Barriers and Manipulation - 12th January

“What stops you from doing what you love?” - This is a question I ask my performers. I do this because I like the various answers I receive, these could be to do with thoughts and feelings (as one of my performers highlighted the issues with self doubt) or they could also be due to physical injuries that slow you down. Regardless, it was certainly the question of focus today as the performers explore embodying their barriers and helping each other overcome them.

Whilst recapping about the last session, we looked specifically at the sculpting and reshaping exercise and began to adapt it into a manipulation exercise. The performers were given the opportunity to being in control of how their partner moves while still giving the partner some freedom to make their own physical choices.

Looking back at a previous physical theatre workshop, I wanted to focus on the barriers we face and what habits we fall back to when we meet these challenges. This was something that I didn’t want the performers to obsess about, but something for them to acknowledge as budding artists and to also consider for those around them. I feel that this exercise is not only beneficial for the project but for the performers themselves.

“The performer is the most important thing.” - Merce Cunningham

#INVISIBLE