Shakespeare helps restore the body’s story to prisoners

At the recent conference of INARS, the professional organization around Rubenfeld Synergy, we talked a great deal about the restoration of movement to the body, and how restoring movement can give us our sense of soul back. In an interview with Bessel van der Kolk, he spoke of how in trauma, the body gets stuck

Great fun getting actors into their bodies at Theatre @ First

The other night I had the opportunity to work with a large cast of actors in a crazy, little-known Elizabethan play called The Knight of the Burning Pestle. The play is a satire on Elizabethan theatre, written in the same time period. A couple of rowdy “audience members” interrupt the action constantly, insert their own

Double Edge, again: becoming one with presence

Yesterday, I spent more time with the wonderful folks at Double Edge Theatre, out in Ashfield, MA.  Their highly physical Open Trainings, as I’ve described here before, are rigorous, inspirational, and transformative, and I would encourage anyone who is not mobility-challenged to try one. Here are some moments from this one, particularly as they relate

Blog Year’s Eve – My Top 15

  Tomorrow is the 1st anniversary of the start of this blog.  When I began, I wanted a place to talk about this amazing work, to explain some of its principles, and tell client stories.  What it’s become is far more comprehensive, and, as might have been predicted, more holistic.  I’ve enjoyed talking about the

How Rubenfeld Synergy helped me work with actors

Back in 2009, I worked on a production of The Winter’s Tale that was my first full-length production in years.  I was 34 years old, and I found out two things that were amazingly helpful.  One was that I still had a sense of all the technical skills needed to do the job of directing:

Out of my comfort zone

Last week was something of a process of getting out of my comfort zone and doing things I’d long wanted to, but never quite had the nerve.  In particular, I applied for a theatrical directing slot at a local respected theatre company, proposing a couple of really classic shows. I write a bit about the

Fearless, together and free: an afternoon at Double Edge Theatre

Yesterday, I had the distinct pleasure of participating in Double Edge Theatre’s Open Training, out in the wilds of Ashfield, MA.  The Berkshires are lovely this time of year, of course, but what I got to experience was far more than the usual New England leaf-peep.  Rather, I had my body worked, my mind expanded,

“Bent,” and nearly shattered

For the past month or so, I’ve been helping out on a production of Bent, a Martin Sherman play about gays in the Holocaust.  Theatre@First, my local community theatre, is performing it, and the director asked me to assist.  In rehearsals, I once again found myself in one of my favorite activities: working with talented

[Re-run] Bodies, breath, and music – a review of “Ash Land”

I’ve spoken here before about theatre, as well as music and writing, my other two artistic passions.  I find they are important for my readers to know who I am as a practitioner, and that these things also powerfully inform my work as a Rubenfeld Synergist.  Ilana, after all, started her career as a symphonic

Bodies, breath, and music – a review of “Ash Land”

I’ve spoken here before about theatre, as well as music and writing, my other two artistic passions.  I find they are important for my readers to know who I am as a practitioner, and that these things also powerfully inform my work as a Rubenfeld Synergist.  Ilana, after all, started her career as a symphonic