#CreativeInnovative with Aliya Griffin: Deeply Personal and Universally Resonant Theatre
Aliya Griffin on Creating Fearless Political Art and Refusing to be the Conventional Entrepreneur-Artist
This is the fifth in a regular series of blog posts in which I speak with exciting artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs exploring how their creative skills have enabled them to do incredible things in their personal and professional lives.
You can find all of these interviews by searching for the tag #CreativeInnovative.
Aliya Griffin
Aliya Griffin and I first met in 2004. We quickly became friends and spent several years together studying and training at Simon Fraser University. Aliya was studying a joint major in Theatre Performance and Political Science. This was fascinating to me and, in introducing me to the forgotten stories of people and the hidden power structures that underlie things we take for granted around the globe, she challenged a lot of my assumptions about global politics and the role that theatre could play in speaking to the wounds of the world and amplifying voices that often go unheard. Aliya's work is unique, reflecting the influences of her Ukranian heritage and her political conscience. Uncompromising in her vision, Aliya isn't afraid to tackle the biggest of ideas and most challenging of material - true stories, fragments of the historical record, deconstructing our global consciousness.
F: Tell me a little about your experience in the arts.
"See Him"
A: I grew up immersed in the arts. I took piano lessons from age 4 to 12 and participated in Ukrainian Dance from age 4 to 15. Music and singing was always a part of my life, and I sang in choirs, took voice lessons, and eventually started a vocal trio with my step-sister and a friend called Vostok that specializes in (mostly) a cappella music from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. I also have been acting from a young age. I toured the lower mainland with numerous "issued-based" productions through the Vancouver Youth Theatre throughout high school. This along with my parent's political involvement is where the seeds were planted for my political and socially engaged theatre. I then studied theatre performance as SFU while also getting a joint major in Political Science, and now I am currently pursuing my masters in Arts for Social Change also as SFU. I've also created, produced, and directed a number of pieces through my small independent company, the Troika Collective.
F: You are based in Vancouver, BC. Has your theatre taken you to other places?
A: So far, no, but I certainly hope the skills I've learned in facilitating socially engaged theatre creation will take me to new communities across Canada and beyond. My trio Vostok is also hoping to take a trip to Ukraine to immerse ourselves in the culture and train in traditional vocal forms. Inevitably this will also result in some research for potential Troika Collective productions as well.
F: That's an exciting opportunity to deepen your work! You have created some incredible projects, many of which are collaborative and call on your ability to communicate. What are the benefits and challenges of collaboration?
A: Collaboration undoubtedly creates richer and more complex works of art. In the west we have long been caught up in the idea of the "lone genius" as the model of an excellent artist. But I think the most important role of art, especially in this fraught world, is to help understand the "other" and to foster empathy. This exploration of "otherness" inherently requires different voices and perspectives in dialogue with one another. Great art to me is that which is simultaneously deeply personal and universally resonant, and the only way to create this is through deep collaboration with others. That being said, having your values, your ideas, and your aesthetics challenged and interrogated can be incredibly difficult and uncomfortable, but it is, in my opinion, a vital part of collaboration and thus art creation.
Natashas R Us
F: How did you decide to take your art in this direction?
A: In some ways, it was inevitable. Coming from the deeply political background that I did, I don't think I could have ever been satisfied with "conventional" theatre. In fact, despite my love of theatre, I always struggled with a feeling of the form as being somewhat "self-indulgent". Reading Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed was a big turning point for me. Not that I am a proponent of everything he says, but simply that he offered an alternative to theatre as purely a form of entertainment.
F: Did this require you to take on additional training/learning curves?
A: My masters degree in Arts for Social Change is definitely my way of more fully immersing myself in the questions of why I make art, who it's for, and how it can be used to create, well, social change.
F: What drives you in your work?
A: It is partly selfish for sure, I feel more fully alive, happier, and engaged in the world around me when I make art. But also, it is my way, however small, of trying to impact my community and the world in a positive way. I'm not a politician, nor would I want to be, and I don't have the skills to become a doctor or aid worker, but I can make art. That's what I do to give myself and others who may not have one, a voice.
F: To what extent have you been able to make your creativity work an aspect of all of your jobs?
A: In some ways, I am incredibly lucky that my "day jobs" are at least peripherally in the arts. I work as an administrator for a company that creates issue-based shows and tours them to children and youth across BC, Canada, the US, and sometimes even farther abroad. Though the work is not strictly creative, it is in aid of others people's creativity and I believe in the work they are doing to foster empathy and understanding in young people through theatre. I have never enjoyed the neoliberal "gig" economy and think that all humans (including artists) should have stability, benefits, and a pension, but until that becomes a reality across the board, I will have to have "day jobs".
F: How do you use your performance skills in undertaking “day jobs?"
A: My other work is as a front of house manager for some major theatres where I live. This work has definitely involved my skills as a performer. In the ways you'd imagine (ability to lead a group, projecting my voice to be heard over a crowd, being confident in the world of the arts). But also in other ways. Collaboration and empathy, which I learned through the arts, is incredibly useful for collect resolution between staff, between patrons, and between patrons and staff. I also happen to be the shop steward at my workplace, which definitely involves a great deal of collaboration and empathy.
F: How do you create? From where do you draw your inspiration?
A: I usually go through phases of creation. When you have to work other jobs along with creating art, you burn out quickly. Usually after a period of not making art, I will get that itch and need to create something. Since my work is theatre, and inherently involves other people, it is a big undertaking. Self-producing can also be challenging. So unlike, say, a visual artist who may have a small personal practice that they do daily, if I want to create and/or direct a piece, it usually involves a great deal of time and energy. Generally, I find myself inspired by political and historical events. I've also become VERY interested in verbatim or documentary style theatre, so I am often inspired by non-fiction books, journalist memoirs, podcasts, and documentaries.
F: Aliya, you have a remarkable biography as the founder of a theatre company, director of a myriad of theatre pieces, and a singer. For you, what are your proudest accomplishments?
F: Hmm, that's a hard one. Voices from Chernobyl (formerly Chernobyl: The Opera) was a very successful production. We managed to get critical feedback, sell out our run, and get some buzz in the community. It was also an example of the success of collaboration - being co-created with composer Elliot Vaughan. It was also my first foray into Verbatim theatre - with the text being taken from interviews in Svetlana Alexievich's book by the same name. But, I'm also quite proud of our production of "Nordost" by Torstein Buchsteiner and translated by David Tushingham. We presented the North American premiere, It's a three-woman show about the hostage-taking of a Moscow theatre in 2002 by Chechen rebels/terrorists. I was proud of the fact that we were able to offer three amazing actresses strong, complex characters to play. It told the story from the perspective of a hostage, a rebel, and a paramedic, and I felt like it was an important piece to do in these polarizing times. It truly tried to investigate and understand what drives people to do the things they do, and encourages empathy even in the most extreme circumstances. Labeling people as EVIL does not help us solve the issues of war and terrorism, we have to understand what motivates people and realize that in the correct circumstances we might be capable of terrible things ourselves. Strangely enough though, despite studying theatre and starting a theatre company, my side music project Vostok, is turning out to be quite successful. We now sing in 10 different languages and dialects from Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and we've been singing all over town at festivals and concerts.
F: How incredible that you are bringing an array of language and music to Vancouver. Isn't it amazing when a project unexpectedly takes off! In a city as full of creative work as Vancouver is, one often has to go, "What's happening here? What have we tapped into that this city is yearning for?"
What role does communication, performance, and using your voice and body have in your life? Why is it important?
A: I think, as a performer, we take for granted how powerful being comfortable in your body and being able to properly use your voice is to all sorts of things in our life. At work, at school, speaking to a crowd of colleagues, presenting in front of a room of classmates, being able to present yourself clearly and assertively is not a skill that everyone has. I've also found it incredibly useful as a shop steward. Having the ability to empathize with the people you are speaking to and on behalf of and being able to express yourself with clarity and diplomacy. It's not just the technical side of how you learn to use your body or voice as a tool, but also the practice in walking in someone else's shoes, in empathy, that makes the performing arts so invaluable. Sometimes I get upset when we talk about how kids should be put in the arts because it give them skills to be better students, or business people, etc. The performing arts are not just important as a means to a successful end, they are an end in themselves. There is inherent value in the arts because it makes us better humans.
F: That seems to be a major theme in your work, experiencing "the other," taking them from the dark periphery to the center. As the motor behind such huge undertakings, how do you manage burnout?
A: This is an ongoing question/challenge for me. The truth is, I don't make as much art as I would like, and I don't spend as much time as I would like on the pure art part even when I am working on a project. I have to balance my desire to create, with all the other responsibilities of living, and as I've mentioned before, I crave more stability than some other artists I know, so I'm limited to one to two projects a year. Singing with Vostok has been a way to fill the gaps. It doesn't require as much effort as producing a show. We just show up and sing, which is pretty much just pure joy.
F: I think people find ways to keep creating, I certainly found that when I was doing my masters - doing smaller performances and solos as simply giving it up wasn't an option.
Vibrance has the philosophy that training in voice, movement, and performance gives individuals concrete and adaptable skills. Would you agree with this argument?
A: As I touched on before, while I acknowledge that there are clear skills gained from performance training, far too often that is all it is marketed as the, "Put your kids in the arts because it will make them better at something else" mentality. The important other half is what you've mentioned, that the arts have inherent value to make the world better. We shouldn't have to constantly be proving the "marketable skills" aspect. The larger scale, harder to quantify value of the arts must not be forgotten.
