STUDIO 5 INVITE TO THE MOST JOYFUL AND AMAZING STUDY
Healing Through Theatre in Bali January 4th to 17th, 2010
With Master Teachers Margi Brown Ash, Per Brahe. $2,200 USD*
Brisbane, Australian drama therapist Margi Brown Ash joins Per Brahe for a 14 day theatre workshop at Bali Purnati Center for the Arts in Bali, Indonesia. Using Per Brahe’s original masks and development of Michael Chekhov technique Participants will build ensemble, and employ character development through body, voice and language. This exciting healing through theatre workshop combines Western and Eastern philosophy exposing participants to the modern theatre. While building on the transformative work of Per Brahe Margi Brown Ash will provide the artist/psychologist and counselor with experiential processes to develop awareness of how one presents their selves in the world. We welcome actors, directors, writers, instructors and therapist to join us in this innovative process of training human beings in the arts. Participants will also train daily in the ancient Gambuh opera, which is a full expression of body and voice using dance, singing, and music. All Balinese dances are influenced by the basic forms of the Gambuh. The purpose of the Gambuh training is to challenge the restrictive constraints of the ego through the metaphysical dancing gestures of this ancient court dance. The most important element of Balinese dance is that one must have a light heart free from judgment in order to fully commit to the intricate physical vocabulary. Whenever the ego comes in during the dance, balance is immediately lost. The Balinese way of life is centered on balance. The workshop will be held over a period of two weeks at the Purnati Center for the Arts near Ubud, the arts capital of the island. There is a presence and grace that every artist aspires to in Bali. Every Balinese person is an artist in some way because they believe to make art serves God. Your senses will be inundated daily with thousands of complex images that will activate, rejuvenate, and heal your spirit while bringing you closer to the purest awareness of your inspiration and healing. The Purnati Center for the Arts is the international hub for prominent artists from around the world to work. It is a securely guarded full service arts complex, with two training halls, an amphitheater, and a swimming pool, hidden away in the village of Batuan on the banks of a sacred river where the Balinese retrieve their holy water. All fresh organic meals are prepared daily by the center’s executive chief.
The rooms are two single bed dwellings that are prepared daily by the staff. There will be an extra charge of $1050.00USD for single rooms.
Mask Work Masks show the important connection between Body and Voice. The Greek word personae means Mask, the personae was a projected image through the voice. Almost everyone at one point in his or her life is conscious of his or her voice and the sounds that the body makes, and it is these sounds that actually aid in the development of human character. The power that exudes through the deep connection of body and voice is easily accomplished through masks. Per Brahe has discovered that a mask carries a positive image. The masks that will be used in this workshop will replace the negative psychological personal images with positive ones. These negative images are directly connected to experiences of fear, self worth, and anger. By challenging these images with positive ones of joy and free physical expression, the constraints of these ego driven pictures of self are released. Each participant will be able to work with his masks without any previous experience in mask work. Per Brahes way of introducing the mind and the body to the mask is unique and free of judgment. There is no wrong way to do the work.
Michael Chekhov The material that Michael Chekhov collected in his lifetime was taken from old ancient Asian dances and spiritual exercises. Per has taken the basic philosophy of Michael Chekhov and applied it to its original roots, which can also be found in the Gambuh opera and the mask work. One can find 15 different Michael Chekhov exercises experiencing one element of Gambuh or mask work. In this workshop, the Michael Chekhov material is used to explain the positive impact of the Gambuh on the body.
Drama Therapy Margi Brown Ash is a Brisbane based arts practitioner in the field of psychotherapy and theatre making, working within the philosophy of social constructionism. Who we are is dependent not only on our environment, culture, society and education but also on the language we use to communicate with others and ourselves. Margi works with a variety of art modalities to explore our use of language and how it impacts on our lives. Language includes dialogue, inner dialogue, body language and the written word.
*Tuition Covers: living accommodations and training facilities at Bali Purnati Center for the Arts, teacher fees, all classes, materials & supplies and Breakfast. AIRLINE TRAVEL, LUNCH AND DINNER ARE NOT INCLUDED.
PER BRAHE, Artistic Director of Studio 5 in Brooklyn New York, has been a professional director, writer, actor, teacher and painter since 1967. He has directed more than 85 plays throughout the world. He recently translated and directed a modern adaptation of August Strindbergfs Miss Julie. He is currently developing a masked version of Shakespearefs Twelfth Night with masks. He is a world-renowned Mask teacher and Master Teacher of Michael Chekhov technique and an expert in Balinese Mask. He taught at Gitis in Moscow and at the International Summer School in Irkusk, Siberia, and has been an invited Master Teacher at the Moscow Art Theatrefs celebration of its 100th year anniversary. He is full-time faculty at The Actors Center. He is on the faculties at Yale School of Drama, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, The National Theatre Institute, and the Bill Esper Studio. In 2000 he was the Artistic Director for the Michael Chekhov Conference in Siberia. In 1991 he founded the Michael Chekhov Studio, Aarhus, Denmark. He is the Artistic Director for the annual Bali Conservatory. Per Brahefs article gBeyond Michael Chekhov Technique: Continuing the Exploration through the Maskh published by Theatre Communications Group, Inc., Training of the American Actor, ed. Arthur Bartow, New York, 2006.
MARGI BROWN ASH presently facilitates workshops aimed at developing resilience and understanding of self using the arts. She also supervises experiential professional development workshops designed specifically for artists, educators and professionals in the humanities, arts and social sciences throughout Queensland. She is a committed supporter of the growing independent theatre industry in Brisbane. She is actively involved in several local theatre companies including nest ensemble, Imaginary Theatre Company, La Boite and Grin & Tonic Theatre Company. She has recently formed a performing arm of 4change called bRash, focusing on collaborative practice. Margi is a registered teacher for Education Queensland and has been a member (33years) and delegate of M.E.A.A (Actors Equity). She is a member of La Boite’s Creative Reference Group 2008 and is on the Advisory Board of both Imaginary Theatre Company and Grin & Tonic Theatre Company. She teaches Performance Studies within the Creative Industries Faculty at QUT and is a guest tutor in School of Psychology and Counselling, QUT. She also teaches private acting classes at Metro Arts and supervises teams using an arts based process. Masters Counseling (QUT, Brisbane); Masters Arts Creative Industries (senior candidate, pending) (QUT, Brisbane); Graduate Diploma Experiential & Creative Arts Therapy (MIECAT, Melbourne); Graduate Diploma Adolescent Health & Welfare (University of Melbourne); B.A (Macquarie University, Sydney); Diploma of Education (Macquarie University, Sydney) Pertopeng@earthlink.net 917 686 2236
