When the body becomes language and dance turns into research: Supriya Ravi Shankar and Lydia Monsen, RUFA students in the Painting Master’s Programme, took part in the BIP “Body, Dance, Choreography, and Interdisciplinary Research” in Lithuania—an artistic experience beyond borders.
From 17 to 28 March 2025, RUFA students Supriya Ravi Shankar and Lydia Monsen, both in their first year of the Painting track within the Fine Arts Master’s Programme, took part in a unique educational experience through the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) entitled “Body, Dance, Choreography, and Interdisciplinary Research”. The initiative, part of the Erasmus+ programme and organised by the Body, Sound, DiVision Consortium, was hosted at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in Vilnius, Lithuania.
This opportunity offered the students a full immersion in an international environment focused on the fusion of visual arts, somatic practices, and choreography. The lecture-seminars laid the theoretical groundwork, with interactive presentations and case studies that sparked reflection on the body, movement, and interdisciplinary research. Group discussions further strengthened critical analysis and allowed for a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.
The practical workshops were at the core of the experience: movement-based sessions inspired by diverse artistic approaches, structured improvisations, and choreographic activities fostered creative experimentation and the invention of new expressive strategies. At the same time, collaborative research projects encouraged the students to explore interdisciplinary topics, shaping a process of co-creation in which theory and practice were constantly interwoven. Continuous interaction with peers and faculty supported a collective mode of inquiry and an open, productive critical dialogue.
Critical reflection moments also played a key role, with regular group debriefs helping participants reprocess their experience, sharpen analytical thinking, and become more aware of their artistic choices. The programme concluded with a performance presentation, where each participant translated their learning path into practice, demonstrating the ability to apply interdisciplinary methodologies in a real-world context.
The impact of this experience can also be measured by the skills acquired. Supriya and Lydia deepened their understanding of body-based research and choreography, developed innovative creative strategies, and explored new performative languages. They enhanced their international collaboration skills, showing the ability to work within multidisciplinary teams and transform shared ideas into tangible projects. The programme also reinforced their critical and reflective abilities, allowing them to contextualise their work within a broader cultural framework, and strengthened their capacity to integrate theory and practice within a unified artistic research process.
This European experience not only enriched the students’ academic growth but also strengthened their sense of belonging to an academic community that promotes mobility, knowledge exchange, and creative protagonism.