F: Yes! I find that it's very difficult to evolve the wider conversation because we are still 'selling' the basic ideas behind an arts education. Some people truly get it, but it often feels like we cannot get past the step one, especially in North America. Some other countries have very different relationships to the arts.
How do you set boundaries with regards to managing your personal from your creative spaces?
A: I'm not sure I fully understand this question. I function in life with a lot of compartmentalization. This time is allotted for work, this for school, this for art, this for resting. But that being said, the creative and personal gets much more conflated than the personal and work, for example. My home is a meeting place and rehearsal space often. It is in my "free" time that I have to use to create my art. I think this speaks to a society that undervalues the arts. I have to treat my art as a "hobby" rather than my life's work even if I don't think of it that way.
F: What roles do intuition and aesthetic play in your personal life?
Olya The Child
A: I'm not sure that I've thought of this before. I think that working collaboratively with people in the arts makes you more attuned to the subtleties of human interactions. Perhaps this makes artists more intuitive, and often more empathetic. I have a very strong aesthetic in my theatre work, but I'm not sure how that translates into my personal life. If anything, I think the opposite direction of translation might be the case. I'm not a hugely emotionally expressive person in real life, so in my art, I appreciate subtlety and abstraction, as opposed to psychological and emotional realism. I am drawn to verbatim theatre because I see more power and authenticity in the actor as a vessel for another's story than trying to pretend the story is theirs. We need to understand and empathize with the other, but in doing so, we do not become the other. The power is in that play between the real and the representation, the storyteller and the story, not in trying to perfectly replicate something.
F: Do you have to behave “differently” or be different people depending on the environment you are interacting with? What skills served you in these different places?
A: I think we probably all do. But the thing that is useful in all spaces, I think is empathy. Also, an ability to express yourself clearly and with confidence. Empathy, clarity, and the ability to make those around you comfortable in that you know what you're doing at any given moment, are all pretty universally appreciated skills.
F: What do you say to people who claim to “not be creative”?
A: Creative has become a bit of a buzzword that doesn't always mean the same things to everyone. A lot of people think because they can't draw a realistic looking person, or sing in key, that they are not creative. But to me, creativity is the ability to think in abstractions. To represent an idea or concept with something other than words. We all have the capability to think in non-linear, non-representational ways, we just don't all get a lot of practice at it. Or we've been encouraged by society that it's pretentious or indulgent, or silly.
F: How can creative training benefit someone who doesn’t wish to be a performer?
A: The obvious ways - confidence, public speaking skills, all those tools that are a means to an end. But also, in ways that are an end in themselves. Creating, and I believe specifically co-creating something as a community, has a profound effect on levels of happiness, on the ability to resolve conflicts within a community, and to create a sense of agency for participants. We underestimate in our society, the importance of giving people (all people, not just artists) a platform and medium to tell their stories on their own terms. I think being heard and seen is something that all people crave on some level in some form.
F: Did you have any teachers who were pivotal to your learning? What qualities/actions made them so influential?
A: I think one teacher in particular introduced me to a number of concepts that have stayed with me and influenced my work. Because I often make theatre that is political in nature, it is important to be aware that your art doesn't become didactic. The idea is to open space to talk about an issue, not to push a particular agenda. I am not seeking to make agit prop. This teacher was the first one to really hold me accountable to that idea. He also introduced me to the notion of play (and maybe a little friendly, no stakes competition). Play, like creativity is often encouraged out of us as we become adults, but it can be a powerful way to open up the body and mind to new ideas and new ways of working. It shakes things up and leads to new discoveries.
F: Exactly. I find that audiences have often become used to accepting moralizing, which becomes propaganda, instead of having the room to have their own experience and draw their own conclusions. It can be difficult as an artist with something so compelling to say, but there has to be a room for the audience to be conscious and reflective as opposed to passive witnesses who can leave the experience behind as they exit the performance space.
Tell me about your business?
A: I don't have a business. I don't sell anything, nor do I have the skills, or desire to be a business person - perhaps that's part of my problem, or perhaps that's societies problem for forcing artists to also have to be business people. I think the stories that I tell are important. I think I take universally resonant themes and filter them through a unique cultural, historical, and political lens that is close to my heart (Eastern Europe), but to "market" that is not where my skills lie.
F: How did you start your own theatre company The Troika Collective?
A: I started my theatre company because I wanted to make a certain type of theatre. Because there were stories that I wanted to tell, that no one else was going to. Because I needed to create, and no one else would give me the platform (or I couldn't handle the hustle to make someone give me the platform) to do so. This was not a dream. In fact, it is something that I find scary and daunting, and which I only do because the need to create is more powerful than my dislike of self-producing.
F: What was the toughest learning curve that you experienced?
A: Honestly, I have realized that without a partner, my company will likely not grow beyond what it is now, a vehicle for me to create work when I feel the creative need to do so. I do not have the skills, nor the desire to be an artistic entrepreneur. I need to find a partner who is good at networking and promoting.
The Vostok trio, source: https://www.thetroikacollective.com/vostok
I don't consider myself [an entrepreneur], and I'm deeply resentful of the fact that the "creative industries" have been co-opted by the idea that all too often artists must be contractors or entrepreneurs. My company was born of necessity and I'm proud of the art we create and hopefully will continue to create, but my skills are not in running a company and I have no plans to grow The Troika Collective on my own. If I were to find a partner with the skills and interest to grow the company, that might be a different story, but I think my long-term path will not be as the founder and director of a theatre company.
F: What are the most useful strategies/tools/devices/programs that support your business and work?
A: Collaboration and knowing your strengths. If I self-produce again, I will hire someone for marketing and promotion. I simply can not pretend that I am any good at it, or that it isn't soul destroying to me.
F: Through your creative work, you are connected with some very interesting communities around you. How does this inform the theatre you create? What drives you to do this?
A: Honestly, my goal is to do more community-based work, and that is partly why I am pursuing this masters in Arts for Social Change, but I haven't done a lot of truly community engaged art. Most of what would qualify would be work I've done with high school students. This is a particularly interesting group to me, because they are at an age when values are being shaped, when young people are asserting themselves outside of the views of their parents and teachers. I think it's an important time to be offering opportunities for critical thinking, for investigating "otherness", for fostering empathy, and for giving youth the tools to tell their own stories in their own ways. To empower them that those stories matter and that they have value. I think I appreciate high school students because, like me, they have a low tolerance for b******t and condescension. To not speak down to youth, to hold them to high expectations, and to give them the reigns to engage with and create art around the important issues that affect their lives is massively important for all of our futures, and the sort of citizens these young people become.
F: How has your community activism evolved? What lessons have you learned along the way?
A: I think in a lot of ways my activism has quieted somewhat. I'm more careful and less quick to jump on slogans or ideas. The older I get, the more grey area I see in the world. Part of it is also a conscious effort to try harder to understand the other. The world seems more vitriolic and polarized than ever before, so I think some empathy and diplomacy goes a long way. That being said, there are some issues that are black and white for me, and I will stand up for those to the best of my ability.
You can follow Aliya Griffin's work through The Troika Collective's website and Facebook page, or follow her vocal trio on Vostok's Facebook page and on Soundcloud.
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
#WritingWednesday Cowboy Poetry and the National Gathering
Photograph: K. Usayed
Cowboy poetry emerged from the tradition whereby workers on ranches and cattle drives would gather together at the end of a day, sit around a fire and decompress by extemporaneously composing and sharing songs, stories, and poems.
It is important to recognise that this is a contemporary, evolving poetic form as cowboy culture is still alive and well. It is not a historical form such as Victorian, Renaissance, or Romantic poetry.
Romantic in style, cowboy poetry retains its realism. Thematically, cowboy poetry may describe funny events, the work of cowboys, tales of people and events from the past, expressions of cowboy values, criticisms of new technologies and culture and Western landscapes, livestock, and lifestyles,.
Photographer: Maria Itina
Structure: Traditionally a cowboy poem is:
- Written by cowboys, ranchers or those familiar with the lifestyle
- Rhymed, metered verse often in couplets (free verse is uncommon)
- Written to be recited aloud
Keep in mind, these aren't hard rules, poetry isn't formulaic and cowboy poetry is evolving. Once you understand the form, you will appreciate exceptions to it.
Photographer: Lena Ivashinka
No Rest for the Horse - Anonymous
There's a union for teamster and waiter,
There's a union for cabman and cook,
There's a union for hobo and preacher,
And one for detective and crook.
There's a union for blacksmith and painter,
There is one for the printer, of course;
But where would you go in this realm of woe,
To discover a guild for the horse?
He can't make a murmur in protest,
Though they strain him both up and down hill,
Or force him to work twenty hours
At the whim of some drunken brute's will.
Photographer: Brett L. Erickson
Look back at our struggle for freedom—
Trace our present day's strength to its source,
And you'll find that man's pathway to glory,
Is strewn with the bones of the horse.
The mule is a fool under fire;
The horse, although frightened, stands true,
And he'd charge into hell without flinching
'Twixt the knees of the trooper he knew.
Photographer: Alessandro Passerini
When the troopers grow old they are pensioned,
Or a berth or a home for them found;
When a horse is worn out they condemn him,
And sell him for nothing a pound.
Just think, the old pet of some trooper
Once curried and rubbed twice a day,
Now drags some damned ragpicker's wagon,
With curses and blows for his pay.
I once knew a grand king of racers,
The best of a cup-wining strain;
They ruined his knees on a hurdle,
For his rider's hat covered no brain.
