A new tennis academy will open next month in Geneva at the Centre Intercommunal des Evaux.
Catering for adults and children from age 3 upwards, My Way Tennis will be run by Monika Maj, a certified Swiss tennis coach and 3-times Swiss Junior Champion. In her youth, Monika played regularly with Martina Hingis, and represented Switzerland at many international junior tournaments.
Knowitall.ch first came to learn about Monika’s activities when she set up her successful tennis school in Lutry 7 years ago. Now moving back to Geneva where she grew up as a child, Monika is seizing the opportunity to set up a new school, where the emphasis is very much on having fun. Monika explained,
"I want to use this opportunity to teach a different way of learning tennis. In my opinion, if you enjoy what you are doing, the more motivated you are to continue and improve."
More about Monika
Originally from Poland, but having lived in Switzerland for 30 years, Monika is passionate about tennis, which she started playing at the young age of 6. With her natural ability for the sport, she received the first of her three junior championship titles at the age of 12.
However, at the age of 15, she retired from competitive sport due to the high pressure of intense training and decided to continue with her educational studies. Having passed her maturity exams and started working at Reuters in Geneva, she soon found the lure of tennis too great and returned to the courts, training with Swiss Tennis to become a coach.
A new series of workshops has been launched in Geneva, which combines the use of modern technology with traditional DIY techniques to create interesting, creative and useful objects for everyday use.
Created by the association, Onl’Fait, the 2-to 3-hour long workshops provide a fun, educational Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) environment where anybody – children, adults, artists, and the simply curious – can learn, make, share, fix, create, teach, fail, tinker and reflect on a sustainable approach to science and technology.
Asked why they decided to set up the new workshops in Geneva, Cristina Olivotto, Secretary of the association, told knowitall.ch, “Onl'Fait opened in Geneva towards the end of last year to answer a growing interest towards the maker movement - a technology-based extension of the traditional DIY culture.”
She continued, “Our workshops represent just one of the many new services that we plan to offer to the public over the coming months. Our FabLab aims to provide an affordable place where people can come and share the technical, technological and human resources that we have made available – be they machines, tools, software, processes, knowledge or mentors – to conceive, create or repair all manner of objects. As our network of members grows, so will the range of services that we can share and offer to others.”
Geneva is to host a weekend gathering of internationally-recognized award-winning authors at the 11th Geneva Writers’ Conference at Webster University.
Between 2 and 4 March 2018, more than 200 writers and aspiring writers will take part in a weekend of workshops, panels and networking, organized by the Geneva Writers’ Group.
Among the big names who will be leading sessions at the conference are British writer, Bernadine Evaristo; Hungarian-born poet, George Szirtes; author of over 30 children’s books, Rachel Vail; and BBC producer, author and historian, Colin Grant.
Other instructors include leading writers of fiction, non-fiction, travel and poetry, as well as representatives of literary agencies and publishing houses.
Conference Director, Katie Hayoz, told knowitall.ch, ‘The conference brings together English-Language writers, from aspiring authors to multi-published ones, for a weekend of instruction, support and creativity. We offer workshops, networking and discussion.” She added, ‘Whether you are a published author or are just beginning to write, this is the place to be.’
If one of your new year resolutions was to take up a new hobby or develop a new skill then why not give ceramics a go?
With all the possibilities that this unique craft offers, you don’t have to be a skilled artist to enjoy it. The potential for making new friends and enjoying a new cultural experience can provide all the incentive you need to take up this sociable pastime!
To help more people “discover” the world of ceramics, professional ceramics artist, Lynn Frydman Kuhn, is offering clients the possibility to sign up for a free 3-hour ceramics class at her workshop in La Rippe, Vaud. Normally priced at Fr. 50.- per session, these classes provide a wonderful opportunity for anyone to try their hand at throwing on the wheel, modelling, sculpture or slip casting with porcelain.
Lynn told us, “Ceramuse is all about positive, happy, creative energy! Working at the Ceramuse is about getting the creative juices flowing and simply enjoying the experience of making ceramics. There is always an excellent atmosphere and delicious tea!”
The online art magazine, Art Decision, has just officially been launched in Geneva.
Informing the English-speaking community about all things art-related in and around the Lake Geneva region, the new website covers everything from exhibitions, paintings and photography, through to sculpture and architecture.
It also includes interviews with artists and related specialists such as gallery owners, as well as a section devoted to ArtTravel which covers interesting events in cities much further afield, such as London, New York and Moscow.
Why launch a new art magazine?
The idea to create a new online art magazine in this region was born about 4 years ago when two art enthusiasts, Kristen Knupp and Irina Vernichenko, arrived in Geneva: Kristen from US via London, and Irina from Russia via Belgrade and Lugano. Kristen told knowitall.ch,
“We had difficulty finding out about what was going on in the Geneva art world. With educations in Art History and previous careers as art dealers, we were keen to discover and participate in the art world of Geneva. However, this lack of information gave us the impression of Geneva not having much cultural life.”
