Quotes
from the creative reports of our students
Stevie Simkin, 6-Week Program on 'Ensemble Building'
Hi Albert
You may have also seen my reply a moment ago to the email sending final feedback and the certificate, where I said how rewarding the course has been and how it has really helped me think differently in terms of approaches to ensemble building. I am looking forward to starting to put theory into practice as the new semester begins in a couple of weeks' time. Thanks for all your excellent feedback throughout, which has been encouraging and challenging in equal measure, and has been a major part of my development over the six weeks of the course.
All the best
Stevie
Claudia Wier, 6-Week Program on 'Choreography and Blocking in Performance'
Dear Gennadiy,
This is great good news! I thank you deeply for your guidance and your forbearance with me concerning my work for the course. I really did not expect to receive the certificate, but I am so thrilled that you decided I should have it. I intend absolutely to join your or one of your colleagues in person for a workshop next year if you will have me. I know it will benefit me and my students in the future.
Be well and thank you so much,
Claudia Wier
Heather Ostberg Johnson, 3-Month Program "Choreography and Blocking in Performance"
Albert, Sergei, NIPAI team!
Yay, I did it. Thank you so much! Thank you for your guidance through every step and the fabulous curriculum you created. I had a great experience and was so grateful to have found your program. I will look forward to the next NIPAI workshop/course I can take.
Until then, cheers, thank you, and be well!
Heather Ostberg Johnson
Angelica Santander, 3-Month Program "Choreography and Blocking in Performance"
Dear Albert,
Many thanks for your kind words. It was a great experience and I have learned a lot.
The material given was of an excellent quality as it is the reading material.
Looking forward to putting into practice all my learnings from this course.
Kind Regards
Angelica Santander
Laura Ricard, USA, International Physical Theatre Workshop
The structure of the workshop is excellent. The morning warm-up is consistent, the afternoon sessions are demanding and exhilarating, and the evening discussions are enlightening and informative. I would highly recommend this workshop to any artist interested in learning about Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, ensemble building, directing, physical scoring, and vocal scoring in the rehearsal process, and how to implement them in rehearsals.
Rod Dixon, UK, International Physical Theatre Workshop
It was one of the best weeks of my life—and I've had a lot of great weeks, so that’s saying something. What was amazing was the group dynamic... We were marveling at how we all came together from all corners of the world, and our common interests bonded us within minutes. Wow!
Siu Hei Chung, Hong Kong, International Physical Theatre Workshop
I learned how to give clear and brief instructions to actors by experiencing the process myself. Compared with knowledge gained through words, what I learned through the body was wisdom that might last longer and have a greater effect. As a director, I realized that getting actors involved and having them experience things somatically is much more effective than intellectual discussions.
Valeria Vallone, Italy, International Physical Theatre Workshop
I'll cherish the fantastic emotions of this magical week with great care. I will hold onto every word, every movement, everything—the fantastic atmosphere created by a group of beautiful people with great souls, the sensation of peace in a lovely place in contact with nature and the Whole! Thank you so much!
Edite Amorim, Portugal, International Physical Theatre Workshop
Sergei’s new Family. OUR new Family. Keep in touch, dear ones. The continuation of the bonds we initiated is now in our hands! :) Send news, tell what’re doing, ask questions… But keep the flow coming!:) HUG! (And a couple of touchy-feeely kisses;)
Angela Bettoni, Malta, International Physical Theatre Workshop
Thank you guys for a very beautiful and inspirational week. I have learnt, felt and experienced alot from all of you and I'm very grateful for it and I'm also very grateful for all of you. This was a really life changing, inspirational week. I hope that we can continue to share, move and play again.
Kiran Pavaskar, India, International Physical Theatre Workshop
We had enchanting group of people, all coming from different countries, cultures, speaking different languages and still working together. It was so good to exchange ideas, suggestions and skills in between the classes and so good to meet lovely artistic people from all parts of the world. I am glad that I participated in this workshop; it was indeed a very special experience.
Inês Sampaio Figueiredo, UK, International Physical Theatre Workshop
Now, here is a lightbulb moment that alone was worth every single cent I paid for the course:
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Active verbs as physical actions give the actor a physical target—physicality evokes feelings. Remembering the physical action and amplifying it to a million percent has a remarkable impact on the actor's external performance.
...This exercise evolved as we worked with our monologues—I can really see how this approach of using a physical target and active verbs as actions can help elevate a performance without the draining intellectualization of Stanislavski’s “What do I want? How do I feel? Why?” I will certainly be using it in my work. I wrote in my reflection book on Day 3: “I arrived interested in telling stories with my body. I realize my body helps me tell truthful, meaningful, and powerful stories with my voice. The same story with different actions is a different story, and a story with no active target is not a story worth listening to.
Amanda Banks, USA, International Physical Theatre Workshop
I smile when I remember how fun, curious, passionate, mature, funny, and serious the group was—always in appropriate measure and at the right time. We enjoyed a rare experience of community during our time together. This, combined with the accepting and open teaching style of the course instructors and the peaceful, relaxing environment provided by Retzhof Castle, more than fulfilled my wish for a supportive learning environment and group.
Liam Forest, USA, International Physical Theatre Workshop
Gennadiy and Sergei Ostrenko,
I have great news! As of four days ago I was cast in what is basically my dream role and what is my first professional production in New York City. My friend encouraged me to audition when I would not have normally, and throughout the auditioning process I was sure I wouldn’t get the role but I did! I cannot express how thankful I am to your workshop because the zoom auditions took place during and after it, and I think the things I learned in your workshop were the reason I booked the role. Employing the strategies for physicalizing words helped me effectively imagine what was going on in a scene that I was reading in the audition.
I think many of the things I learned in your workshop will cycle back through my mind as I progress in my work. The first note I made on the first day was how shocked I was by the quality of movement that Gennadiy possessed during the warm up he led. I had never seen anything like it! I wrote the term “mechanical panther” ...