Photographer: Andrej Sevkovskij
I met him again, four years later,
On his side at the foot of a hill,
With two savages kicking his ribs,
And doing their work with a will.
I stroked the once velvety muzzle,
I murmured the old name again,
He once filled my purse with gold dollars;
And this day I bought him for ten.
Photographer: Anneke Paterson
His present address is "Sweet Pastures,"
He has nothing to do but eat,
Or loaf in the shade on the green, velvet grass,
And dream of the horses he beat.
Now, a dog—well, a dog has a limit;
After standing for all that's his due,
He'll pack up his duds some dark evening,
And shine out for scenes which are new.
But a horse, once he's used to his leather,
Photographer: Samantha Whitelaw
Is much like the old-fashioned wife;
He may not be proud of his bargain,
But still he'll be faithful through life.
And I envy the merciful teamster
Who can stand at the bar and say:
"Kind Lord, with the justice I dealt my horse,
Judge Thou my soul today."
from Songs of Horses, 1920
The Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Elko, Nevada) started 33 years ago as a place for cowboys and ranchers to gather and a love of poetry. It was later renamed by Congress as the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. This annual event has become a destination for thousands of folks to gather and share in a love of the West and cowboy culture over six days of poetry, music, dancing, workshops, exhibits, discussions, food and friendship. The event blends tradition and history with contemporary rural culture.
Photographer: Marklin Ang
This year's event will take place January 29-February 3, 2018, with the theme "Basques & Buckaroos: Herding Cultures of Basin, Range and Beyond.”
Also, mark you calendars as the 17th annual Cowboy Poetry Week falls on April 15-21, 2018 (April is poetry month)!
Sources and Further Reading
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Images from: National Geographic: Horse
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
#CreativeInnovative with Claire Ogden: Entrepreneur and Professional Acrobat
Claire Ogden on Navigating the Political Circus and Changing Culture One Student at a Time
This is the fifth in a regular series of blog posts in which I speak with exciting artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs exploring how their creative skills have enabled them to do incredible things in their personal and professional lives.
You can find all of these interviews by searching for the tag #CreativeInnovative.
Claire Ogden is a business owner, circus performer and activist. I first heard of Claire and her acrobatic duo Scrambled Legs in 2013 through her performance partner, Shane. I was putting on monthly showcases at Brisbane Square Library and looking for performers who would bring something unique and wild to the library.
Born in Canberra, Australia, Claire lives in Brisbane, Australia and represented the Queensland Greens Party in the Lilley district. In their performances, the interactions between Claire and Shane were a hoot and their performances a big hit with audiences. Earlier this year, Scrambled Legs went on a hiatus. Understandable, as both have moved on to other projects.
I am especially excited that Claire agreed to answer my questions because of her diverse life as a performer, teacher, and politician.
Claire Ogden pictured with Larissa Waters, former Senator for Queensland representing the Australian Greens, and Richard Di Natale, Australian Senator and leader of the Australian Greens.
F: Tell me a little about your training in the arts.
C: I first became interested in the arts in primary school through participating in choirs and school bands. My parents didn’t have a lot of money but I was able to borrow and learn musical instruments through the school instrumental music program. In high school I got the opportunity to participate in drama and I went on to study drama at university.
After graduating, I got a job in the office of a contemporary circus company. I didn’t know anything about circus but I was inspired by the company’s performers and circus trainers to start learning some circus skills. I participated in the circus classes for adults run in the evenings and on Saturdays. Before long I was obsessed! That job changed my life. I am now in my eighth year of business, performing circus professionally and teaching circus classes for children and teenagers.
F: Has your art/training taken you to other places?
A few of Claire's students at the end of the year show
C: In 2012 I went to Indonesia and taught some circus workshops with children living in the slums and in orphanages. It was a great experience.
F: What drives you in your work?
C: Empowering young people and changing culture. I feel strongly that we can all be a part of changing culture and those shifts are vital to create a better world. I try to be a role model for my students to show them an alternative, fun and creative way of being an adult.
The acrobatic duo Scrambled Legs, Claire Ogden and Shane Smith
F: To what extent have you been able to make your creativity work an aspect of all of your jobs?
C: I make all my income from either teaching circus skills or performing circus. I feel lucky to have entrepreneurial abilities so I have been able to earn enough money from a fun and creative path. I am in my eighth year of business.
F: That is incredible! What are some of your accomplishments of which you are you proudest?
C: I am most proud of generating my own income for nearly eight years. I am also proud of getting a good work-life balance that allows me to engage in the world around me and the many aspects of my personality.
F: How do you manage burnout/feed yourself creatively?
C: I’ve streamlined my life so I actually have quite a bit of free time. I often consider what I need to be focussing on and that helps me to cut out the things that aren’t really important. I’ve become good at maximising the things that I enjoy and minimising the things that I don’t enjoy because I know that life is short and I’ll be more effective in the world if I am doing the things that bring me peace rather than frustration.
Claire Ogden ran for the federal seat of Lilley in the election last year
F: My work is underpinned by the belief that an arts education not only makes people better citizens, but that training in movement and performance gives individuals concrete and adaptable skills.
C: Yes. As an environmental activist and Green party political candidate, communication has been very important. There are many people in the world who come up with great ideas and innovative technologies but I feel that we already have many of the solutions to a happier and more sustainable life like for example, embracing the minimalist lifestyle and considering the impact that our diet and purchases have on the environment. I think one of the biggest challenges of our time is communicating the solutions and helping people to see how they can be part of a more sustainable and compassionate world. I’m grateful for my public-speaking skills which I have developed over the years.
F: What adaptable skills have you gained through your art form that you apply in other contexts?
C: When I was younger I watched circus with the belief that I was a mere mortal and the people on stage were somehow super-human. I realise after years of circus training that everyone can learn and practice to become good at what they do. This has been very empowering as I realise that nearly anything a person has passion and interest in can be learned to some extent. This has been particularly useful as I become more involved in politics. I see politicians talking with such confidence and I remember that I could also do that if I practiced all day, every day for years. Speaking to the media is a skill that can be learned and practiced like any other skill and I think that concept has helped me to take up challenges outside my comfort zone like running for parliament which I have done three times now.
F: That is incredible, particularly as you perform, and run your own business teaching circus!
C: Yes, I work with children, teenagers, and adults who want to learn circus for fun and fitness.
Students at Claire's Circus School
F: What values underpin your pedagogy?
C: I believe that choice is ultimately very important and I like to run classes where students have a lot of choice over their focus. I think people will get a lot more targeted and efficient progress if they are experiencing a state of creative flow. If they are lost in the moment that means they are so engaged in what they are doing that time moves in a different way. This is what happens when children are playing so I try to make my classes with children very playful.
F: That's a great approach, and people often lack agency in their own learning. It requires a lot of work on the part of the Teacher to give options and be responsive to students' needs. How would you describe your dream student?
C: Someone with a willingness to learn and a commitment to persevere
F: What do you say to people who claim to “not be creative”?
C: In my third year of studying drama I had a crisis of creativity. I thought, "Oh no! Maybe I’m not very creative.' I realise that this is nonsense. There are many ways to be creative like having a fascinating conversation that goes on all sorts of tangents or merely choosing to make a change like walk home along completely different streets. I also think the way a person lives their life can be a creative act. Simply questioning and being conscious of the forces at play in the wider world is a creative way of being. We can all be creative in our thinking and work on having the courage to let that take hold in our lives.
Hoops performance at the Mullum Circus Festival
F: How can voice, performance, training benefit someone who doesn’t wish to be an artist/musician/performer?
C: Nearly all of the people I teach at Claire’s Circus School won’t go on to be performers or even work in the arts but I am passionate about helping people to see the value of the arts for our society. In a world that is increasingly corporatised and polluted, it is imperative that people can think for themselves and question things. We humans are living in a time of shocking waste and we are actually resourceful beings who can imagine and create a better future if only we have the willingness, courage and strong communities to do so. At a more personal level, circus training can help a person grow their brain and improve their posture - two things that are very important for a long and healthy life.
F: Did you have any teachers who were pivotal in your learning?
C: I have sessions with a kinesiologist and she has one of the best teachers I could ask for. The sessions help me to identify and get rid of subconscious beliefs that hold me back in life for example the belief of not being good enough etc. I think we are all making decisions based on subconscious programs that don’t necessarily help us and working on some of mine has been a truly profound, humbling and life-changing experience. My kinesiologist always helps me see the world in new ways and open my mind to new possibilities which has helped me more than I can possibly say.
You can follow Claire Odgen's work through her website here and her circus school site here.
We can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
#CreativeInnovative with Emma Dean: Leading From The Heart
Emma Dean Reflects on Forging A Unique Creative Path And Using The Healing Power of Music to Build Community
This is the fourth in a regular series of blog posts in which I speak with exciting artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs exploring how their creative skills have enabled them to do incredible things in their personal and professional lives.
You can find all of these interviews by searching for the tag #CreativeInnovative.
Source: http://www.emmadean.com/
Born in Brisbane, Emma Dean is Australia's best-kept musical secret. A genre-bending powerhouse with a heavenly voice, she garners accolades and conquers the hearts of audiences and critics wherever she performs. In 2013, she lit New York's off-Broadway scene on fire and the New York Post named her “one of 10 artists to know."
Returning to Brisbane, Emma fell in love with music all over again. While her work has always been ethereal and electric, this latest phase of her career is a whole different level of musical magic - new creative collaborations, a community choir, and a business collective.
Emma Dean's many contributions to the communities in which she comes into contact are immeasurable. She is someone who lifts up and inspires others simply by embodying what it is to be a creative entrepreneur who leads with her heart.
