BLEND! Theatre group

Good Saturday everyone,
I know there is only one follwer registered, which is quite shameful, to be honest, but I do get private e-mails with coments on my blog and that's how I know it is followed by more than one person...thanks goodness!!! Or should I write Fatdess :D
I actually get complaints when I don't write for a few days...and I do apologise if sometimes I cannot find the time for blogging...as I might be exercising (well, sometimes), chanting (more often) touring hospitals (too often) or creating (more often)...
Well at least I am not cutting and pasting other peoples ideas or repeating always the same ...eh?
And I always have some good fresh news for you:
1) I am now enrolled for my Dramatherapy course and here is my statement:
My interest in completing an MA in Drama therapy comes as a mature decision of utilising my theatre expertise and transforming the theory I have learned into a practical life mission. My passion for the theatre and my interest in helping others has always been a determinant part of my existence.
Since the age of six, I became interested in social problems (probably due to attending a progressive class inclusive of children with disabilities which where usually segregated into a special school) and helping less fortunate children. I immediately joined various catholic voluntary organizations such as Gen 3, Caritas and CSP where we sang, acted and danced in meetings about children’s lives in difficult circumstances (divorce, relationship with abusive parents) and poorer countries. This is when I first started to associate the idea of artistic expression with the one of catharsis and emotional healing.
Puppetry was my favourite toy as a child and I remember using 4 characters from a plastic kit to solve issues with my brother and sister. We gave them funny names and I remember in particular a red-faced character we called “The happy Sir”.
While living in Rome I started my formal acting training with Ilza Prestinari who trained with Marcel Marceau in Paris and Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio in New York.
Aged 14 I was the youngest amongst the pupils together with Siddhartha, Ilza’s own daughter who is currently her assistant and an Actor and Theatre Director in her own right. In this context I was first introduced to the “Sense Memory” and “Affective Memory” techniques which while they were merely used as a powerful acting tool, became a seed for my growing curiosity in Drama Therapy.
My BA in Performing Arts course was chosen on the basis that I wanted to study dance and drama at the same time and with a very practical approach. The University of North London (now London Metropolitan University) offered a programme which integrated theory and practice in an interdisciplinary approach. Here I came into contact with the work of Peter Brook (also studying Directing with Anna Furse, one of his collaborators) and to deepen my knowledge of the work of Jerzy Grotowski. With Helen Spackman I was able to explore the connection between theatre and psychotherapy as well as alternative forms of performance. I was particularly touched by the idea of the narcissistic issue in performers, desperately striving for wholeness, confirmation and the applause. I deeply admire Helen’s scenic courage and honesty. She is also responsible with Ernst Fisher for introducing me to Butoh dance techniques I often use in the composition of my choreographies.

In May 1998 I also converted to the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and since then I continued my voluntary work with SGI UK promoting peace in the world through friendship, culture and education. I led various workshops with children and teenagers teaching drama and dance as well as supporting their creativity in small craft projects.
My religious choice gave me strength (answers I accepted) and an incredible feeling of joy derived by the practice of chanting a mantra “Nam-nyoho-renge-kyo”. In previous years I also explored Tibetan and Zen, yoga,T’ai chi and just sitting meditation. From all this disciplines I gained many insights learning to look inside myself for all my answers. My enthusiasm for the effects I was experiencing from chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo also became a great obstacle while confronting my ideas with tutors with strong postmodern convictions like the negation of absolute values and truths.
I have always used Art (Drama, Dance, Painting, Music and Crafts) to express myself and communicate with others. During University I became interested in the possibility of using theatre techniques to facilitate personal growth and promote health. As a student of Performing Arts I was more interested in collaborations than in competing with other students. This philanthropic desire propelled me into founding the “Alternative Student’s Society”. This was an extracurricular activity focussed in outreach projects. My main objective was to find some practical uses for the theatre arts which would benefit society at large. In this context, as volunteers, a colleague and I visited a residential home hosting some Caribbean patients suffering from Dementia based in Lewisham. We offered drama, music, dance and physical theatre workshops and devised a final performance with the residents. We noticed that laughter took immediately the place of complaint and sadness in the eyes of the patients. Individuals which looked pale and chair bound on the first day became lively, singing and dancing joined in a human-train during their performance on our last visit.
In my personal life I often used drama to overcome difficulties and I deeply believe in the healing power of role-play, the mysticism of mask work, the introspective deep focus of mime and the relaxing and free empowering force of improvisation. I studied Phil Jones’s book “Drama as Therapy, Theatre as Living”. I am extremely interested in the principles of projective identification and dramatic distancing he wrote about. I experienced projective identification as an actor but even before then, as a reader. I had the opportunity to explore the concept of dramatic distancing while working as a Drama Improvisation tutor for the over ‘50s at the Mary Ward Centre. I led the group on a devised performance around the theme of death entitled: “If I should die tomorrow…” Students were clearly interested and emotionally sensitive towards the theme. They were able to approach the problem through metaphor and humour.
Currently suffering from hypothyroidism and overweight, I wish to use my MA in Dramatherapy to help myself and others in similar conditions. I also would like to use this course to help alienated office workers as well as anybody else might need my help. I would like to gain a formal recognition by the British Association of Dramatherapists and to collaborate with various institutions.
I would like to also use this course in the future to deepen my academic knowledge, start collaborating in research projects and became a University Lecturer. I also wish to start a small local theatre company in Ladbroke Grove, where I live, to keep up my performing arts skills and pass on theatre skills and techniques to younger generations. I hope I will have the opportunity to collaborate with work experience as soon as possible as I am really looking forward to start practicing as a Dramatherapist.

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