Manchester based, Physical State International (PSI) has grown quickly to offer a broad programme of arts training – originally concentrated in dance and theatre but now with increasing coverage of other forms and of innovative multi-disciplinary work.
Artistic Director Rivca Rubin is clear about the value of training: ‘I think you have an incredible impact when you provide training. It becomes clear to me when I look back at my training how much it influences what I do now.’
That training takes in Munich and Berlin State Academies, and courses with leading practitioners in Holland, Spain, Germany and England, with a research visit to New York's live art community planned for winter and ongoing study with choreographer Julyen Hamilton and others.
The resulting work has included performing and creating work with companies including Theatre Totale, Foundation, Rivca Rubin Co, Alison Andrews Co, and Le Grand Jeu (France).
Internationalism and eclecticism informs PSI's programming, drawing together artists and participants from all over the world, and provides the Company's mission – ‘Performing and Visual Arts Training - Manchester and Worldwide’.
PSI works in three main areas: firstly, intensive workshops with international and UK artists with reputations for excellence as practitioners and as educators – these being both for professionals and for people with little or no arts experience; secondly, unique participatory projects leading to performances, live or on video; thirdly, collaborative productions between artists of international renown and base.
PSI is responding to the demand for training and performance projects across the spectrum of the arts, from theatre to new writing, from dance to video production. And while programming of workshops in these areas continues to be the backbone of PSI's activity this is being fleshed out with training projects leading to productions, and with international collaborative productions planned with little or no formal training element.
PSI plans continued devotion to the North West in both training and production, along with expansion through Britain, into Europe and ultimately worldwide.
The supreme quality of work has been recognised through a substantial increase in funding and in 1992, PSI has offered its most exciting and comprehensive programme of events to date.
For 1993 and 1994 further developments can be expected – including a New York New Work strand in 1993 and extensive programme as part of Manchester's Year of Drama in 1994. Join the free mailing list to get ahead of the game!