Note: "Tall Poppy Syndrome" refers to an aspect of Australian culture where people who are seen as aspiring to excellence are targeted, resented, criticised. It is often contrasted with the way America tends to celebrate those who work hard with the dream of attaining success.
F: You have spent a lot of time in Australia, but also have worked in New York.
E: Yes, Brisbane is home. Though, I have lived in both Sydney and New York. Both of these places were vibrant and alive, but I have found I need somewhere smaller and quieter to create.
F: How did the New York scene compare to communities in Australia?
Source: http://www.emmadean.com/
E: Both Aussies and New Yorkers are a friendly bunch. The thing I loved most about New York was the non-existence of ‘tall poppy syndrome’. If you were talented and good at what you do, people would WANT to work with you, not find a way to cut you down. What I missed about Brisbane, in particular, was space and time. Everyone in New York was so busy, juggling multiple jobs, sometimes just to get by. I missed having the space (I lived in a shoebox) and time to invite friends over to eat and jam and drink wine.
Working in New York taught me about what I didn’t want. I saw firsthand what I needed to do in order to climb the ‘ladder of success’ as an original musician and I realized I wasn’t cut out for it. So, I had to redefine what ‘success’ meant for me. I continue to redefine it’s meaning all the time, but I always come down to a few simple things: Success, to me, is to lead a rich life, full of adventure, earning a comfortable living from musical pursuits, working to create a supportive and thriving musical community, helping people find their unique creative voice, and always nurturing my own.
F: What skills served you in these different places?
E: In New York I was often asked, “So, are you any good?” As an Australian with a long history of dealing with ‘tall poppy syndrome’, my ‘humble’ answers often sparked remarks like, “Oh stop all this false modesty!” I found that really challenging. I was also told, at the age of 29 that I should lie and say I was 24. New York certainly taught me how to hustle, took me to my edges, and brought me out of my shell. I still struggle with confidence, but I do believe the experience of living in New York made me prove to myself that I am tougher than I think!
F: You have released EPs with an American label. What has it been like engaging with companies in America and Australia?
E: I had a really positive experience with Candy Rat Records in America. One of the owners – Holly - I now call my ‘US Mum’! They were very nurturing, which I think is a quality lacking in a lot of music companies these days where the emphasis is to keep churning out new material rather than nurturing and growing raw talent. Nowadays I don’t have much experience dealing with companies at all, as I am 100% independent. If I met someone who wanted to work with me, I would need to feel nurtured and safe and that they were as passionate about my work as I am.
F: Tell me a little about your background in the arts.
Photographer: Kate Davies @ KD Photography
E: I started at a classical ballet school when I was 2 and a classical music school when I was 3. By the age of 6, I was learning classical violin and a few years later, a horrible dance teacher told my mum that my bum was too big to be a ballerina, so as much as I loved dance, an emphasis was placed strongly on music. In late primary school I began learning piano, though I was a terrible student and only wanted to write my own music rather than learn the pieces my teacher had given me! I was terribly shy growing up, so I used to lock myself away in my bedroom and compose songs, kind of like a diary entry. When I was 13, I started my first band – Halo. We performed my biggest gig to date, at The Brisbane Entertainment Centre in front of about 7000 people, when I was just 14. Band politics and hormonal teenage girls did not make for a good mix, so the band broke up a couple of years later. Though it sparked my love of singing, so I auditioned for the school musical – Little Shop Of Horrors – and got in as the lead character, Audrey. After school, I had a gap year and completed by AMus A in classical violin and then went on to audition successfully for the Queensland Conservatorium Of Music in Jazz Voice and completed my Bachelor Of Music. I have also trained with Brisbane physical theatre company, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, which gave me a brilliant insight and awareness of my body and made me remember how much I love to move, beautiful big bum and all!
F: Your projects often involve collaboration with other creative professionals and incorporate music with dance. What are the benefits and challenges of working this way?
E: I have tried to ‘go solo’ and I just get lonely. One of my favourite spaces is the rehearsal room, bouncing ideas off other creatives. It’s a space that can open your mind to new possibilities; things you might not have thought of before. As previously mentioned, I grew up studying dance, so movement has been an important part of my performance history. As much as I adore music, I have been equally as intrigued with the physical interpretation of it, and adore pieces with both music and movement. I suppose it is a natural progression to merge the two art forms in my work.
Source: https://emmadean.bandcamp.com/album/dr-dream-and-the-imaginary-pop-cabaret
F: How did you decide to take your art in this direction?
E: I actually wanted to get into acting so I contacted Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre and they so bravely asked if I wanted to audition for one of their productions – The Tempest. I got the role as Arial and this is where I met my dance collaborator, Jamie Kendall. The rest is history.
F: Did this require you to take on additional training?
E: Yes! I began training with Zen Zen Zo and was in a number of their productions. I had to increase my fitness and get reacquainted with my body. It was life-changing.
F: What drives you to be a musician?
E: It is when I feel most in flow, and connected to myself and the world around me.
F: Am I correct in understanding that you have managed to make music an aspect of all of your jobs as a performer and teacher. How did you make that choice?
E: Yes, you are right! This has been the case for a number of years now, and I am blessed to have this reality. I perform, write songs, teach, arrange choir music, hold workshops and conduct my community choir – Cheep Trill. I made that choice because I’m not good at anything else. Ha ha!
F: How do you create? From where do you draw your inspiration?
E: It depends. I used to really completely on the creative force to strike me down. Then things got busy. I am sometimes part of the I Heart Songwriting Group which encourages members to write one song in an hour each week. When it comes to my arrangements, I have to be very disciplined as I’m usually on very strict deadlines.
F: When I look at your biography, I don’t know where to start, you have performed with Amanda Palmer and the Dresden Dolls, been nominated for a myriad of awards, played sold-out shows, and, above all, are known for creating moving and innovative performances. When you consider your career thus far, of what accomplishments are you most proud?
E: Starting my community choir, Cheep Trill, which is now 150 singers strong and in two locations in Brisbane; writing a vocal arrangement of You’re the Voice for John Farnham to sing with 2500 choristers, singing out about domestic violence; moving to New York and giving it a red hot go; and the work I am currently doing with my brother – our upcoming EP and Cabaret, Broken Romantics A Vicious Song Cycle…
F: How do you manage burnout/feed yourself creatively?
E: Wine.
F: Part of the Vibrance philosophy is that some training in voice, movement, and performance gives individuals concrete and adaptable skills that enable them to excel at whatever endeavours they choose.
E: Yes, I agree! I think voice/movement/performance skills train you to listen, to adapt, to compromise, to negotiate, to work alongside other people who have similar beliefs AND different beliefs. I also think training in these ways gets you in touch with who YOU are – with your body, your mind, your soul.
F: Yes, exactly! And in your own experience, what adaptable skills have you gained through your training that you apply in other contexts?
E: My singing training has helped me with public speaking. My jazz and improvising training has helped me to create work on the fly, under pressure. My movement training has helped me to be more at peace with my own unique body. Working in performance teams has taught me how to work alongside other humans in a respectful way.
F: Then how do you set boundaries with regards to managing your personal from your creative spaces?
E: I am an incredibly private person and live alone. However, I also teach and work from home so I am constantly having to invite people into my personal space so I can work. I try to set boundaries around work times, however, this is an ongoing process for me that I am constantly refining.
F: Do you use intuition and aesthetic to help you manage this process?
I am trying to listen to my intuition more when it comes to work. I am trying to embrace Michael Leunig’s JOMO (the joy of missing out) mentality, as my tendency is to take on too much work, even if it doesn’t feel right. I think as freelance artists we get used to saying YES to everything for fear that the work will one day dry up. I’m trying to shift this and feel into my decisions more. Is it a F*** YES or just a YES?
F: Your work involves you being involved in several communities - the music community, theatre community, and wider community. What drives you to do this? What do you get out of this engagement?
E: I feel like I am mostly connected with communities I have built myself, such as Cheep Trill community choir. The reason for this is because I have never really felt like I fit in a box or been part of the music or theatre communities. Instead I have lived on the fringe of all of these worlds.
F: That's one of the incredible things about you, the entrepreneur in you creates something unique and the artist in you fills it it magic! Tell me about your community choir Cheep Trill. How did your idea to form it originate?
E: The idea was born from loneliness and a lack of community when I was living in New York. I decided I would move back home to Brisbane and I wrote a facebook status asking if anyone would be interested in joining a singing group. The next day I opened my email and facebook and had approximately one hundred inquiries. The choir has grown exponentially and we now have two locations and 150 members.
From our humble beginnings rehearsing on a verandah in Everton Park, we have expanded into two locations. This allows us to keep growing but also keep an intimate feel at rehearsals. We have a north and a south side location to also cater for people’s many a varying locations.
F: What are your proudest accomplishments?
One of my proudest moments was arranging ‘You’re The Voice’ for 2500 choristers (including Cheep Trill) to sing at a Queensland Music Festival performance, singing out about domestic violence. John Farnham made a surprise appearance and sang the arrangement with the choir. It was the only different arrangement of that song that John Farnham had ever sung.
Another proud moment was singing at Queensland Performance Arts Centre concert hall stage and ROCKING OUT! Also, seeing the female Cheep Trill members accompany Deb Conway, Clare Bowditch and a bunch of other amazing female artists at The Tivoli, singing my arrangement of Hymn To Her by Pretenders.
