Reconnection

RECONNECTION – Physical Theater Tools for Youth Workers

Reconnection was a project facilitated by ASSITEJ (International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People) in 2019. The training was held over 11 days at Tiyatro Tempo in Ankara, Turkey. Training focused on how performance in youth work can be improved by working on non-verbal communication and performing skills. This was all achieved by using tools from Physical Theatre pedagogy. A mixture of Lecoq and Laban/Bartenieff movement analysis techniques were used to help participants reconnect with their physical bodies. This personal connection opened awareness to then allow the possibility of connecting with each other. Participants joined from Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain, UK, Turkey, Canada and Romania.

The training had many components including but not limited to; movement analysis, Laban/Bartenieff, Dumpster Mask, Metaphysical Mask, Personage, and Clown. The project built towards a final showcase where we could demonstrate what we learned. Participants were divided into 5 groups, and given 3 days to devise an original show within their own group. The final outcome was an hour long performance at Tiyatro Tempo for the general public. For myself, reconnection was an invaluable training that helped reaffirm and put into context what I had previously studied. It helped remind me the importance of connection, how to develop a story on the stage with other artists, and most of all the genuine gift it is for an artist to be okay not knowing what will happen next.