Leviathan Studio welcomes five Interns per year. Interns arrive as early as April to work, train and dance. Interns work six days a week, five hours per day. Interns commit to varying lengths of time from a minimum of 6 weeks to as long as the season continues(mid-October).
Prerequisite to participating at Leviathan Studio as an Intern, one must complete a ten-day vipassana meditation retreat with S.N.Goenka and commit to sitting with us three times per day for one hour. You must have a back-ground in dance especially Contact Improv. A strong work ethic is essential. If you don’t like to work then do not apply. Between the 30hours of work and 20 hours of meditation per week and evening jams, you will sleep well.
Interns must have health insurance. Interns are expected to participate in the evening jams that happen all summer long. Interns receive free workshops in exchange for their hard work. This is not ‘wwoofing’ or couch-surfing. You must have some money to participate in events in the community such as the Saturday Farmers market, events at the community hall, go visit friends that you have made in the community and even take a holiday away from the studio. Being an Intern at Leviathan is the opposite of joining a cult. You are encouraged to invite your family to visit. Being at Leviathan should not be viewed as an opportunity to escape.
Apply early. These positions are filled by January. Please email a brief biography outlining your experience in dance and what your personal goals are while at Leviathan. Include your age and what you have been doing the past 5 years. This is an ideal opportunity for a 24-30yr old with a back ground in dance who wishes to cultivate their physical and emotional awareness while practising sustainable living in an off-grid environment.
The following is a letter that is sent to Interns once they have been accepted.
You have been selected as an Intern for 2019. This is something to be proud of. This is a huge undertaking. You will be challenged. As one intern said in 2014, “I’ve been sore every day since I got here.” It is a rewarding experience. You will be physically and emotionally stronger by the end of summer. And you will be a much better dancer.
This path is not for everyone. You must be willing, strong, physically and mentally fit.
This is a list of what to expect and what to bring….in no particular order.
Another event that you may want to participate in is on Salt Spring island June18-24, the Salt Spring Island Summer Plunge festival . Although you are expected to be working at Leviathan during this period, you are also encouraged to attend the Salt Spring festival. If you decide to go to this festival then your work period may be extended. This can be discussed and negotiated. There are many options available.
We work 6 days, 5 hours per day. You get one day off per week. The five interns take turns taking their day off so that not everyone is off on the same day. We sit as a group 3 times per day for one hour.
You need work clothes including good work shoes/boots. You will be cleaning the studio for a few weeks while learning our recipes and how to cook with a woodstove.
There is no internet at the studio. The three closest places for internet are 20min walk away. Often people get phones with data. Let me know if you need more information on this.
You need a tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, HEADLAMP. Often interns bring large tents and make themselves comfortable for the summer.
You are well fed while here. There is a limit to the special treats you can make. For instance, you cannot eat separately from the participants. No alcohol or drugs. You are not welcome to have avocado/cheese trays while everyone else is having chili. If you have any food allergies or preferences then let me know. We can work it out. If you need supplements or special refrigeration please let me know.
You cannot be an energy worker while at the studio. You can not do Reiki, therapeutic touch, Kundalini, Chi-kung, cranial-sacral, osteopathy, Ecstatic dance, Om meditation, and a whole bunch more. Let me know if you think this will be a problem for you. Also, let me know if you need me to explain in more detail before you arrive. We can have many conversations once you are here. The short answer is, you will be pushed to your energetic limits while at Leviathan. You are asked to embrace the work that we are doing. Play our game, not your game.
You must have health insurance that covers you while in Canada. You will be asked to show me because I have been lied to about this and it became very problematic causing a lot of unnecessary stress on the studio.
Please get a prescription for a broad spectrum antibiotic. We have Lyme’s disease on the island. Explain to your doctor that you are going to a remote island with no access to health care. There are visiting doctors on the island that will advise you. Tell your doctor that you will not take antibiotics without a doctors advice. Most recommended antibiotic is Doxycyclene, 100mg X 56tablets.
You can be a schizophrenic or a drug addict but I need to know about this before you come so we can manage your special needs properly. Please tell me if you have these problems or other issues that may keep you from being fully engaged for this prolonged period.
Your family is encouraged to visit you while at Leviathan. You are encouraged to maintain relationships with your family either via emails or regular phone calls. I need contact information in the event that something happens to you.