F: That's remarkable - and in a comparatively short time. It also strikes me that Cheep Trill integrates your skills as a composer/arranger, teacher/conductor, and singer/musician. You have been teaching private lessons for several years. What first drew you to teaching?
E: At first, it was quite simply the need to fund my art (and being a bad waitress).
F: Who do you teach?
E: I have actually quit my teaching job in 2017 because choir work was getting too busy. I was teaching beginners or people with naturally good voices but limited experience, mostly between the ages of 20-40.
F: Wow, that's really exciting! What approaches have you developed to work with choirs or individuals?
E: I put emphasis in finding my students’ unique voice and working with that, rather than teaching a particular technique or telling them how they should sound.
I try to make each lesson fun as well as informative and challenging
I value wo rds, so putting strong emphasis on story telling as well as technique
F: Describe your dream student
E: Someone hungry to learn, able to take constructive criticism, someone who practices, who listens, who is excited to try new genres and who is interested in song arrangement and writing!
Source: Emma Dean's YouTube channel
F: What do you say to people who claim to “not be creative”?
E: I’d probably say ‘B******t’. Then I would try to create something with them and prove them wrong.
F: How can musical training benefit someone who doesn’t wish to be a singer or musician?
E: Listening skills, confidence, connection, storytelling, public speaking, controlling nerves and breathing, fun and play, creative release, a sense of belonging, a sense of achievement…and the list goes on.
F: What are the moments that reward you as a teacher?
E: When someone walks away from a lesson feeling happier and more connected than when they walked in. Simple.
F: In your own learning, did you have any teachers who were pivotal ? What qualities or actions made them so influential?
E: My high school music teacher, Narelle McCoy! She is a firey, passionate, highly intelligent red head and she forced me to audition for the school musical after I had been in hospital with depression. She believed in me and showed me that I could do more than I ever imagined. She was the reason I realised I could become a singer and probably the reason I had red hair for so long too!
Source: https://www.tigercommon.com/
F: What is your business? What is unique about it/them?
E: The Tiger Common is my music school. We are different because we place emphasis on community and try to connect our students as much as we can, through choir, workshops and other informal events. Our mission is to encourage creativity, human connection, self-love and respect through the magical and healing powers of music.
F: How did you get into starting your own business?
E: I had already started Cheep Trill and I was working with Tony Dean (my brother) and Corinne Buzianczuk and we were looking to ‘formalise’ what we did and include our teaching work and workshops. It was a natural progression.
F: Do you feel that there are unique challenges when ones’s business is so personal?
E: It is certainly harder to not take conflict personally when you run a heart-based business. But I have learnt that the bigger we get, the more likely it is that we will not be able to please everyone.
F: What was the toughest learning curve that you experienced?
E: The toughest thing to do so far was splitting the choir in two. We were responding to so many location requests and we thought the best idea would be to have a north and a south side location. However, many of the choristers believed this meant we were splitting up the family. Another tough learning curve was to figure out what to do when we would receive gig requests for a choir of 50 people. We have 150. We are still figuring this out!
Source: https://emmadean.bandcamp.com/track/feed-it
F: What are the most useful strategies that support your business and work?
E: Honestly, the key is communication. Tony, Corinne and I have a whatsapp thread that has been invaluable and we have regular in person meetings. Knowing where all our different strengths lie has been incredible.
F: What performer skills have come in useful in your business?
E: Standing in front of a choir for two hours two nights a week and trying to teach as well as entertain is a performance in itself. My career as a performer has been invaluable!
F: Is there a tension between your career as an artist and your business?
E: Only when it comes to scheduling! In terms of the creative stuff, the business feeds into the artist stuff and vice versa! I feel more balanced than ever before because both itches are being scratched. The business also helps to take the pressure off needing to make a certain amount of money from my artistic pursuit!
F: How do you go about networking/promoting your business?
E: Word of mouth has been the most valuable thing alongside performing in front of new audiences!
F: What challenges does your business experience?
E: Community choirs have TAKEN OFF here in Brisbane (and perhaps everywhere!) which is a wonderful thing. Recently we had an experience where we had an idea to expand the business and reached out to a venue with a proposal. We didn’t hear back and then next thing we knew, an acquaintance was doing the exact idea we proposed at the same venue… This might have been a coincidence, but it took me about six months to emotionally recover. Now I keep things closer to my chest and instead of comparing our business to others, I focus on making our business the best it can be.
F: Yes! I have definitely seen that happen a few times in a city like Brisbane, unfortunately. When I get excited, I like to share or bounce ideas off others and I have to remember to stay quiet. Where do you see your business going?
E: I actually don’t want it to get much bigger, because the sense of community is lost when it gets too big. I am being contracted to do a lot of other choir work outside of Cheep Trill which is keeping me busy without disrupting the preciousness of my own choir community.
Source: http://www.emmadean.com/
F: What is the most draining aspect of your business?
E: It involves constant, time-consuming music arranging and having to be somewhere in real time to actually make money. So there is no passive income, it’s just a bit of a long hard slog. A slog which I love and enjoy, but a slog nonetheless!
F: And how do you manage maintain your enthusiasm for this work?
E: As mentioned, I don’t manage this very well. Wine?
You can follow Emma Dean through her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube channel or on Candyrat Records. You can read further interviews with Emma Dean and articles about her career here.
We didn't have nearly enough time to cover everything! I invite you to learn more about The Tiger Common, a collaboration between Emma Dean, Tony Dean, and Corinne Buzianczuk offering creative workshops, musical coaching, and the community choir Cheep Trill in order to build a community united by a love of music.
We can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
NYC Midnight's 12th Annual Short Story Challenge
Calling All Writers and Aspiring Writers on this #WritingWednesday!
Be sure to join NYC Midnight's 12th Annual Short Story Challenge before their deadline on the final entry deadline of January 25, 2018! This creative writing competition is open to writers around the world.
There are 3 rounds of competition. In the 1st Round (January 26 to February 3, 2018), writers are placed randomly in heats and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment. Writers have 8 days to write an original story no longer than 2,500 words. The judges choose a top 5 in each heat to advance to the 2nd Round (March 29 to April 1, 2018) where writers receive new assignments, only this time they have just 3 days to write a 2,000 word (maximum) short story. Judges choose finalists from the 2nd Round to advance to the 3rd and final round of the competition where writers are challenged to write a 1,500 word (maximum) story in just 24 hours (May 11 to 12, 2018). A panel of judges review the final round stories and overall winners are selected.
Every writer receives feedback from the judges for every story submitted, and a special review forum is available for the participants to submit their stories for review from fellow writers throughout the competition.
In each Round, writers are assigned a Genre, Subject and Character assignment for their stories. All stories must be created within the competition periods and must include the Genre, Subject and Character assignment. The story must be written in the assigned genre. The list of potential genres is Action/Adventure, Comedy, Crime Caper, Drama, Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Ghost Story, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Political Satire, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, Spy, Suspense, Thriller, and Open Genre. The assigned subject must be integral to the plot of the story. The assigned character must be a relevant character used in the story. The Genre, Subject and Character assignments will be different for each Heat in each Round of the competition.
You can read the rest of the rules here and sign up here.
This group also does a Screenwriting Challenge, Flash Fiction Challenge, and Short Screenplay Challenge, so be sure to join their newsletter.
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
Success Is...
With the beginning of a new year, it is common to take stock and set goals for the months ahead. An important aspect of this process is to understand the elements of what ensures success. There are six skills that successful people excel at and you can develop to ensure your success. This framework shapes the Vibrance philosophy and influences how we teach our clients.
1. Grit
“Grit is a marathon, not a sprint”
The foundation for success is grit. Grit means having the motivation to work toward your goals, the perseverance to keep going when things get difficult, and the passion to keep your heart and soul in the work. As Duckworth argues, Grit is key to success.
Impress this on your mind: grit is not based on talent or intelligence. In fact, those with talent may become complacent, preferring to coast along thinking they can fool everyone. Despite being intelligent, individuals may be ill-equipped with problem-solving skills to meet challenges and setbacks. Grit will get you where you are determined to go, and the skills you acquire along the way will make you more successful at success.
Part of grit is developing a growth mindset. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, the belief that failure must be avoided at all costs because it reflects a failure of the individual's intelligence or character. A growth mindset acknowledges that the human mind is plastic. It adapts and changes all the time. This means that we always have the ability to learn if we put in the effort and grow our passion for learning. Think of what you would teach a child, that they are not a failure, but rather their plan was not adequate to meet the demands of the situation or that they have not yet acquired all the skills they need to meet the challenge. Failure is never permanent if you cultivate a growth mindset.
My husband has an incredible a growth mindset and I learn much from his example. He was raised with the ADB philosophy, Always Do Your Best. The outcome was less important than process as long as he was doing his best. If he knew that he was and learning along the way he was realizing his potential. My husband has taught me that there is always a solution, one simply needs to find it.
2. Discipline
Discipline builds on your gritty foundation. To succeed at anything you must put in the time. More than that, it must be quality, focused time. You cannot phone it in. You must be fully present and bring your complete concentration to the activity.
For some endeavors, this takes the form of practice. Remember Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hours of diligent practice? This is certainly part of the puzzle in situations with stable structures and unchanging rules. Individuals must also be good at practicing and know how they best learn. This means constantly building skills and aptitude, raising the bar constantly so that there is failure at times, and having a feedback loop in order to perceive areas for improvement and to take appropriate action (think of dancers practicing with a mirror or artists attending a weekly class).
