30 Day Kalari Immersion Course in Grottaglie, Puglia, Italy
Kalari Training in Italy
KalariLAB has trained hundreds of students through face-to-face workshops and retreats. In this course, you will learn from Adam (a trained physiotherapist and actor). This is the only course in Kalari that will give you an internationally recognized certificate from UNESCO CID (International Dance Council). You will receive this certification on completion of the course.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- 70 hours training in Kalarippayat
- 30 hours training in Kalari Chikitsa
- 18 hours theoretical study
- International certificate issued by UNESCO CID
- 29 nights accommodation
- Three meals daily, prepared by a chef
- Receive discounts on future KalariLab courses
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (US$ 58 per person)
Brindisi – Salento Airport (US$ 58 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Fireplace
- Kitchen
Wake to the sounds of Mother Nature under the conical, vaulted roofs of a 16th-century traditional stone trullo, painstakingly restored by your hosts and complete with a wood-fired oven, BBQ, sun terraces, and more. Here modern convenience meets an architectural marvel. Enjoy the best of Italian and international cuisine made with the freshest organic produce sourced locally and cooked to perfection. An experience you’ll never forget.
Program
Kalari is unique! Why?
Because no other practice, not even yoga, embodies the art of connection to the human organism as deeply and totally as Kalari. It is both a yogic and a healing art. A practice of posture and a practice of hands-on bodywork. It engages with all systems of the body: the musculoskeletal, lymphatic, endocrine, digestive, circulatory, nervous, and energetic. It balances the Vayus, the Tridosha, the Siva/Sakti, and the elemental makeup of the body itself.
The individual purifies the organism through movement and massage. The fascial lines of the body are recognized and exercised, strengthened, lengthened, and stabilized. Through both training and treatment, the individual is bought into the center.
Why attend the course?
- In this intensive course you will receive a firm foundation in both Kalarippayattu and Kalari Chikitsa to a level at which you will feel both competent and confident to practice independently
- You will gain a solid understanding of the theoretical background and scientific explanation as to why Kalari is an effective system of training, treatment, and rehabilitation
- You will train on a traditional earthen floor of hard red mud - as the warriors of old did! In a stunning location surrounded by olive groves, orchards, and history.
What does the course include?
- 70 hours training in Kalarippayat
- 30 hours training in Kalari Chikitsa
- 18 hours theoretical study
- International Certificate issued by UNESCO CID
- Basic treatments for you, if required
- A printed manual and videos of your training
- Discounts on future KalariLab courses
- 2 months FREE membership to KalariLab Online
- Ayurvedic oils and traditional training clothes
- Your own Konkari (training staff)
- Ayurvedic consultation and 1 month's supply of medicine
- Three meals per day from a gourmet Italian chef
Part 1: Martial art
What you shall learn:
- The principal Vadivu (postures) - the transformative and shamanic elements
- Cheru thozhil (grounding warm-up exercises)
- Kalugal (kicks to improve flexibility and flow)
- Ground exercises (for upper body strengthening and stabilisation)
- Pila Tangi and Arrapukai forms of Northern style (balance power & release).
- Stick rolling ( improve proprioception and shoulder strengthening)
- Vandanam prayer form (Northern style) for aligning the spine and readying the body for practice
- Vannakam forms (Northern style) to develop devotion, body control and sensitivity
- Empty-Hands forms from southern style Kalari
- Footwork patterns from central style Kalari
- The hidden martial applications behind the forms - known by very few teachers
Part 2: Healing art
- Complete Stage 1 and 2 of the training to become a Kalari Therapist
- Learn the complete “Nadi Massage” regime that can be used to treat musculoskeletal and nerve dysfunction.
