Showing up and allowing ourselves to be fully seen is an invaluable tool for catalyzing foundational change in yourself, your community, and systemically. Over the course of six days and five nights, The Winter Blast is an on your feet exploration of Play Pathways’ Pedagogy of Play. Focusing on Play Pathways’ six Buoys and Anchors of Play system. We do not see them as “pillars” because they are movable. We do see these six Buoys and their Anchor counterparts, as points on a horizon in the vast ocean of the unknown. They offer us a foundational level of self awareness in every situation which establishes the invisible structure felt within Play Pathways’ facilitation.
As pioneers of facilitating Play exploration, we are certain that the level of effort, risk, grace, and communication one puts into their lives is in direct correlation with what one gets out of their experience. Play Pathways’ pedagogy of play empowers the individual to live in abundance within the community by giving self-validation a seat at the table. We reinforce what is most authentic for each individual player in order to make meaningful contributions to our Winter Blast community. We will be engaged in preparing community meals together, outside snow activities, reflective campfire chats, and physical play exploration in the studio. However, individual or shared lodging is at the responsibility of each player. Opening the channels for one’s restorative personal Play revolution and our communal destination of a new horizon.
In our experience, many training and belief systems are based on tearing one down in order to build one back up. The last 60 years of methods have shown this idea to be one of the main reasons for suppressing creativity among adults. At the end of the day these methods hinge on another’s validation of your individual process.
The truth is that play seems to be one of the most advanced methods nature has invented to allow a complex brain to create itself. - Dr Stuart Brown MD
Play Pathways strives to build stronger communities by holding space for a universal experience through the Pedagogy of Play. Changing the language to change the story by deep diving into the core values of effort, choice, buoyancy, generosity, and vulnerability. Paving a path of Vibrational Activism in our everyday world.
Play Pathways Initiative is committed to protecting accessibility and inclusion; participation is offered through a sliding scale so that each player can choose a rate that aligns with what they are able to contribute.
- $800 if you are financially flourishing
- $600 if you are financially comfortable
- $450 if you are financially stretching
A $100 deposit is required at the time of registration. This deposit is non-refundable and holds your spot/room in the intensive. The remainder of your chosen authentic investment rate is due by Jan 30th, 2026.
If you are able to self-select the financially flourishing rate, please know that your authentic investment allows us to accommodate those who may be financially stretching. At this time of economic collapse (because of the empire), we value your willingness to contribute what you can to support all tides rising for all peoples.
*Partial scholarships made available for work trade by request to support financially stretching players. Payment plans are made available for those who request this form of support. For inquiry please email Programs Manager, Christopher at sutherlandplay112@gmail.com. At this time we are not able to provide refunds.*
Mahalo piha (big thanks) for your contribution and generosity!
Play Pathways is dedicated to living a life of service and fully embodying Play Pathways’ mission in our everyday lives. That’s why we are committed to making our work accessible for all game changers. As such, Play Pathways offers a sliding scale on educational and professional development opportunities (see suggested amounts below). Please choose a one time rate that is an authentic investment for you.
- $950 if you are financially flourishing
- $850 if you are financially comfortable
- $750 if you are financially stretching
If you are able to self select the financially flourishing rate, please know your investment allows us to help accommodate those who may be financially stretching by offering a lower rate.
A $100 deposit is required at the time of registration. This deposit is non-refundable and holds your spot in the Winter Blast. The remainder of your chosen authentic investment rate is due by Dec 30th, 2024.
Payment plans are made available for those who request this form of support. For inquiry please email maliakekia@playpathways.com
The opposite of play is not work—the opposite of play is depression. - Dr Stuart Brown MD
- Day of Arrival (Feb 19th)
- 2pm - 4pm Arrival for Players in their individual lodging
- 5pm - 6pm Opening Circle
- 6pm - 8pm Dinner *Provided by Play Pathways*
- 8pm - 9:30pm Campfire Shenanigans
- Daily Schedule
- 8:30am - 9:30am Breakfast
- 9:30am - 12:30pm Playtime
- 12:30pm - 2pm Lunch
- 2pm - 5pm - Playtime
- 5pm - 7:30pm - Dinner
- 7:30pm - 9pm - Reflection
*Please note, small breaks during Playtimes are not listed here but will be given.
- Day of Departure (Feb 22nd):
- 8am - 9am Breakfast
- 9am - 11:30am Closing Circle
- 11:30am - 1pm Clean up
- 1pm - 2pm Lunch
- 2pm Departure
- Twenty two hours of facilitated play exploration (Two half days and two full days)
- A shared rooms (Accommodations for a private room available by request)
- Guided communal reflection
- An intimate community to play alongside of
- Communal meal planning and shared prep
- Dinner on opening night
- Campfires
- Hopeful snow ball fights
- A fully equipped kitchen (pots, pans, plates, utensils, some spices and oils plus storage space) provided for on-site communal use during meal times.
*Please note: This event is not catered- Part of the play exploration is to investigate Great Effort. Learn more about Powell House facilities HERE.
- A journal + utensils to write with
- Layered clothing you feel comfortable moving in
- Supportive shoes for in studio play
- Winter gear (coats, gloves, scarfs, wooly socks, snow boots, snow clothes)
- Towel and all needed toiletries
- All players are required to bring groceries for the length of the Winter Blast (five full days). A PPI staff member will be made available for possible grocery store run if and when necessary.**
- An open mind and heart
- (Optional) Snow toys (sleds, snow tubes, snow shoes, etc)
** Communal meal planning will be offered to the community through an email chain 1 week before the event.
- To be seen and heard amongst community
- To investigate where resistance comes up and boldly radiate your joy as it shows up
- To wholeheartedly welcome all peoples a seat at the table
- To physically embody play. This can encompass somatic movement, childhood games, snowball fights, written reflection, interactive games, oral sharing, etc. This means we will be getting ridiculously sweaty at times.
