5-Day Physical Theatre Workshop: The Four Articulations - Cinema Georges Melies Films Et Seances Montreuil

I'm offering a full introduction to Ira Seidenstein's The Four Articulations in Paris (Montreuil) this summer.

THE BOTTOM LINE
After this workshop, participants will have learned simple and proven techniques to use their body as stage artists and artisans. They will know how to be more present to themselves, to their partners and to their audience – in any given situation on stage.

During the workshop, which is an intensive and demanding training session in itself, participants will discover several alleys of artistic and indeed personal development that they can then pursue autonomously, on their own or with partners, thanks to the exercises and principles they have integrated into their practise.

THE METHOD
The Seidenstein Method – developed since 1976 with the creation of Core Mechanics – is the result of Ira Seidenstein’s vast and varied career in the performing arts. Born American, since naturalised Australian, his international experience as clown, actor, acrobat, director and teacher is truly exceptional, including Cirque de Soleil, Slava’s Snowshow, the Bell Shakespeare company and many other renowned companies and institutions. Ira Seidenstein also holds a PhD in Education (University of Queensland, Australia, 2009) on the subject of professional learning for acting.

THE ESSENTIAL
Concretely, the purpose of the workshop is to take ownership over a complete training system to keep oneself in shape and to continue developing oneself as an actor or stage artist. Once you have mastered the exercises of the Four Articulations, the basic training will take you 30 to 45 minutes.

Structured according to a simple and clear logic, the training moves organically from a series of precise movement exercises to free-form improvisations with no imposed style or aesthetic. The finality is full embodiment or awareness – whatever you do.

The FOUR ARTICULATIONS are:

1. Articulation in the BODY: physical and vocal preparation exercises
• Loosenings: legs, hips, arms
• Core Mechanics: the basic movements for the physical actor
• Vocal warm up

2. Articulation in SPACE : solo exercices
• The body as an instrument of creativity
• Use of space: situating and directing oneself
• Use of gesture and attitude

3. Articulation in TIME: partner exercises
• Listening and interaction
• Sustain individual autonomy in collaborative play (duo, trio, quartet)
• Timing and dramatic tension

4. Articulation in the TIME-SPACE CONTINUUM: clown/acting exercises
• Entrances and exits
• Presentation, interpretation, communication
• Being technically precise whilst playing freely
The Path of Honour: a series of exercise that honours some of the great clowns of the 20th century: Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau, Lucille Ball, Josephine Baker…


INSTRUCTOR
The workshop is lead by Caspar Schjelbred, associate of Ira Seidenstein and a practitioner of the Seidenstein method since 2008. He is a member of the improvisational theatre company The Improfessionals (artistic director 2008-2014) and codirects their improvisation school Impro Academy in Paris since 2006. Inspired by Ira Seidenstein’s work, he made it the foundation of his IMPRO SUPREME workshops (since 2010) and has publicly experimented the principles and ideas in his solo show PLAN since 2013. He holds a Master’s degree in the history of science (University of Paris 1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2007), specialised in the history of psychology and the study of the emotions.

For more information on Ira Seidenstein and the Four Articulations, see www.iraseid.com
For more information on Caspar Schjelbred, see www.improsupreme.com

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Dates: from Monday July 9 to Friday July 13, 2018
Time: 10am to 4pm
Venue: private studio in Montreuil (access by métro)
Maximum 12 participants.

Fee: 375€ *** Very Early Bird Fee: 300€ until April 1st. ***

Sign up: [email protected]

PS
The workshop is bilingual : French and English. The instructions will be given mainly in French and then in English according to the needs of international participants. The work is first and foremost physical. For exercises with verbal content, each participant is free to use the language of their choice. An opportunity for French speakers to play with English… and for others to play with French.