International Workshop & Lecture Tour for Europe, Canada and the United States

Creativity and learning…moving beyond the head!
To truly “be creative”, one requires the “2 b’s” working in total synchrony – brain and body!
Sharon Gelber, Internationally certified Occupational Therapist, workshop coordinator and learning - movement consultant and Gary Friedman, Internationally acclaimed Master Puppeteer and puppetry-in-education and creativity consultant are pooling their resources to bring you a new look at creativity and learning.

This dynamic duo are now offering not only a workshop to explore creativity but also the science behind activating the brain to prime the learner, student and executive for thinking and performing creatively.

In 2005, Gary Friedman conducted an international tour bringing the world of puppetry, objects and paper to high school and university students. Participants were given the opportunity to explore their creativity using the most unlikely of media and create short theatrical pieces.

In 2007, Friedman will be joined by Sharon Gelber, touring schools and universities throughout Europe, Canada and the United States, to bring the sustainable science into the mix - leaving participants with specific tools and techniques that can be used both in the classroom, office and at home, which will keep their brains, eyes and ears awake, focussed, organised, de-stressed and in a creative space for effective learning. Creativity is always required - from mathematics to football - from IT to dramatic performance, our youth need creative lateral thinking, out of the box problem solving and confidence to make it in this competitive world.
Full Workshop and Lecture information to follow below..

Why we combined Puppetry with Brain Gym?

How to ‘creatively unblock’ is the most important lesson we have to learn since graduating from kindergarden where nothing is impossible and magic is created daily while making toys breathe and live. In fact we often have to unlearn everything we’ve learnt since, as we are taught to disregard our ‘play’ and learn in a very black and white, non-inspirational way.
Our schooling and social system seems to have done an excellent job in teaching us to conform and not express our feelings and artistic selves. The entire system has taught us that when it comes to our creativity, average is safest. How many times, when faced with challenges, have you heard your students say “I can’t do that!”

Why we use puppetry?
In our workshops, the puppet takes the form of a piece of paper, an every-day object or only our naked hands. This is a medium that very few of our participants have ever had the opportunity to experience.

The puppet is a tool that allows safe expression. It is one step removed from the real world, but still reflects the human world and condition. Many sensitive issues can be portrayed in a non-threatening way, without embarrassment to the participant.

Humour is the key to opening people and reaching them emotionally and allowing them to laugh. When we laugh, we open up. In this way a powerful interactive message can be transmitted to an audience in a subtle way. The puppet imbibes humour and allows spontaneity. Sparks of genius are often revealed when people are put on the spot and have to create something out of nothing. It allows them to think on their feet!

Our workshops allow free expression, without the limitations of language and this works especially well in multi-cultural institutions or communities. The puppet breaks down barriers in a magical world where anything can happen!

Why use Brain Gym?
Brain Gym is a set of simple movement exercises that offer great ways to integrate the whole brain for enhanced learning and performance. Brain Gym identifies the states that create frustration and failure, and re-educates the mind-body system to function in a more integrated whole-brain manner. It supports and enhances our efforts to achieve a specific goal, including more creative thoughts and ideas. Brain Gym assists us in moving out of ‘stuck’ behavior patterns, created by stress and lack of motivation.
Workshop details to follow below ... any questions, click here!

OUR WORKSHOPS.. in detail

Our Short Workshops
(Three hours to one-day)
In each of the following workshops, Brain Gym exercises will activate the brain and senses to prime the body for creative processing. At the end of each workshop the group will be assisted in making the leap of how they can use the concepts behind the puppetry work as well as the techniques themselves to enhance their daily creativity.

A Paper Meditation Workshop
The workshop takes a practical hands-on and experiential format, where participants express themselves and communicate through the medium of paper. The participants experience the sound the paper makes when touched and when moved. The paper can form shapes and move in different ways. The sheet of paper becomes the co-performer. It becomes the metaphor through which the message is passed to an audience.

During their short performances, the participants work in groups to explore different themes and topics, using the paper to form the characters, props and set. This workshop is guaranteed to break down barriers and open up creative channels.
To watch a short video of this workshop, click here!

Object Improvisation Workshop
In the darkness, by means of touch, the participants choose objects that appeal to them. Thereafter, the participants work in groups to explore the hidden possibilities of their objects. Different suggested themes and topics allow the objects to be brought to life, as they become ‘living - breathing’ characters on the stage.
To watch a short video of this workshop, click here!

Hand and Ball Exercises – Basic Puppet Manipulation
The naked hand forms the basis of the puppet. This soon becomes a basic hand or glove puppet, when a plain white ball is added. The participants perform behind a black cloth, out of sight of their audience, which allows them the freedom to perform. The hand and ball exercises are later developed into short scenarios and performed by the participants, both individually, then in groups. A complete character is instantly created in the audiences’ mind.
To watch a short video of this workshop, click here!


