Frequently Asked Questions.
The Future of Helikos
Will there be a new One-Year Program in Florence?
No. Helikos studio is Florence did close in July 2014, and Giovanni Fusetti, as well as Helikso Staff, are offering short term trainings, in Italy and elsewhere. As soon as a new long-term training will be created, we will post it on Helikos website.
Will Helikos reopen in Florence?
No. The period in Florence was a great pedagogic experience but the location proved to be inadequate to the development of the work. The school will become lighter and for a while will not offer any long-term trainings. Giovanni Fusetti will offer short term trainings internationally and will look for a new and more sustainable location and structure for the school.
What kind of program will Helikos offer in the future?
Giovanni Fusetti is working on a further integration between the pedagogy of movement theatre, based on the teaching of Jacques Lecoq, and a process oriented approach to theatre, based on Gestalt, Process Work, Archetypal Psychology and Reichien Analysis. This integration had already started in the programs in Florence, both in the style of the teaching and in the emerging of the PAPAS class (Personal Awareness Process in Altered States). The future program will be based on a new pedagogic paradigm. If you are looking for a more ortodox Lecoq-based theatre training, we recommend you to contact other movement based theatre schools.
Helikos School in 2010-2014
What was the difference between the Three-Year Program and the One-Year Program ?
The One-Year Training has three terms and follows the same structure of the three year training.
1. The whole program is taught in an intensive form: the principles are taught, but some of the variations and applications are not.
2. There are some theatrical territories that are covered in a shorter period of time than what the three year study permitted. However, Helikos study is full time, and although Storytelling, Tragedy and Melodrama may not be taught at length, there will be series of rigorous master classes on these subjects.
3. The academic year of the One-Year Training is longer than that of the Three-Year Program.
4. Students of the One-Year Program have the option of joining the optional MaMaS course (Materia - Maschera - Spazio).
What language are the classes in at Helikos?
Our faculty speaks a variety of languages - Italian, Spanish, French and English - and our students have varying first languages. However classes will be taught in primarily in English. Knowledge of "La Bella Lingua" is certainly fun, useful, and encouraged for everyday life, but not necessary for classes.
If you are interested in taking your tongue on a tour of the Italian language there are many courses available in Florence, including intensive classes that can be taken before the Helikos year begins. They differ in price and quality ranging from free to the opposite of free, so it is best to ask around.
(Note that historically, and perhaps obviously, students who live in a situation where Italian is the common language tend to pick up the language faster.)
What's in a name? Why is the name of the school Helikos?
Helikos is a Greek word that means SPIRAL. As a symbol, the spiral is common to all ages and cultures and has various meanings, all connected with the dynamic of evolution. The spiral represents the cyclical movement that expands outward from its point of origin and inward towards the center. The spiral expresses extension, cyclical continuity and development, progress in the rotation of creation and perpetual balance between opposite dynamics. It’s the manifestation of the evolution of a state or a force.
The choice of the spiral as a symbol is connected with the vision of a school and its pedagogy as forms in permanent evolution. The spiral is also a metaphor of the journey of the artist/poet through the training of the school, training that is always connected with its beginning but is projected into the future.
Italian Visas
Do I need a student visa to attend Helikos?
If you don’t have an EU passport, and you wish to stay in Italy for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for an Italian student visa for the duration of your stay in Italy.
Enrolled students will receive a information on applying for a VISA, including some legal documents that you need to present with your application. You will need to apply in your country of residence, at the Italian Consulate that is assigned to the area in which you live. And you will need to do this process at the earliest 90 days prior to your departure.
Note that if you have Italian ancestors, you might be eligible to apply for an Italian Passport.
What is the process for applying for a student visa?
Go to the website of the Italian Embassy/Consulate closest to city/state/province where you are a resident. The application, instructions and list of required documents are on the website. Follow these very carefully. Be sure to check the website of your specific consulate because each consulate can vary without rhyme or reason.
Do I have to complete any additional procedures once in Italy?
Yes, Helikos will guide students through that process. Students on a long-stay study visa (more than 90 days) must apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno once they arrive in Italy.
Accommodation
How can I find accomodation?
Here are some links that may be useful for finding shared accommodation or rooms for rent.
Easy Stanza: www.easystanza.it
Kijiji: http://www.kijiji.it/annunci-firenze/
Craigslist: http://florence.en.craigslist.it/
Bakeka: http://firenze.bakeca.it/
* these sites can also be useful for buying used bikes.
Can I live with other Helikos students?
Enrolled students will receive a dossier with various information about life in Florence and at Helikos, as well as a list of the other enrolled students, in order to explore the possibility of shared accommodation.
A Diploma?
Does Helikos provide a diploma or a recognized degree ?
The school does not offer any "recognized" diploma or degree - only a learning experience.
The training is addressed to creative individuals who are interested, above all, in the pedagogic experience offered by Helikos, and who are looking for tools to tell the world their stories.
At the end of the training, upon conclusion of the school program, each student will receive a diploma of completion that formally recognizes the student’s success in completing the training. This diploma has no legal value. It will be recognized by those who value and appreciate the work of our school.
Is Helikos an Accredited Institution ?
Well ... No and Yes.
Helikos bases its existence on the quality of its teaching and has chosen not to seek accreditation by other academic or educational institutions. As a School of Art (Scuola d’Arte) we believe that nobody can “authorize” us to exist and practice and teach what we love doing. We apply the same belief to the students who want to train with us.
As a place of training, we follow the everlasting principle that masters are sustained by their students, and we value our excellence as the best source of funding. For this reason we have chosen to not depend on any external support from private or public institutions. As a school of creation, we want to be in accordance with the principles and values of our pedagogy which consider the students as autonomous artists who will create quality work (arte) and live from it.
The very existence of Helikos is only guaranteed by the quality of the experience it offers to the students, who freely decide to engage in it and sustain the school with their presence and personal power, and with their energy, expressed in the form of the tuition.
If support or funding is offered to the school, we will gladly accept it and make good use of it, but our core budget will be maintained through students’ tuition.
However, many private and public institutions have recognized our work and funded students to join us, and/or have given credits for our courses. You can visit the grants and accreditations page to find out more.