Jackie Koester, our facilitator, presenting Unplug and Play

What is the Improv Retreat Unplug and Play?

With you in mind, we have prepared a three day "plazid" retreat in Cercedilla, a village in the heart of Madrid's Sierra de Guadarrama surrounded by forests and mountains.

Jackie Koester, our facilitator, describes the workshop in this way:

‘Improvisation, or improv, is a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters and dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up in the moment. It’s all about living the moment, allow yourself to be creative, foster your spontaneity and feeling so connected to other people you don’t have time to judge yourself. It’s about playing and recovering the inner joy of a playful child.

During the workshop we will do exercises and games designed to unleash your creativity and increase your ability to respond to anything on stage, and in life, with confidence. We’ll introduce tricks for spontaneity, improving focus and listening and basic improv terms. Improv games like those seen on stages around the world will help you sharpen your techniques and share your imagination with an audience.´

“Without a doubt, Jackie has the ability to promote a fun environment and encourage people to let go of their insecurities and have a good time together. It’s a perfect activity to encourage good feeling between its attendants.” - Gabriel Huertas. New York University, Madrid

For more information about Jackie, check out her website.

Who is it for?

• You are a creative professional who needs a stimulus for your creativity and imagination, the one that robots will never replace!
• You want to try something new or maybe rediscover how much fun it is to play, being a child again.
• Your mind is always wandering and you want to practice how to live in the moment, improving listening and developing trust.
• You want to work on your anxiety, on those insecurities that prevent you from being a better communicator, negotiator or salesperson. More resources for your personal or professional life

And above you want to have a great time, enjoy the retreat to the fullest!

What will you gain from the retreat?

• You will meet new people and learn to collaborate selflessly because small group retreats (maximum of 15 people) encourage friendship
• You will learn how to unleash your creativity, how to play more and how to liberate stress.
• You will experiment slow lifestyle and disconnection - 'plazido' is central to our identity.

Where does the Unplug and Play Retreat take place?

We have chosen Cercedilla, one of the most beautiful and stately villages in the Community of Madrid. A privileged spot in the lush Sierra de Guadarrama.

Our accommodations are Los Castaños, a rural complex that welcomes us in an estate of 17,000 sqm, with lush vegetation of pines, oaks, chestnut trees, limes ... in which you can hear the birds and you can see the squirrels jumping.

What will the Unplug and Play workshop be like?

The Unplug and Play workshop will start on Friday 7th at 4pm and end on Sunday, 9th after lunch.

Schedule:

Friday, 7th February

2:00pm Departure from Madrid

3:30pm Arrival to Los Castaños, Cercedilla

Settle in and tour the space

5:00-8:00pm Improv Workshop Unplug and Play

9:00pm Dinner

10:00pm Free Time

Saturday, 8th February

8:00am Optional Guided Meditation

9:00am Breakfast

10:30-2:30pm Improv Workshop Unplug and Play

2:30pm Lunch

3:30pm Free Time

5:00-9:00pm Improv Workshop Unplug and Play

9:00pm Dinner

10:00pm Free Time

Sunday, 9th February

8:00am Optional Guided Meditation

9:00am Breakfast

10:30-2:30pm Improv Workshop Unplug and Play

2:30pm Lunch

4:00pm Return to Madrid

5:30pm Arrival in Madrid

How to get there:

By public transport: Los Castaños is less than a 5 minute walk from the railway station and a 2 minute walk from the bus stop:

C8 - Cercanías train to Cercedilla from Chamartín railway station. Schedules here.

684- Bus from Moncloa. Schedules here.

If you drive, you will be able to easily park it easily on the premise. We will facilitate the meeting of people who wish to come by car to share the cost of gas between the occupants.

Meals:

The food is homemade and cooked with love.

We will have breakfast, lunch and dinner together in the dining room, buffet style: we will serve ourselves and collect the dishes at the end.

All dietary needs and allergies communicated in advance will be taken into account.

Coffee, tea and water are free. Everything else can be bought at the bar at very affordable prices.

What is the investment?

A small exclusive, 3 day retreat including:

• Accommodation in Los Castaños in a shared room (2 per room)
• 15 hours of Unplug and Play workshop with Jackie Koester
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day.
• Welcome Gift
• Workshop material

• You must bring your own towel for the shower.

Early Birds until 31st. December.

Total: 350,- €

Full Price, from 31.12 to 31.1

Total: 380,-€

Who is behind Plázida?

Irene Gil has spent much of her professional life helping large and small businesses and entrepreneurs create their business and personal brands. She is the founder of Plázida, the company of beautiful experiences for independent companions. Her purpose is to create well-being by promoting "plazid" activities and to make her community grow both personally and professionally.

Testimonials

Please see below for first hand testimonials from our incredible previous retreat, “Theatrical Growth”:

"Thank you, Irene, for organizing the Theatrical Growth retreat. Thank you Nuri for guiding us and teaching us how to look through our armour. Thank you all for allowing this space of trust to share what we do not usually dare, thank you for opening your hearts and letting me know your fears, your inner child and your struggles. Thank you for these super hugs. I wish you much love, starting with yourselves, and much strength and courage to be free, to discover and let the world know your essence. You are beautiful people and I am very grateful for having met you and being able to have this experience with you. Love and freedom!" Dorit Sauer, German living in Madrid.

"Everything about the Theatrical Growth retreat has been so beautiful, fun, enriching, tender, freeing, in short... these retreats always leave your heart more open to you and others. You are all brave, thank you for your good and honest energy, thank you for existing and being in the moment" Patricia Cantarell, Viena.

“I am very grateful, touched by what I've experienced at the Theatrical Growth retreat. I laughed, cried, danced, ate and learned a lot...and with wonderful companions! A wonderful weekend. I'm leaving very happy because I dared. Thanks to all of you. Now we have to live it" Rosa Campbell, Sevilla.

"What precious words from everyone at the Theatrical Growth retreat, loaded with truth. Thank you Nuri, for accompanying us with love and respect and so much personal openness, from watching us, creating that unspeakable confidence in which we learned to take care of ourselves, to respect ourselves and to be a little freer. I think that today the world is a little better because it has 10 people who are now better people. Thanks to everyone, (Alex, you know you're one more) Thank you for your humour and good company" Laura Sipán, Madrid.

"Good morning! After the Theatrical Growth retreat I took the day off to give me the space to be with everything that has moved inside me during these days, which is a lot. I just want to thank you all for your presence, for your openness and for your love that has helped me so much to keep making holes in my armour and giving air to my heart. I hope to find you again along the way! Irene, as Nuri says, thank you for making it happen, you are a crack! And Nuri, thank you for existing!!! I love you precious beings!!!" Eider Oyarzabal, Madrid.

"As Galeano said, “We are like a sea of little fires". After attending the Theatrical Growth retreat, I have taken with me a lot of lived emotions, a work of introspection and an enormous feeling of gratitude and love towards everyone involved. I have felt super welcome and comfortable among the other attendees! I can’t wait to look you in your eyes, in your soul, and hug you again!

Desiring more... Much more! Thank you, companions on the Road." Álex Pacheco, Barcelona.

"Hello inner travel companions. My first introduction in a retreat like the Theatrical Growth retreat has turned out to be a wonderful experience thanks to you, my companions who have given everything and who have made me see clearly that we are all similar with the same fears and the same needs - thank you very much. Irene, thanks to you particularly for making it possible - you are a wonderful person. And finally Nuri a great discovery as a person and as a teacher. I'm sure I'll come to a future retreat and I hope to see many of you again soon. A thousand thanks to everyone and a lot of love” Itziar Oyarzabal, Oyarzun.