Mask Workshop
A single workshop begins with a small warm up of stretching and encouraging the students to find their ‘size’ on stage. They then learn how to tell a simple story with their bodies using just movements, gestures, and feelings.
The masks are shown to the students and small demonstrations made. They are taught to look at the lines and shape of the mask to give them cues as to how their character moves. The students will then go up in groups and choose a mask. They put the mask on with their backs to the audience.
As a group when they are given the cue to turn around, they turn and pose as their mask character. Then on cue they begin to move around as their character until the instructor tells them to freeze. One by one they will express, when cued, how their character feels in one single moment.
The group is then given a scenario by the instructor, who directs the progress of the scenario, and perform the scenario. This is repeated with each successive group until everyone has had a chance to put on a mask.
At the end, time allows, they will all put on a mask and perform one large scenario.
A typical 5 day project will extend the techniques and improvisations mentioned above over the first three days. Then the 4th day will be a specific creation day for students to create an original scenario in small groups. The 5th day will be a presentation day where the students will present their pieces in front of the class.
The masks are shown to the students and small demonstrations made. They are taught to look at the lines and shape of the mask to give them cues as to how their character moves. The students will then go up in groups and choose a mask. They put the mask on with their backs to the audience.
As a group when they are given the cue to turn around, they turn and pose as their mask character. Then on cue they begin to move around as their character until the instructor tells them to freeze. One by one they will express, when cued, how their character feels in one single moment.
The group is then given a scenario by the instructor, who directs the progress of the scenario, and perform the scenario. This is repeated with each successive group until everyone has had a chance to put on a mask.
At the end, time allows, they will all put on a mask and perform one large scenario.
A typical 5 day project will extend the techniques and improvisations mentioned above over the first three days. Then the 4th day will be a specific creation day for students to create an original scenario in small groups. The 5th day will be a presentation day where the students will present their pieces in front of the class.