I love exploring ideas with others. In college, I participated in creative lesson plans and interactive workshops that made me drop my boundaries and pick up a passion for dialogue (written, physical, and verbal). These experiences brought me closer with my community by providing a safe space to be open and honest. I treasure the conversations brought up in educational theatre work and always appreciate it when someone is ready to share a thought. To be a successful teacher, more important than knowing how to speak, is knowing how to listen. I have learned that to be a teacher you must always be a student. That is why during this project I am a student to my participants while remaining the facilitator. I do not have all the answers. I am not about to tell anyone how to run his or her life. I am truly curious about how on earth people get things done. I am excited that the outcome of this experience may be that some people are able to able to open up to one another to start a conversation; this is one of my motivations.
I am fortunate to have many inspirational people in my life who encourage me to push myself. People who value education and learning through experience. Their support motivates me to take risks I would otherwise avoid. “Let go what are you holding onto” has been echoing in my head since middle school after a drama camp director explained to us the importance of freeing yourself while taking the stage. In my life there has been more to be gained by opening up than holding back. I have a history of taking leaps rather than small steps to get places. Attending classes or camps where I didn’t know anyone, moving to NYC, and creating a workshop that I can take all over the country are big examples. I don’t even like to make multiple trips to bring groceries inside – I’d rather carry the weight all at once and get to business putting things away and dealing with the details inside (drives Chris crazy). I do these things to challenge myself. It would not be hard for me to sit on the couch all day with a bag and popcorn and a remote. Its been done before. Ask any of my childhood friends and they will tell you that I was active, but always too timid to ask for help in a store. Calling to order a pizza over the phone or dancing in public outside of a choreographed routine– absolutely out of the question (my siblings may inform you that I was loud and obnoxious; because I was. As far as I am concerned that is part of the job description of being the youngest).
I got over my insecurities and shyness thanks to drama teachers who dragged myself out of myself. I found my confidence through the courage of characters and positive reinforcement. They helped me to realize how fun facing fear can be. There is nothing more terrifying than walking onto a stage. I am inspired by people’s abilities to take risk – this is why I admire actors. You may think they are hiding by playing others, but really they are exposing a great deal about themselves. What is the result? Theatre makes people think and it makes them feel. To be in a room with people who have a passion strong enough to take the risk of total exposure – wow- it’s inspiring. If they can do it in front of an audience I don’t understand why I would need to hold myself back in my daily life. It’s all about putting your self out there. After experiencing drama on stage, I was able to carry it over into my normal routine. It is impossible to experience the excitement of drama by shutting down.
Teachers take this same risk getting up in front of a classroom of students. Actually, their risk is greater. As a teacher you may have a script to follow put in place by the education powers that be, but you never know what direction the students are going to take you in. ‘Yo miss what happens if you take seven Tylenlol’? Yikes – how do you respond to that?
I first had the idea to create this workshop when I learned that my husband would be away for six weeks of training. How lucky. He spends four/five years at the academy, gets sixty days of paid leave, AND before he starts work gets a six-week refresher course of everything he learned. We just moved to Ohio and had not yet settled into a routine. I found myself frantically wondering ‘well what the heck am I going to do alone for six weeks in a strange place!?’. I was also trying to figure out my next career move. Acting? Substituting? Volunteering? Should I get involved with an education program at a local theatre or with a theatre program at a local school? I wish I could get a refresher course of my major – ah process drama and theatre games. Joy. I would count my time at the Alley as a refresher, but honestly my experience there was full of all sorts of new learning moments (shout out to Joe, Rochelle, Rob, and Dorcas for all of their patience and support). While watching The View one morning I heard them announce that JetBlue Airlines was offering a jet pass for a month of unlimited travel. AMAZING. This is when the stars really began to align for me. Chris would be unavailable, we don’t have babies yet, and I could pay one fee to see the people I love from coast to coast! I knew I couldn’t travel just for the sake of travel, especially since I got to see so many loved ones at the wedding. The experience needed to mean something to more than just myself.
While I was at the Alley I had the opportunity to develop and facilitate a workshop with middle school students. I LOVED the experience and have been itching to teach a workshop since. Here is where the idea for a workshop was born; a workshop all over America. My dilemma was what to make the workshop on. Fortunately even without a fully realized idea Chris was 100% supportive. I also made a call to my ambitious yet realistic artist friend Ashleigh to run my idea by her. I wasn’t sure if I was crazy or if this was the best idea I have ever had. She assured me that I was sane. I hung up and bought my ticket. I don’t think it was until a few days later while I was searching for some motivation to get out of the apartment and still waiting for inspiration to hit about the workshop that I realized YES! How do people do it! What inspires us? What motivates us? Why do we feel the need to get out of bed each morning? Its not always easy, so how do people keep themselves going? A universal topic.
That is how the idea was born. with the support of my family and friends I am off to go from sea to shining sea to figure out what inspires you and how you motivate yourself in your day to day life.
My inspiration: My amazing friends and professors from NYU Ed Theatre
My motivation: my family, my future, and also the fear of staying on the couch for all eternity =)
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