I like to use sports analogies because people understand that athletics entail effort, challenge, focus, hours, practice, and difficulty - elements that some are less willing to apply to other areas of their lives. A person gets stronger quickly at the gym by lifting heavy weights until failure (8-12 reps) meaning their muscles simply cannot complete the exercise with full range and structural integrity. They will use the mirror, peer feedback, and video recordings to improve their form. They will follow a regime that challenges them mentally and physically while ensuring adequate recovery and nutrition to maintain progress. Lastly, they will incorporate enough diversity that they stay passionate and prevent injury, tedium, and burnout.
For other contexts where there are no set rules or constantly changing frameworks, as is often the case with creative and entrepreneurial endeavours, practice, however diligent is not the X factor, Instead, discipline may take on another form. A choreographer will get into the studio space 4-5 days a week, an artist will paint for a set number of hours a day, a writer will commit to writing a certain number of words before bed. A stockbroker building a client base may determine a quota of cold calls for the afternoon, a medical specialist may read a specific number of articles a week, an entrepreneur building a business will decide upon a minimum number of meetings a fortnight.
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most consistent and successful comedians in the industry. On Lifehacker, Brad Isaac relays a story regarding receiving advice from Seinfeld about becoming successful. Seinfeld has since claimed that this advice was never his to give, but the "Seinfeld Method" remains the stuff of legend. Isaac claimed,
"[Seinfeld] said the way to be a better comic was to create better jokes and the way to create better jokes was to write every day.
He told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker. He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day.
'After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job is to not break the chain.' ”
3. Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are often described as "soft skills" (to contrast with the "hard skills" of STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and are becoming recognized as more important than ever.
These include:
- communication skills (verbal, non-verbal communication, listening skills)
- emotional intelligence
- team-working
- negotiation, persuasion and influencing skills
- conflict resolution
- problem-solving and decision-making
As Cathy N. Davidson describes,
"among the eight most important qualities of Google’s top employees, STEM expertise comes in dead last. The seven top characteristics of success at Google are all soft skills: being a good coach; communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others (including others different values and points of view); having empathy toward and being supportive of one’s colleagues; being a good critical thinker and problem solver; and being able to make connections across complex ideas [....]
[Google] enlarged its previous hiring practices to include humanities majors, artists, and even the MBAs [....]
Project Aristotle shows that the best teams at Google exhibit a range of soft skills: equality, generosity, curiosity toward the ideas of your teammates, empathy, and emotional intelligence. And topping the list: emotional safety. "
Source: http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2011/05/facial-expressions.aspx
One of the simplest ways you can develop your interpersonal skills is to slow down, listen, and observe without immediately thinking of what you want to say or of the next place to which you must run off. Try it with your friends and romantic partners, listen to them without trying to solve problems or to judge. Try it with your coworkers and notice what changes.
Another important skill to develop is to understand facial expressions. This will allow individuals to better develop connection, rapport, and trust, in an individual's professional and personal life. Facial expressions have been found to be universal across cultures, both in interpretation and production. There are seven basic emotions, anger, contempt, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise. This field has been widely developed by Dr. Paul Eckman. We now understand the concept of micro-expressions, involuntary responses that can be as brief as 1/30 of a second, and therefore can be a very honest portrayal of emotion.
Vibrance offers programs to build interpersonal skills in young people and adults.
4. Failure (is Success)
“You will become clever through your mistakes.”
Ooooof, this one is very difficult for me!
Set time at the start of the week and month to set new goals and reassess old ones. Starting now, your aim is to fail at 20-50% of the goals you set yourself while aiming to attain 100% of them.
This indicates that you are setting goals that are just the right challenge, with the stakes being high enough that you must exert yourself. If failure is possible, you will work harder - within reason.
With my school-aged students, I will often pick up a pencil, do a bicep curl, and ask "will this make me stronger quickly?"
"No," they will say.
"If I used a much heavier weight instead, will this make me stronger?"
"Yes!" they exclaim.
"If I try to pick up a truck, will I get stronger?"
Mixed answers.
"No, I won't because a truck is too heavy for my muscles to engage at all" (at least at this stage). If the bar is set too high, it can be demoralizing, failure seems certain. Here is where my husband offers another bit of wisdom, how do you eat an elephant? The answer?One bite at a time. Break larger tasks into manageable pieces. Maybe I cannot lift an entire truck, but I could work on flipping one of its tires, once, then twice, then ten times and more.
That being said, ensure that you don't become attached to output or outcome. Some days may not appear productive. You may be gathering inspiration, learning a new skill, or finding yourself going down some dead-ends before finding the right path.
Source: http://www.escapeseriestri.com/philadelphia-escape
Another sports analogy: I attended a triathlon workshop that focused on transitions. Being new to this sport, I had not realized how much strategy and practice is involved in ensuring smooth transitions that will support your overall performance at a triathlon event! The coach reminded us to keep moving forward and to find economy in movement. When switching from the swimming to the cycling, have your equipment arranged so that you can bend down once instead of multiple times. Then move forward as you finish buckling your helmet and arranging your number. If you practice enough, you can even keep your cycling shoes clicked into your pedals and learn to fasten your shoes as you get onto the bike! Find ways to introduce economy of effort into your day and know that forward momentum (whether a slow plod or a lightning-fast sprint) is progress. Sometimes, just showing up and putting in a diligent effort is forward momentum.
Failure is how one learns. Whenever I am embarking on a creative endeavour, it feels as if I have to fail a few times in order to figure out how I need to do it. Bring curiosity to your risks and focus on mastery instead of success. We see this in children. A toddler learning to roll over or to walk will try and fail - until they succeed. As we get older, failure is associated with shame and fear of looking incompetent to others. As adults, we must ensure that we support failure in others and facilitate reflection and learning. Perform post-mortems of your own failures without ego or shame, commit to remediating any areas in which you need to improve, and your progress will be exponential. This is growth mindset in action.
Embracing failure will also reduce suffering. Think of the opportunities you have missed due to fear of failure, the agony you experienced when venturing into unchartered territory resulted in a mess instead of success. How might you have changed your experience by looking for the learning opportunities in every "failure?"
5. Mentorship
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”
Source: http://zelig880.com/the-power-of-mentoring
Better yet, conduct post-mortems with a mentor. Find someone you respect, who shares some of our values, and is willing to give you their time. Ideally, this would be on a monthly basis. In health occupations, this is a common aspect of professional development. A mentor can offer you perspective, inspiration, and accountability. Be prepared to be vulnerable and transparent. Picking the right mentor is vital. They must be able to balance empathy with neutrality. Ensure that they do not shut you down or frustrate your vision, but that they still challenge you and hold you to account.
In the future as you progress, consider mentoring others. Again, ensure this is free from your ego. We often learn best by teaching others and it supports perspective-taking. Don't become attached to your mentee's progress. In my dramaturgy course, I remember my close friend talking about the choreographer she was working with. My friend personally didn't find the performance that they were working on personally engaging however, she realized that it didn't matter. The performance wasn't her "baby." Her role was to support this choreographer in bringing forth her baby.
6. Voice and Body
Often, my clients come to me hating the sound of their voices. Therefore, when they speak to others, it is under duress and tension. They will even say their own name apologetically or with contempt, revoking the power of their existence. Listen to your voicemail message and hear how you say your name.
Voice teacher Roger Love rightly us to percieve our voices exist as a gift for others. If we want to speak to our selves, we can simply speak in our minds. In order to reach others, we much open our mouths. By thinking of our voices as a gift, this moves our attention away from our selves, our nerves, our inner-talk so we can focus on reaching the other person and reading their responses.
People may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. The way that you speak informs your listeners as to whether they consider you a knowledgeable and trustworthy person. For example, if I end every statement as if I am asking a question, I am unlikely to convince a client that I know what I am doing or have anything useful to teach them. If I use a monotone speaking voice, I am unlikely to maintain a client's attention long enough for them to retain any information I am trying to share.
The body, breath, and voice are inexorably linked. Amy Cuddy's research focusses on the way that body language impacts our body chemistry, the way we see ourselves, and the way we are seen. In training the body and voice we can transform our lives.
Peter Strick's research uncovered evidence indicating that our stress responses are tied to the primary sensory and motor cortices through complex networks:
"The motor areas in the brain connect to the adrenal glands. In the primary motor cortex of the brain, there’s a map of the human body—areas that correspond to the face, arm, and leg area, as well as a region that controls the axial body muscles (known to many people now as 'the core').
The Pitt team didn't think the primary motor cortex would control the adrenal medulla at all. But there are a whole lot of neurons there that do. And when you look at where those neurons are located, most are in the axial muscle part of that cortex.
'Something about axial control has an impact on stress responses,' Strick reasons. 'There’s all this evidence that core strengthening has an impact on stress. And when you see somebody that's depressed or stressed out, you notice changes in their posture. When you stand up straight, it has an effect on how you project yourself and how you feel. Well, lo and behold, core muscles have an impact on stress. And I suspect that if you activate core muscles inappropriately with poor posture, that’s going to have an impact on stress.' "
The body is how we encounter and filter the world. This, in response, shapes our inner world which, in turn, influences how we re-encounter and interpret our surroundings in a constant loop.
Vibrance specialises in training the body and voice to be free of unnecessary tension, to be dynamic, supple, and supportive of our presence in the world.
Other Reading:
Six elements of success adapted from Science of People
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
Don't Forget to Breathe, Pt. 2
Building on Part One, today we are going to look in greater detail at the process of breathing and the specific results of breath work, with an exercise you can do in this moment.
