Rowena Di Stefano Biography

I, Rowena Di Stefano, come from the great Spirit Land, The Australian Bush and the city of Melbourne, where I studied Contemporary Arts Dance and Drama at Deakin University.

At University I was inspired by my Japanese teachers’ training in Butoh and the Tadashi Suzuki theatre method based on Zen Meditation.

Studying contemporary dance choreographers such as Deborah Hay’s ideas of play and the present moment were highly influential. Hay’s idea began from a realisation that we are seduced toward dying.

We do anything to be anywhere but the precise moment. You need all of you to be aware and present in the moment and this is a sentiment that has echoed throughout my career.

During my Melbourne days I ran a small initiative called Waking Movement, which specialised in Creative Movement, Sensory Perception and for Performance for people with disabilities and children.

A calling answered

Answering to a strong calling, I was drawn across oceans to immerse my senses in the spirit and land of the Mediterranean Islands, where I explored my family roots in Sicily and Sardinia before settling in Milan, Italy.

Experience

I currently live in Milan with my dog Lou, and follow a regular practice in meditation, yoga and somatic dance practices.

I have a Postgraduate degree in Education from East London University and I have been working as a Primary Teacher at the British School of Milan (BSM) for the past 8 years.

I enjoy being part of the BSM community and it’s such a precious privilege to contribute to the development of each unique child. What makes BSM special is its co-curricular activity which has helped me develop Mindfulness programs for children, parents and teachers.

Further training

It was important to continue training in practices begun by the founders of Mindfulness and seek a formal qualification in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy.

I trained online and in person.  In London, I was fortunate to train with Dr Patrizia Collard, who is a cognitive behavioural therapist and integrative psychotherapist and coach. Dr Collard received her training from the founders of Mindfulness and MBCT. I gained the MBCT Teacher Development certificate, which qualifies me to teach MBCT 8-week programs with quality and authenticity. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Contemporary Arts Drama/Dance Deakin University Melbourne Australia (2002 -2006)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education East University London (2020 -2021)
• MBCT Teacher Development Program Enter Mindfulness (2023)