Tag: movement

Postponed: CLOWNING FOR DANCERS

UPDATE (OCT. 19th, 2022)
This session has been postponed to the near future. Stay tuned for new details, dates and options for clown training! In the meantime, check out the Writing Circle and World Building classes I’m leading with Frog in Hand to keep your creative juices flowing.

Explore the joy of movement mixed with the hard-biting truth of the present moment.

This class is for dancers and movers of all kinds who want to explore the ridiculous, the weird and the joy within.

I’ve found that clowning as a training tool for dancers helps us get out of our heads and back into the room; it helps us make connections with our audiences; and gives us permission to try things out and commit fully without worrying if it’s right or wrong.

In this 6-week class we will explore the joy of play, presence, nonverbal communication, puppetry of the body, a trip on the old emotional rollercoaster and duo dynamics. Throughout this, you will start to find the foundations of your clown persona. We will work towards crafting a “turn” – a short individual performance with multiple chances to present and receive direct feedback.

Wednesdays, 6-9pm

Oct. 19 & 26, Nov. 2 & 9, 23 & 30th

(note: no class on Nov. 16)

@ the Winchester Theatre

(80 Winchester St. Toronto)

$280+HST

Registration is required to attend. You can use the Registration form at the bottom of this post or send an email to afieldofcrowns@gmail.com

A limited number of spaces are available.

Andrew Gaboury as his clown Trowel (photo: Colleen Snell)

Andrew Gaboury has been clowning for a decade, studying closely with Helen Donnelly and performing at festivals and on stage nationally (World Stage Design 2022, Calgary) and internationally (Ei! Marionetas, Portugal). As a collaborating artist with Frog in Hand, Andrew leads the Summer Company in clown training and performance. Andrew’s clown projects have performed for thousands of audience members at events and festivals across the GTA. Alongside Derek Kwan, Andrew is also co-executive director of Red Nose Remedy, a therapeutic clowning not-for-profit that brings the art of clown to people in healthcare settings through compassionate connection, lightness and joy.

Registration Form

thursday morning viewpoints

This year I’ve been fortunate to delve back into the Viewpoints system of movement with two separate post-secondary groups. Building from the ground up: I relish pairing down movement to its basics and building it up again with specific focus, concern and intention. Tasks and movement. Listening to and trusting your impulses. Relationships onstage between performers and space, between action and time, between audience and performer. I love investigating the different aspects individually, interrogating them, exhausting them only to then add another on top. This deconstruction to layering is complex and insatiable. Leading this work, I am pleased to realise how deeply ingrained it is in my own practice: oftentimes focusing on one of the nine viewpoints over others to help craft a character, or, unconsciously playing and adjusting the dials to explore a whole vocabulary.

Which is why I’d like to open up a community jam on Thursday mornings. I want this training to keep going. I know there are many actors, dancers and other performers who have crossed paths with Viewpoints throughout their training. I know there are others who have never experienced it before but have heard its name.

If you fall into any of these categories, I invite you to join me at hub14‘s new Artscape studio @ 910 Queen Street West on certain Thursday mornings, from 9 – 10am, to come jam and explore this movement for yourself. Space will be available from 8:45am for personal warm-ups.

In an effort to make cross-disciplinary training more commonplace and low-risk, all of these drop-in sessions will be offered at no cost. All you have to do is send a message to afieldofcrowns(at)gmail(dot)com (there’s a form here) so I can come and get you.

*note: unfortunately, hub14 is not an accessible venue, as it is located in a basement without access to a public elevator.*

Upcoming sessions will be:

March 7th, 21st & 28th, April 4th, 18th & 25th

Let’s Jam.

The wonderful Mike Reinhart and I have come together to present an offering to the Toronto performance community:

MOVEMENT JAM (2).png

A monthly movement jam open to performers of any discipline or training. 

Partnered with hub14, this movement jam will happen on the last Wednesday of each month.*

We will open the studio as early as 6:30pm for personal warm-up and mingle-time and begin the jam proper at 7. Expect to move, to participate in some guided exercises lead by Mike and myself, and to challenge yourself in a few lightly structured improv jams. We’ll wrap each night by 9pm, after which there’s always time for cool downs and conversation.

We would like to keep this jam as accessible** as possible, but will also be accepting PWYC donations to help keep this thing running. The bottom line, however, is: if you want to be here, we want you here!

The first jam of the year will be
Wednesday, February 28th
@ hub14 (14 Markham St., Toronto)
7 – 9pm | doors @ 6:30 | PWYC

You can find a list of future dates and a contact form on the Jam’s page here.

I look forward to moving with you.

-A

*With the exception of December because of the mess that is Christmas and New Years. In December, the jam will happen on the 3rd Wednesday (Dec. 19th).

**Please note hub14 is not a barrier-free facility: there are about 10 steps leading up to the studio.

Collective Creations

collective creations

Collective Creations
@ hub14 (14 Markham St., Toronto)
Mondays, April 18 & 25, May 2 & 9
6:30 – 9:30pm
$10 / class
$35 for all 4

Collective Creations will focus on two main areas of theatrical exploration: (i) physical training, and, (ii) collective creation techniques for material generation. The goal of this session of classes is to provide an affordable and accessible space for artists to continue their individual training as well as challenge their understanding of what it means to work in a collective.

Throughout the four weeks, we will, as an ensemble, create a common vocabulary and challenge each other to push past our defaults. These classes will combine vocal improvisation techniques and various movement forms, including aspects of Viewpoints, clown, contemporary dance improv and archetype work. Using the exquisite pressure of time, we will create new, imperfect works destined to fail and find success in the jewels hidden amongst our rubble.

To reserve a spot send an email to afieldofcrowns@gmail.com