This one-day 3-hour workshop is a whirlwind introduction to Commedia Dell'Arte—the original form of masked physical comedy that punches up at power and revels in the ridiculous. It predates Shakespeare and directly inspired tales like The Comedy of Errors and The Taming of the Shrew.

But this isn’t Shakespeare.

This is theatre rooted in movement—where physicality is the first step, and character, comedy, and chaos emerge from the body. Satirical, subversive, and delightfully unhinged, Commedia is a living, breathing art form where pompous masters are always bested by a cunning ensemble of fools, lovers, and tricksters.

Open to theatre makers, storytellers, acrobats, musicians, the curious, the delightfully weird, the fiercely playful, and the fearlessly present. You don’t need experience, flexibility, or finesse—just come with a head empty, heart open, and a willingness to leap into something bold.

Whether you’re here to stretch your body, sharpen your wit, or just try something wildly new, you’ll leave with a basic understanding (and hopefully love) of the form, along with a little sweat and a lot of laughter.

Pay what you can and join us!

About the instructor

Ayla is a real life Columbina—witty, acrobatic, and maybe a bit bossy. She leads the Moppets’ Commedia dell’Arte program and is a lifelong lover of bold, physical storytelling. With over 17 years of circus and acrobatic training, she studied at L’École Nationale de Cirque and Dell’Arte International, where she fell in love with the rhythm, masks, and mischief of Commedia.

Ayla approaches performance as a practice in presence, where every gesture is alive and the audience is part of the collaboration. Her classrooms are equal parts precision and play, where students are encouraged to fail big, get up, and do the brave thing. To try again.

She has spent the last five years teaching and devising theatre across the country—from the Hoopa Valley Reservation to Asheville’s homeschool circles—and continues to be shaped by her Lecoq-based lineage, including long-time mentors CarlosAlexis Cruz and Michael Fields.

She holds a Theatre degree from UNC Charlotte, but none of that is what she’d lead with.

If you asked her who she is, she’d say:

Her favorite color is green.