- To contribute to leaving your room and The Powell House facilities clean
- Please commit to being fully present at The Winter Blast to maximize your individual experience.
- Please commit to staying for the duration of The Winter Blast to uphold the integrity of the Community exploration.
- To honor conscious vulnerability, this is a dry retreat. We kindly request your sobriety in and throughout The Winter Blast.
- Players are willing to be part of the created community at The Blast in a way that is most authentic for them.
- Please come with an open mind and heart. We are in the practice of holding multipule truths and being human with each other.
Christopher J Beaulieu (Co-Founder) is known as “The Game Changer” and “The Playmaker” across the globe. He is an educator and artist with over 25 years of experience facilitating Community Building and Play Exploration rural retreats, educational residencies, and now online workshops. Being one of the pioneers of facilitating Play work, he is certain that the level of effort, risk and communication we put into our lives is in direct correlation with what we get out of them.
Training: Shakespeare & Company, Dell Arte International, Society of American Fight Directors, Pilobolus, and Creatively Independent.
Malia’Kekia Nicolini (Co-Founder) has been called a “Vibrational Activist” from how she holds space while facilitating. She is an internationally touring actress and teaching artist who has dedicated the last five years of her life to Play Exploration. Malia’Kekia’s belief in being at our most compelling when we are at our least composed, underpins her teachings within Play Pathways. She holds an InnerMBA from Mindful NYU having studied conscious leadership and mindful sustainability in business practices.
Training: Mindful NYU (InnerMBA), New World School of the Arts (BFA), Yale University (Science of Wellbeing), Power of Vulnerability (CE Credits), Mahi Yoga Centre (RYT 200HR), TedXBroadway Young Professionals, American Theater Wing’s SpringboardNYC, Attending the teachings of His Holiness The Dalai Lama at his home temple in Dharamshala, India (2018).
Chris is such a pleasure to collaborate with- dynamic, engaging, and just plain fun. I’ve known Chris for ages now, first as a student, and now as a valued colleague and friend. My most treasured memory of Chris’s work was when he helmed a workshop for my advanced students at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. A serious lot, Chris was able to get them out of their heads and playing with their whole instrument like children again. The creativity, joy, and effortlessness of their expression was breathtaking. I cannot recommend Mr. Beaulieu and his system of ‘Play’ highly enough!
It actually takes a lot of guts to play with the Play Pathways team and I recommend every artist do so if they get the chance. Every time I have worked with them, they had a discernment that honed in on what was able to elevate me on my journey and push me to my next milestone—one I didn’t even know I needed a breakthrough for. The hardest part was not allowing the filter of my own bias to deflect the neutral observations and instruction they offered. But the idea of play, learning while I did it, breaking out of my own barriers, and developing a sense of fruitful ensembleship that I can take into other projects was invaluable! I look forward to the next time I get a chance to spend hours with Christopher and Malia’Kekia. It is well worth the energy, effort, and investment!
“As a child, play was an expression, an experience, exercise, growth and social. As an adult I lost most of the knowledge of play and substituted in the rules and expectations of others. I didn’t realize this until my first Play Retreat in 2016. I didn’t realize it fully then, but I knew I was being opened to an experience that would change my relationships to work and those around me. With Play Pathways, I have reinforced my lessons from 2016 and gained new tools for maintaining and growing play in my life.
I have entered both Play Retreat experiences with a preconceived notion of what I was going to experience. I was wrong both times. This was and will continue to be necessary work to bolster my creativity in my work of theatre and in my personal relationships. Don’t let what you think you know keep you from what you need to know.
“Malia’Kekia and Christopher bring a unique and energizing mix of empathy, incisive insight, true listening, and playful provocation to everything they do. If you need to spark up some facet of your creative life (however you define that), they are skilled space-holders and playmates. Re-discovering with them how much I enjoy high-stakes play totally shifted my perspective on theater-making (and life in general).”
“This experience was a light in my life. It came exactly when I needed it to. Yes, it’s about ‘play’ but that word has come to mean so many different things to me now. POP helped me open up doors I didn’t know were closed. Some weeks were effortlessly joyous and others were a massive challenge. Through it all, Malia’Kekia and Christopher lead with such present grace and love. Apart from that the community you gain is beyond what I thought possible, I wish it could have lasted even longer. SO WORTH IT! I also was able to see that the more work we do, the more work there is to be done. Love. Love. Love.”
“I always told myself I was a ‘chill guy’, super laid back, open, willing, flowing with the river of life. This journey led by Malia’Kekia and Chris showed me that those things are exaggerations at best. More than “experiencing sides of myself I didn’t know” I was encouraged to look at the sides I thought I knew. I was held in a safe space to be anyway that I needed to be along the journey and that acceptance was a little unnerving, because I personally have never experienced so much acceptance of myself from others. Especially in some of the messy ways I found myself in that were dug up by this adventure. 10/10 would recommend. POP is not fun, until YOU let it be, you are at choice. Chris and Malia’Kekia are amazing, gentle, understanding and accepting. Chris will ask you questions and your resistances will tell you he’s an a$$h0%* but it’s all gravy baby, when is the next one?”