Specialised Workshops (One- or Two-days)

Telling the Stories - Playback Puppetry
This is a full-day or two-day workshop, providing a safe platform for participants to tell their stories and deal with their life-issues. The medium of paper and objects are used to convey the message. Drama therapy techniques and theatre games encourage the groups to choose meaningful stories to tell. The divided groups come together at various stages to present their short performances to the entire group. This allows discussion of the issues – conflicts, which have emerged, with possibilities and options for resolution.

The Language of Conflict and Language of Peace
In a world that is governed by the language of war, fear, drugs, AIDS, violence and reconciliation, we are offering a workshop to explore these themes in a practical and creative space. The medium of paper and objects will be explored as our theatrical tool. Puppetry has always been used to provoke an audience into facing these challenging issues. The groups come together at various stages to present their piece to the whole group, discussing the issues, which have emerged with possibilities and options for a change of perception.
Objectives: To provide a safe environment to voice opinions on sensitive issues.
Lectures to follow below!

OUR LECTURES..

Our lecture – demos take the form of an interactive discussion, with audio-visual examples on each topic:
(Lectures can vary from 60 to 90 minutes each)


History and Traditions of World Puppetry
The history of the world’s oldest art form didn’t start as an art. From the religious to the political function, from the social and educative function to modern entertainment, we will discover how puppetry has always played a role in world culture, from early history until today.


Puppetry in Education and Development
Puppetry has been used to communicate social, health and development issues to communities all over the world. In this workshop, Friedman will discuss some of the projects he has been involved in throughout Africa, Europe, North America, Australia, as well as in many island communities to put across difficult and culturally sensitive messages such as, Aids, corruption, drugs, sex education and abuse. Many of the projects were filmed and he will show short video clips and explain how these were implemented.


Puppetry in Therapy
Puppetry has been used to resolve conflict, assist in delving into pscho-socio trauma and role play in pscho-drama for many years. We will discuss some of the techniques used and their benefits to the patient and society.


Puppetry on Television
Puppetry for television takes us into an entirely different world to live theatre. The Muppets and Sesame Street are probably the best known examples where puppetry has been used successfully on television. But there are many others!

We start to understand the complex world of television and how the audience can be easily tricked by the camera. We will show examples of television puppetry from around the world and discuss the techniques used.


Brain Gym: Learn to move - Move to learn
This lecture outlines the basic concepts behind what makes a “good learner”; describes the stress response and discusses the results of stress in our body and its effects on learning. This is the background to understanding how movement and ‘Brain Gym’ in particular is so powerful in relaxing and activating the brain and body and priming the system for optimal learning. The bulk of the lecture consists of practical tools which can be used by learners of all ages (children and adults) to decrease stress, and improve focus, organisation and communication in the brain; as well as activate the eyes for improved reading and comprehension and ears for optimal listening.
For more information and bookings, please contact me!

United Nations Puppetry Exhibition Opens

A special exhibition of Puppetry Mediator between Cultures opens at the Augsburg Puppet Theatre Museum in Germany on 14 November. The exhibition will encompass crisis intervention and humanitarian work done with puppetry around the world. Although the website is in German, I've been told that an English translation will be put up this week.
Puppeteers and organisations from countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Benin, South Africa, India, Bolivia, Mexico, Madagascar, will participate in the exhibition with work that has crossed and broken down cultural, racial and language bariers to communicate messages to communities across the world. Since 2001, UNESCO has awarded four puppetry projects, amongst others, as "Masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity”.
One of the exhibits include an organisation called “No Strings” (with former Muppeteers Michael Frith and Kathy Mullen) who work in operational zones to point out to the dangers of land mines in Afghanistan. If you are going to be anywhere near Germany between now and June 2007, take a trip to see this inspiring collection of world puppetry ambassadors!

Puppetry Films and Workshops up now!

Many of our Puppetry Films and short docos, shot over the past twenty years are now on-line and available to watch live! This includes many of the workshops that we'll be offering to schools, universities and institutions next year when we once again tour Europe, the United States and Canada. So check out the short films - they are all listed here, in the column on the right!
If you would like more information about our 2007 International Workshop Tour, feel free to contact me!

Henson's Puppet Up LIVE IMPROV

The new live improv show 'Puppet Up', launched recently by The Jim Henson Company, is a blend of Theatre Sports and Live Puppetry-for-Television, which I believe could well have been inspired by the Broadway musical 'Avenue Q'. The puppeteers are in full view of the audience, which gives yet another dimension to the puppetry art and can be extremely comical. Thus it's well suited to adult puppet improv. Take a look at a clip here!