I want you to form a more concrete understanding of your body regarding the process of breathing:
The Process of Breathing
http://vocalsplendor.com/visualizing-the-diaphragm-in-action/
1. Breathing Starts at the Centre
Breathing is a whole body activity, requiring the muscles of the lower body to occur. The lungs cannot fill themselves but require the action of the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle creating a "floor" in the thorax, the chest area containing the lungs and heart. Fibres in the diaphragm connect to the ribs and into the pelvis, radiating down into the abdomen.
The diaphragm contracts and the intercostal muscles (muscles in between the ribs) pull the rib cage upward. In a closed space, an increase in volume results in a decrease in gas pressure (Boyle's Law). This creates an air pressure differential and air rushes into the lungs, the abdominal muscles relax. The internal organs move downward and outward.
2. Pathways
Air usually enters the body through the nose. The hairs and mucus in the nose filter, warm, and moisten the air before it enters the airway. Whether inhaling through the mouth or nose, the air travels to the pharynx, past the larynx (the "voice box"), and into the trachea. The trachea branches into the bronchus, the air traveling through branches that become smaller and more numerous until it travels through the respiratory bronchioles, the alveolar ducts and finally, into dead ends - the alveoli.
3. Cellular Respiration
Upon inhalation, the chest wall moves away from the lungs and the elastic alveoli which exert pressure back inward (like a spring ready to recoil). The wall of each alveolus is a single cell thick. Capillaries (tiny blood vessels) exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. This exchange is called cellular respiration in the lungs.
Source: https://yr8science2011.wikispaces.com/arefeh
4. Exhalation
The diaphragm relaxes and the transverse abdominis (deep abdominal muscles) contract. The ribs release in toward the centre of the body. This drop in volume increases the air pressure in the lungs and air rushes outward. The transverse abdominis controls the rate of exhalation, allowing for speaking or singing longer phrases. The viscera (internal organs) move inward and upward to their original position.
In this way a dance is created, within the body and between the inner and outer world, the organs are massaged, muscles work in harmony.
Many of my clients come to me with the habit of not engaging their diaphragms fully. Typically, their breathing is shallow or involves a lot of unnecessary muscle tension.
When To Tune In To The Breath
Source: https://yurielkaim.com/belly-breathing/
When you feel exhausted, breath work will help you to feel energised. Studies suggest it will also increase insulin and reduces glycemia. Try some deep, energising breaths if you experience a late afternoon energy slump.
When you’re feeling disconnected from yourself, breath will help to put you in touch with both your proprioceptive self and emotional states.
When you’re feeling tense or under pressure, engaging in the rhythm of the breath allows you to release unwanted tensions. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body's ability to rest and relax. Inhale, exhale, pause.
When you are healing from exercise or an illness or injury, breath to accelerate healing. Oxygen reaches the area that has been injured. Studies indicate that diaphragmatic breathing after exhaustive exercise results in an increase in antioxidant defense status, a decrease in cortisol (the hormone associated with stress) and an increase in melatonin (a hormone associated with relaxation).
When you want more Mobility, breath creates flow in your body.
When you want more Stability, breath increases your sensitivity to the connection within the body, and between your body and the ground.
When you want to connect to and communicate with another person, attune to their breath pattern - give it a try and see what results!
A Breathing Exercise To Practice On Your Own
This breathing exercise will help to calm a stressed nervous system.
Try it sitting, standing, or lying down.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, blow out all the air.
- Inhale through your nose while mentally counting to four.
- Hold your breath while mentally counting to seven.
- Blow out all the air, mentally counting to eight.
- This is one breath. Repeat the cycle three more times.
- Breath quietly without controlling the breath.
Further Reading
Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
New Year, New Logo!
Just in time for winter break, Vibrance is very excited to unveil our new logo design.
What an exciting way to enter the new year, with our new look!
We wish a wonderful holiday season to you, your families, and communities, however and whenever you celebrate!
We can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
#CreativeInnovative with Gabrielle Leah New: Passion Is Creating
Gabrielle Leah New On The Healing Power of Connection and Being An Artist Who Doesn't Paint
This is the third in a regular series of blog posts in which I speak with exciting artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs exploring how their creative skills have enabled them to do incredible things in their personal and professional lives.
You can find all of these interviews by searching for the tag #CreativeInnovative.
Bystander. Copyright © 2017 Gabrielle Leah New
Gabrielle Leah New is a practicing performing artist and a senior Occupational Therapist (OT). She runs her own theatre company, The Space Between Performance Collective, and has traveled around the world for numerous residencies, performances, and exhibitions, which can be read about further here. Her OT work, blended with her surrealist costume, installation, video, and live performance works means that Gabrielle is rarely ever still - and never bored!
I had the privilege of meeting Gabrielle in 2010 when we were both interns at Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company in Brisbane, Australia. I performed in her butoh show Creature, and I have been following her work ever since.
Stair. Costume by Camilla Gough. Image by Tony Banks
F: Tell me a little about your background in the arts.
G: I grew up in Melbourne Australia. I studied art at high school then went on to do a degree in Occupational Therapy. I have traveled extensively living in the UK, New Zealand and India. I feel like I’m a citizen of the world.
My training is quite unusual. I have always had an arts practice but it wasn’t until I was 30 that I began my formal training post high school. I went to the Conservatorium of the Arts in Lismore where I studied dance. I was particularly interested in Butoh (Japanese contemporary dance) which I had discovered the year before by attending community classes. I went on to study Butoh with teachers around the world and working with MAU Dance Theatre in New Zealand. I then returned to Australia and studied 3D Art and did a directing internship with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre in Brisbane.
My main art form was dance and physical performance for many years and I still train and attend classes regularly but over time my practice has developed to be more of a multi-arts practice. This particularly changed after completing a Masters in Fine Art a few years ago and since then I have been exhibiting more in the gallery space than theatres. I now consider myself a multidimensional performing artist, as performance and the body always underpin my multi-arts practice.
F: Your art has taken you to lots of interesting places. What are some of the most interesting locations you have experienced?
Working with MAU in the early 2000s took me to the 4 yearly Pacific Arts Festival in Noumea, New Caledonia. Here I had a major identity crisis as a white Australian performing Japanese dance for a pacific Island dance company and delegation from the Aotearoa, New Zealand. I have danced in Fjords in Norway, In storms painted gold in Japan, in creeks and the ocean in New Zealand and in a city park in Vancouver, Canada. I love making work in/for extraordinary spaces.
Most recently I exhibited and had a residency in Lisbon, Portugal and am on my way to India and Sri Lanka to make work.
Blue. Image by Karsten Muhlhaus
F: You have created many collaborative creative works. What are the benefits and challenges of collaboration?
Collaborating with other artists is my favorite way to work and I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing people. One of the challenges is finding people you gel with and can create a shared vision and language with, this can take time. The benefit for me is having someone to bounce ideas around with and I think that the outcome always benefits from collaborating if people are clear on their roles. Sometimes it’s been tricky when creatives disagree but a resolution has always been possible through listening well and respecting each other. I have been collaborating with sound artists Norman Skipp for over 15 years now even though we live on other sides of the world.
Working in theatre, collaboration is a necessity. You need other people to do the things you don’t have the skills for, like sound and lighting for me. I usually have a lot of input and discussion with collaborators but ultimately I trust them to do what they do best. In my extended arts practice I still work with other people who have skills in areas that I don’t. for example I have made two projects with a videographer/editor, I WANT… and ‘States of Being.
F: Did this require you to take on additional training/learning curves?
G: No, as a therapist I had already developed good communication skills. I’m a team player as well as being really comfortable to share my ideas and opinions so collaboration works well for me.
F: What drives you in your work?
G: I have a passion to create. I constantly have ideas forming in my mind. My main interests, that all the content for my work comes from, are from my therapy practice and a deep desire to understand people. Archetypal stories and myths as a reflection of the human condition alongside current contemporary dilemmas such as Greed, a project I created that had a number of components including two video installations, an internet group and a live, participatory, site-specific performance. My work often externalizes internal worlds making the invisible visible.
Bird. Image by unknown
F: To what extent have you been able to make your creativity work an aspect of all of your jobs? Do you have other (non-creative) work that you engage in? How did you make that choice?
G: I feel that creativity infuses all that I do. In my work as a therapist, I integrate creative activities (which is par for the course for OT’s). I have developed movement therapy groups for people with serious mental illness and a creative art based group for people with mental health and substance use issues. I use it in my work with individuals and with making dinner in the evening when I get home.
F: How do you use your performance skills in undertaking “non-creative” jobs?
As a group facilitator and therapist, I need to be able to perform, improvise, listen and respond. My ongoing training allows me to be constantly developing these skills. I think a lot of my training is about being present. In my work I need to be present with people who are in psychological pain and also be available to them authentically but without my personal shit interfering with the process. I think my practice as an artist and therapist feed and support each other.
F: Yes! Your ability to be seamless between Artist and Occupational Therapist had a profound influence on my own career.
What does your creative process look like?
G: My creative process is a lot of thinking to start with. I create things in my head before making them in the real world. I tend to create in bursts and I work best under pressure, when I have deadlines. Also if I make dedicated time and space. Physical training and writing are important ongoing elements of my practice. I flood with ideas; I’m never short on them. It’s a process of sifting through them, which ones stick, which are practical and achievable and starting them and seeing where they go.
F: Gabrielle, you have such an impressive list of endeavours, performances and exhibitions. What are your proudest accomplishments thus far?
N: I think my biggest accomplishment is supporting people to move through mental and emotional difficulties to create a better life for themselves. It’s a real privilege to be able to work with people at their most vulnerable and see them rediscover their personal power.
