PERFORMING ARTS

Gordon MacLellan

  • Session 1: Finding Stories Everywhere

    In this session, Gordon will explore ways of letting nature inspire us: relaxing, not worrying, not planning: maybe this is “creative mindfulness” – a talk that isn’t about answers but about the questions we can ask and the freedom we can give ourselves to let our creativity grow from inside and outside us. How does my creativity influence my life? When – how - did I find that creativity? What do I do to keep myself being creative?

  • Session 2: Witches, Trees and Trolls

    How the imagery contained in traditional stories offer me new ways of exploring the natural world and new avenues for my creativity. This session will encourage people to look at traditional tales in a different light and consider they might invite us to explore the world around us more creatively and how that in turn can inspire and inform our own creativity

Andrea Sweeney Blanco

  • Session 1: Creativity and Growing the Self

    What is personal growth? How is creativity involved? Let us look in at our own human nature in order to understand what a connection with the earth, and to each other, truly means for us and our future. After this session, attendees will hopefully feel their eyes and minds have been opened, challenged, and walk away with more questions to ask of the world.

  • Session 2: Manifestation and The Improvisation of Every-Day Life

    Specificity in one's vision of their goals and dreams is so important, though it's important to focus on the what not the how. We can strategize and plan, but we must be willing to listen to the signs along the way as well and not focus on the things we can't control. The path to get to where we are going can only become clear as we take action, but one action leads to greater discovery and sometimes we end up with the unexpected.

  • Session 3: Creating a Character

    An interactive introductory lesson to the mapping out of a script, and breathing life into a character. Whether you are a director, writer, producer, lover of performance, or a performer, this talk as told from the lens of a full-time professional actor will focus on the specificity and attention to detail needed to fully embody a character in a believable and meaningful way.

Jay Cooper

  • Session 1: Finding the Higher Self Through Harder Contact - Lessons from Martial Arts

    At the heart of Bruce Lee's philosophy and his art of Jeet Kune Do was the idea of "Honestly expressing oneself". He used martial arts and films to do this, but the idea of presenting that "authentic self" is almost universal to many traditions, notably Thelema and Taoism. Jay will show how to use physical practice to find that "core self"; the Eternal Soul that then expresses itself through whatever medium we see fit.

  • Session 2: The Bigger the Storm, The Calmer the Centre - How to deal with life's Cyclones!

    Most people think of calm and tranquility as a waterfall or forest listening to nature; Jay defines it as the ability to think and focus when someone is smashing left hooks into your ribcage. Drawing on time honored traditions and his own training and experience, Jay demonstrates some of the methods he has found useful in bring calmness, clarity and correct action to chaos!

Christine Ahanotu

  • Pushing Through: Lessons Learned While Writing My First Show

    In this 30 minute talk, Christine pulls from personal experiences writing her first narrative audio series for a major studio and explores the struggles and triumphs that often accompany "doing the work.

Franziska Brandmeier

  • In-between Moments

    How I find the creative force in two worlds. Working for a VC but also following my passion and profession as an actress. My understanding of creativity has its root in the transition phases between the two worlds. It fills me with joy to combine the two and learn from each of them.

Alexandrea Sims Clark

  • Fearless Entrepreneurship: The Art of Developing your Hobby’s into Opportunity.

    Create a life you love simply by pursuing your passions. During this session, Alexandrea will help you discover a fearless approach to trying new things, finding your flow, and monetizing and capitalizing on ALL of your passions and talents. As a multifaceted creative, Alexandrea has valuable insight into strategies that can transform your life into a successful playground.