A New Page

What a great way to begin a New Year! Three days of artistic exploration in the Studio*. In the midst of snowstorms we were still able to have an artistic retreat with wonderful theatre colleagues in a workshop called, Playing in the Realm of Fairy Tale. 

The idea for the three day workshop came from a bit of brainstorming by company members of The Moving Dock Theatre Company who have enjoyed many creative projects in the past and were itching to do something. Somehow, the conversation turned to fairy tales. Everybody liked the potential. It seemed open ended, inviting.

Getting ready to lead this workshop, my starting off place was a brilliant adaptation of a fairy tale, a film called The Red Shoes. It's pure magic how the original tale is woven into not only a story, but a ballet within a story. At the beginning of the ballet there is a somewhat frightening character of the shoemaker enticing would be dancers to put on the red shoes. 

Was this the beginning for a life in the arts? 

I asked the actors this question, “Who held out the red shoes and bid you to dance?” What followed was a series of movement explorations that developed the memories. Working solo most of the time, we formed with the language of gesture tales from very personal experiences in the pursuit of art in our lives. We made new fairy tales complete with witches, puppets, flying books, dangerous encounters, and wise guides.  

It was, simply, beautiful. Three days could only be a beginning. But beginnings in fairy tales always lead to something profound. I am eager to turn the page.

*Chekhov Studio Chicago