- Leave the course equipped to help others with what you have learnt and to EARN MONEY YOURSELF as a Kalari Therapist
- Learn how to perform Khizi and Dhara treatments (for muscle and joint pain)
- Get qualified as a Kalari Chikitsa Therapist
- Leave the course equipped to help others with what you have learnt
Part 3: Theory
- History and philosophy of Kalari
- The design of the Kalari and the way of the Abhyasi (practitioner)
- Anatomy of the Fascial body and the Energetic body (Nadis & Marma)
- How Breathing and the Spine behave in motion
- How to restore balance through exercise and treatment
- How Kalari links to yoga
- Sports Science principles in Kalari
- Principles of tissue healing and exercise rehabilitation
- An Intro to Ayurvedic principles and to understanding constitution (from Dr. Caoru Osani)
This course is unique:
- This is the only course in Kalari that will give you an internationally recognized certificate from UNESCO CID (International Dance Council). You will receive this certification on completion of the course.
- You will learn from an authentic family lineage almost 1000 years old; from a teacher who has trained in the traditional method of transmission for over 20 years.
- You will learn Kalari authentically – as a martial art! Not as a performative dance as so many schools now practice it.
- Further you will receive a printed and illustrated manual to assist and further your learning.
- Receive a unique introduction to this ancient practice with a strong and clear theoretical explanation of both the gross and subtle bodies and how to condition them through Kalari exercise and treatment.
What to expect from the course?
Training:
- The Kalari training will take place mornings and evenings, up to 2 hours per session.
- You will be training for 5 days a week - the days of rest are important in preventing a build-up of lactic acid in the body and allowing your fascia to rehydrate.
Treatment:
- Each day you will have a 90-minute practical session on Kalari treatment in which you will observe, assist, and learn how to give treatments to yourself and others.
Theory:
- Understand the history and background of Kalarippayattu and how it is developed over its 5000-year history.
- Learn how western scientific research is now validating the practice. Study both the system of Fasciology and the science of Marma, to understand the connections between the two.
To take home:
- You will have your own 90-minute training program that you can repeat independently and continue to improve on your own.
- You will be qualified and certified to Level 2 in Kalari Chikitsa: a vocational training that will allow you to give treatments to others and earn money as a Kalari therapist.
- You will receive internationally recognized certification from UNESCO CID recognizing your training in Kalarippayattu and Kalari Chikitsa.
- You will be provided membership to the ‘KalariLab Online Virtual school’ which will allow you to continue learning in the future, with regular updates from me and other teachers and discounts to attend future courses, including masterclasses with Gurukkal and his most senior students.
Instructors
Adam Phillips
Adam has been practicing Kalari for over 20 years, teaching since 2006 and working as a therapist in Kalari Chikitsa since 2005. He is now one of the most experienced teachers of Kalari outside of India. He also studied physiotherapy at the University of London and worked in several Physiotherapy departments in the UK. Working as a professional Actor and Director since 2003, he collaborated with dancers and performers, using both Kalari exercise and treatment in their training and rehabilitation. He now runs immersion courses internationally in Europe, Asia, and the USA.
Location
Step back in time and join KalariLAB in the breathtaking Puglia countryside with its rugged limestone-strewn hills, deep ravines, and ancient olive groves. Explore the historical town of Grottaglie with its cobbled streets, whitewashed homes, a 13th-century castle, ceramics quarter and the lively, welcoming hospitality Italy is famous for.
Food
The course includes three meals per day, prepared by a gourmet Italian chef. Enjoy Italian cuisine (with vegan option).
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegan
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- 70 hours training in Kalarippayat
- 30 hours training in Kalari Chikitsa
- 18 hours theoretical study
- An international certificate issued by UNESCO CID
- Basic treatments for you, if required
- A printed manual and videos of your training
- Discounts on future KalariLab courses
- 2 months FREE membership to KalariLab Online
- Ayurvedic oils and traditional training clothes
- Your own Konkari (training staff)
- 29 nights accommodation
- Ayurvedic consultation and 1 month's supply of medicine
- Three meals per day from KalariLAB gourmet Italian chef
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport
87 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 58 per person
Brindisi – Salento Airport
45 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 58 per person
Arrival by airplane
The nearest airports are Brindisi and Bari, from which taxi transfers can be arranged at an additional cost of 50 EUR each way (approx. 30 minutes from Brindisi, 75 minutes from Bari).
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 10 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.