Employees and clients were treated to two workshops run by Calgary’s Inside Out Theatre. The workshops were facilitated by Jeremy Park and Michelle Brandenburg from Inside Out, and offered an introduction to acting basics like movement and improvisation. Activities included connecting emotions with movements, having an emotional reaction to a situation, and creating a short skit with a partner.
For Park and Brandenburg, acting workshops provide individuals with disabilities a chance to take risks in a safe space and explore their creativity.
“I love when the impulse to take a risk overpowers the impulse to remain internalized,” Brandenburg said. “Performance training helps with so many foundational learning skills like public speaking, eye contact, being comfortable, having the ability to think on your feet, and problem solving.”
Park added that being able to express oneself in a safe space can lead to encouraging results. “When you can put yourself out there, take that risk, and have it validated by a group, that’s a form of positive reinforcement that can stay with you outside of these walls,” he said.
Col Cseke, the artistic director of Inside Out, explained that the company “offers theatre classes to adults with disabilities that foster a love of theatre, the joy of community, and the rewards of self-confidence.”
For more information about Inside Out Theatre, visit their website.