: NIPAI Three-Week Physical Theatre Intensive in Hungary, 2021

Editor: Andrea Terrasa @AndreaTerrasa Cinematographer: Veronika Zhuk, Composer: TPRMX

What Really Happens During a Three-Week Physical Theatre Residency with NIPAI in Hungary?

Spending three weeks immersed in the world of physical theatre can be transformative - and that’s exactly what happened at the NIPAI residency in Csurgó, Hungary.

Here’s a glimpse of what our participants experienced:

21 days of intensive physical theatre training
7 hours of practical work each day, exploring movement, ensemble, and stage composition
Participants from 8 different countries
A vibrant exchange of 5 languages and countless ideas
1 original ensemble performance, created and staged from scratch
And, perhaps most importantly, a professional network built to last a lifetime

This residency wasn’t just about training - it was about collaboration, exploration, and pushing artistic boundaries. From morning warm-ups to evening rehearsals, every moment contributed to a shared creative journey.

We are deeply grateful to our students, colleagues, and partners who made this experience possible. Your passion and dedication continue to inspire us.

The next three-week session of this kind - Physical Theatre Intensive: From Training to Performance - will take place from June 23 to July 13, 2025, in Csurgó, Hungary.