Where do I begin with my 5 day experience with Jean Rene?
Let me start with this: The Primitive Voice.
So The Wilma Theatre asked me to do a 5 day workshop with Jean Rene Toussaint, Blanka Zizka, and Paula Vogel. That's right. All those awesome, inspiring people plus more in one room for five days. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and stripped my schedule of as many conflicts as possible.
Five days. 9-5. Hardcore voice, physical, and emotional work. Bring it.
His workshop has transformed me, as a human and actor. I was given license to immerse my whole being into exercises that opened my imagination and allowed me to "go there" without ever caring about what other people were thinking. Because everyone else in the room "goes there" too. I found that by the end of the workshop many of my inhibitions had simply gone away.
By the end of the workshop, I felt like I could do anything.
I fell face first into people's arms from 5 feet in the air. I explored asymmetry in my body. I know what it means to release and unlock where I hold tension in my body. I gazed deeply into the eyes of a friend and lived out stories. I inhaled my boyfriend's spirit and recognized him as one does with a mirror. I created language and communicated. I dared myself to rely on the hands and support of others.
This blog post is titled what it is because of a truth that Jean Rene said. Many people, Americans especially, have a tendency to say "I know" as soon as someone says something true about them. It is a way of staving off vulnerability and to not actually listen and allow yourself to hear what that person is saying. He also mentioned we say "interesting" a lot as well, even when we don't find it all that interesting.
I know (see what I did there?) that I definitely do that. When he would come up to me and tell me something about the way I move or the way that I'm holding back my voice I would initially feel defensive. But I would take his advice for the next exercise and my work always grew. I GREW in ways that I never thought I could grow. I heard sounds coming out of body that, when he gave me the slightest adjustment, would in an instant change and become deeper. Often I would be touched inside and an unknown emotion would spurt out of me. It was really incredible to experience.
That's the other aspect of the workshop. It was simply about experience. It wasn't about manufacturing sound or movement, it was about allowing it to grow and become organically. It was about being. Nothing felt rushed about any of the exercises because he knew what it took. Did I mention he's been doing this for 30 years? Yeah he knows what he's doing.
Of course it's impossible for me to completely sum up my whole adventure for you and there are a lot of experiences I had that I don't want to share. Because they are mine and they are precious to me, to that room, and to that group of people. But I would say that even if you aren't a theatre artist, if you have an opportunity, take a workshop and open yourself up to possibility within. You are more powerful than you ever could have imagined.
Till next time...
-Cindy
Amazing!!!
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