Since the supervision and qualification of the first Khaita teachers with Rinpoche in 2016, there have been two more occasions to award diplomas: the second just took place in Merigar West on 18 May 2025.
This was the final seminar of the second Khaita Educational Program, after two years consisting of eight one week long group intensive trainings with our wonderful and steadfast instructors Adriana Dal Borgo and Petra Zezulkova.
We convened at the Capannone (Mandala Hall) in Merigar West during the week 12th – 18th May. We came from Italy – Elvira Riposati, France – Carole Georges and Valerie Sohet, England – Cindy Faulkner, Russia – Anastasia Sedler and Romania – Krisztina Balla. I’m from Scotland, and was here to learn more Khaita and support the group.
Merigar West and the whole of Tuscany in May is clothed in stunning shades of green and refreshingly cool compared to the July and August heat we experienced here during the last two years of Khaita training.
As well as being able to teach 50 dances, the Khaita training program emphasizes both the dances and their associated melodies and songs: their meaning both to the aspects of Tibetan culture and to the practice of Buddha Dharma and Dzogchen in particular. The main point is to know how to present Khaita as a coherent whole – a vehicle to preserve Tibetan culture, language and to help us develop conscious presence in movement.
Every day for seven days we deepened our knowledge of:
– the evolution and view of Khaita
– the language of dance and of Khaita in particular
– the competence to teach 50 of the most popular dances
– the rehearsal of a dance – Lasoggi Drodkol – to perform together
I was most impressed by the level of dedication and focus all six candidates applied and the progress they made over this last week. The last three days were devoted to the examination of the above knowledge and it was a pleasure to see these dancers display the fruit of their hard work to finally receive their diplomas.
With these teachers of Khaita going back to their countries around the world may many new people have the opportunity to learn and enjoy these dances and discover the profound knowledge of Tibetan culture and the Dharma!
Peter White
