Here’s a crackpot theory I’ve been testing lately in my InterPlay classes: to be a good teacher, the more selfish I can be, the better. It seems that, if I teach a class to meet those needs, I generally meet the needs of the class participants as well.

When Coke Nakomoto and I decided to start teaching a monthly performance workshop series, it made perfect sense that we allow ourselves to be supremely selfish. We wanted to create a space in which performers can nurture their artist-selves.

Why? Because we both notice that our inner-artists need some major tending. For example, my Inner Critic can be quite harsh, which limits the choices I make as a performer; I need a gentle, light space to practice creating and being seen. Also, I have a tendency to abandon my deepest expressions in favor of entertaining the audience; I am interested in figuring out how to slow down and be present to myself while I perform, and then meet the audience half way. As a result, most of my recent InterPlay-as-performance teaching centers around self-care and sweetness while I’m improvising infront of an audience.

A week ago Coke and I taught our first performance workshop of the fall, and it went swimmingly! Seven women — half of whom have performance background, and half of whom wanted to play with performance and personal growth — brought their bright, shining, courageous selves to the gorgeous InterPlay studio. We grounded with ensemble movement improvisations, then sunk deeply into some solo explorations, and finally performed for each other.  I’m consistently blown away by the profound simplicity of the InterPlay forms…and the artfulness they draw out in others!

The next workshops will be on the following Sundays from 2-5pm: September 11, October 30, and November 13. Come join us!