Autumn and winter courses and workshops on Formentera

foto curs tek per a adultsThe Formentera Council wishes to unveil its autumn and winter catalogue of courses and workshops for young people and adults. Culture and education secretary Susana Labrador says the goal is to offer a diverse array of learning opportunities for islanders' professional and personal development. “We slot these classes into the low season to make participating as easy as possible for people who work during the summer and have more time for courses and workshops in the autumn and winter”.

The course catalogue is organised as follows:

Art and creation

Every year a series of now classic art classes are on tap. Take Teresa Matilla's course on creation and painting, woodworking with Aaron Keydar, or Remedios Castillo's pottery class, all of which begin in November and go through March.

Islanders will notice three new additions this year among the art and creation workshops. One course running November to February proposes to teach students how to handcraft canvas espardenyes. Jackie Katz will lead another (divided in two modules; October to November and January to February) on textiles and clothing design. Fran Lucas will lead a third, intro to watercolours.

Audiovisual communication

After the success that met last year's début run, a beginners' level course to familiarise islanders with the basics of digital photo will resume this year. Jose Antonio Arribas will oversee the one-month course in November. Arribas will also branch out this year with a workshop on mobile-phone photography.

Performing arts

This year in the field of performing arts, Espai_F is back with the cultural group's Aula de Teatre. This “theatre class” is pitched as an adults' workshop on theatrical creation encompassing three areas: acting, voice and movement. Led by Miquel Costa, Xènia Fuertes and Valeria del Vecchio, instruction is scheduled from October to March.

Professional development

The social welfare department organises courses for out of work islanders. This year they will once again offer a course on social and cultural integration, in November and then again in March.

Body and mind

La Mola's Casa del Poble is teeing up a series of fitness and wellness workshops covering Tai chi, Pilates, gymnastics for maintenance, yoga, meditation, dance and movement.

Four new workshops have made their way onto this year's catalogue: intro to chess and choir, plus movement and music, both for children. Casa del Poble workshops begin in October.

For more information and details on how to sign up, visit the Casa del Poble in La Mola or send an email to casadelpobledelamola@gmail.com

Language courses

This year will see the return of courses on Catalan, Italian and English. The free Catalan courses will be offered by the Council's “Language Advisory Service” (SAL for its initials in Catalan) at the A2, B1, B2 and C1 levels. Signups start September 25 and conclude October 10. Classes begin October 15 and 16, though the end of instruction will be adapted to the official exams tentatively scheduled for January or February 2019.

Each year the Council puts on English and Italian courses as well. The former are given by Nancy McConachie and the latter by Rodolfo Taccheo. Both are available for beginning as well as advanced students and are scheduled to begin afternoons in January.

Local pastimes

This year, the Sant Ferran retirees club is offering its own catalogue of courses and workshops on time-honoured activities like sewing, cane chair repair, basket-weaving and wool spinning. Additional courses offering instruction on cooking and tips for students of traditional dance, or colles de ball, on the proper way to wear folk clothing. These courses begin in November and signups are handled directly by Sant Ferran's Club de Jubilats.

Pre-registration

The first round of registration, or preinscripcions, can be done starting September 19. Enrolment for November workshops will be open through October 19. Islanders interested in the English and Italian courses, which begin in January, have until December 14 to register.