I am also immensely proud of making CREATURE- a shapeshifting journey in butoh wonderland with the company I directed - The Space Between Performance Collective.
More recently, it has been my solo exhibitions, residencies, and receiving an award for my video performance installation Persephone 7 of which I am proudest.
Free. Photo by Shelley Wilson
F: What role does communication, performance, and using your voice and body to connect to others have in your life? Why is it important?
G: I believe one of the key elements in healing trauma and addiction is connection. Often verbal communication is difficult initially so having other ways of communicating through movement or drawing or other creative forms can be great initially and I use these creative tools a lot in my work. OT is about healing through doing. I think that doing, action, being in the body allows one to find their voice. We all have multiple and individual ways of expressing and as a therapist, it is important for me to be able to offer a range of meaningful alternatives to my clients. My job is to be creative in what I can offer my clients and not to be stuck in one way or one thing that I offer. When working with trauma clients memories are often stored in the body (differently how regular memories are stored) moving in new ways can help move clients through these stuck emotions and give them more options for responding to events and their environments in the future.
F: Working so intensively with people, how do you prevent burnout?
G: By not working 9-5, 7 days a week and taking lots of holidays. Having a balance between my personal, creative and work life. Having a supportive partner. Staying healthy.
Porcelin Face, SJD Music Video
F: My own work is founded on the belief that an arts education not only makes people better citizens (heck, better human beings), but that training in art gives individuals concrete and adaptable skills.
N: I definitely agree. I think anything that makes you more tuned into your own creativity gives you more options on how you respond to situations, we break out of habitual patterns and understand ourselves better,
F: What skills have you gained through your art form that you apply in other contexts?
Improvising. Trusting my instincts. Listening (half of communicating). Self-reflection. Giving feedback to others generously. Being grounded in my body. Facilitating groups. Creating activities to meet a particular investigation. Trying new things. Dealing with failure. Persistence. Acceptance. Intuition is a daily part of my life. Everything is based on my intuition. It is strong. I trust it and I listen to it. My aesthetics are present in my home environment, how I dress and the art I make.
F: How do you set boundaries with regards to managing your personal from your creative spaces?
G: I’m not sure that I do. They often merge. I have really clear personal boundaries and sense of self which helps me to create balance in my life. My boundaries often blur but I don’t have a problem with it and I don’t question it. I think it’s difficult when we compartmentalize our lives. My life is my life it’s messy and not in little boxes. I don’t separate my creative skills with my life skills. It’s all blurry. I am what I am not what I do.
F: Do you have to behave “differently” depending on the environment you are interacting with?
G: Yes and no. I’m always just being me but at the same time using Improvisation Skills and Being present to the moment, the person, the situation so what I do is different and individually tailored.
F: Tell me a little about your teaching.
G: I teach butoh when I’m asked to do so. This includes performance/art professionals and novices. I also facilitate groups for people with trauma, mental health and addiction issues of all ages and stages. It's rewarding when students discover something new in themselves and they change habits. Or as one of my teachers used to say ‘Find another way.’
F: Do you have an "ideal student"?
G: I’m not sure I have one. I suppose one that challenges me, one that I also learn from.
Baby Bird. Image by Aven Darling
F: With such diverse teaching work, what values underpin your approach to teaching?
G: Growth, trust, exploration, risk, adventure, self-reflection, challenge
F: And what do you say to people who claim to “not be creative”?
G: I think everyone is creative but they have a narrow definition of what creative is. People are often injured in their school education by being told that. I try to help them to see all the ways that they are creative in their lives that aren’t being able to paint or draw or sing. Living is a creative act.
F: How can art, music, or movement training benefit someone who doesn’t wish to be a performer?
G: This is the key question. The answer is ‘In so many ways!’ They are kind of elusive and magical and amazing but include; confidence, self-esteem, personal power, better communication, passion, fun, community, mind expansion, connection with others, self-reflection, self-expression, new friends, using new parts of the brain, new skills, spiritual development, etc, etc.
When I went to dance school I had no interest in being a performer. I went because it was something I liked to do. Over time it grew and grew and grew.
I’ve been lucky enough to have many amazing teachers. I think my favorites have a generosity of spirit and they are always learning from their students and refining their practice through their teaching. They do their job but don’t put themselves above you. They are very positive people and have so much to give that is truly authentic. The training is physically and mentally hard but they remain soft. They are fun.
F: Tell me about your business.
G: I’m not really that interested in business. I do what I do because I love it. I don’t fit the mold and I don’t do things the way others do. I’m just making it up as I go along. I follow my intuition and my passions and dreams. I am unique so what I do is and how I do it is. I like making stuff and helping people find more joy in this difficult world.
I started my business because it was something I needed to try. It’s hard and a lot of it is pretty boring. I’m not sure it’s for me. I don’t see myself as an entrepreneur. I’m not that driven by money or business more by what interests me and challenges me and creating a life where I can utilize my skills and develop them and support others as I do that. It’s about following my passions. I’m not cutthroat and I don’t think that actually serves anyone. I think we all need to work as a community and support each other where we can in whatever way we can.
Fear, States of Being. Image by Robert Spillane.
F: What was the toughest learning curve that you experienced in running a business?
G: Early on I realized that the hardest times were the times of biggest growth. I relish them and use them as opportunities for my personal growth. I always trusted my instincts and faced my fears trusting that things would work out. Never do things that make you feel terrible for too long.
I think self-doubt is part of growth and moving outside of one's comfort zones. Growing is uncomfortable but soooo rewarding. I think my arts practice and training has taught me how to do this and know that it’s safe. It has also taught me how to fail and manage rejection. Being an artist you really need to know how to manage constant rejection and keep going.
F: Do you feel that there are unique challenges when ones' business is so reliant on you? How do you manage these?
G: Yes. I think this is my biggest obstacle as I’m a bit of a commitment-phobe. I find it hard to stay in the same place doing the same thing for too long which makes it difficult to develop my own business. I also find it hard to do things I’m not interested in likes tax and plan for more than 6 months in advance which you need to do as an artist and with your own business.
The environment constantly changing. I’ve been in the therapy business for over 25 years and in 3 different countries. In Australia, customers are wanting more choice.
In my private practice, getting clients is difficult as I often don’t put much energy into promoting my business. When working for others, it's key to find support to take creative risks. And in my arts practice, the challenge is managing rejection as well as finding time, space and resources to continue.
I just keep on trying to do the best that I can do.
Jump. Image by Robert Spillane
F: What are the most useful strategies to support you through these challenges?
G: Having good regular supervision. Having great supports and mentors. Getting other people to do the stuff you don’t like or aren’t good at.
F: Is there a tension between your career as an artist and running a business?
G: Mostly time and splitting my attention but I have made peace with this and do both to my best ability as I know that I need both in my life. Both are of great importance to me. Tension is Ok. I think I could be much better promoting my business. This is one side of the business that I feel I’m not great at. I need a Personal Assistant. There is so much documentation and form filling and rubbish that needs to be done now.
F: Where do you see your business going (eg. is it about consolidation/growth/transforming services)?
G: Currently, I’m not sure. I’ve taken 8 months off to travel and work on creative projects but I want to head more into Community arts and engagement with a healing focus.
You can follow Gabrielle Leah New's work through her website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Redbubble
We can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us:
Don't Forget to Breathe Pt. 1
“I know that how I move affects my environment and that my outer environment is in interaction with my inner experience.”
Often, a newer client comes to me relaying a personal account of a time where they were called on to speak. They describe how their brain went blank or the words they formed in their brain didn't make it out of their mouth, one of the first things I ask is, "were you breathing?"
Usually, the answer was "No!," or "I don't know."
As described by Hackney, breathing can be less than optimum for a number of reasons:
birth defects or chronic damage
acute trauma due to an accident or injury
heightened emotions or feelings
sub-optimum movement or posture (slumping, trying to "flatten" the stomach
smoking
misunderstanding the process of breathing
seasonal allergies or pollution
In a culture obsessed with flat stomachs (and dis-integrated bodies) we truly do not understand how to breathe.
Encounter your breath
Breathing is the most basic way there is to connect yourself to yourself, to your environment, to other people. Consider for a moment, how incredible it is that we draw out environment into our selves on inhalation, and expel little parts of our selves out into our environment on exhalation. From that perspective, the boundary of our physical form is much less solid.
Breath is a physical action that carries a deep and complex emotional wallop. As Arthur Samuel Joseph notes, "The root of the word ‘spirit’ means ‘to breathe’. The root of the word inspire, ‘inspirare’ is to ‘to breathe into’. The Hebrew word, ‘neshama’ means both ‘soul’ and ‘breath’ "
Take 3 big conscious breaths upon waking and when you turn off the light at night. Observe what shifts.
Why Does It Matter?
Neurological Patterning
Breathing is the first movement pattern of an infant and is therefore the foundation for all other neurological patterns.
Seeking A Connection
"Conscious cultivation of breath is recognized in many cultures to be an important part of attuning to a spiritual connection between the individual and the universe." - Peggy Hackney
Health
“Cellular breathing forms the building blocks of our ‘life process’. Where it is not taking place, the cells are dead, where there is difficulty, the cells are struggling; and where it is occurring freely the cells are alive and healthy" - Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen
In Part Two, we are going to look at breathing in greater detail - the physiological process, benefits, and get started with a breath exercise...
Further Reading
Arthur Samuel Joseph on Breath
Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals
Whatever your aims, we can aid you in achieving your goals with our individualised approach and flexible sessions. Contact us: