Gestalt approach in Theatre

Access a feeling and put into performance

This project is devoted to learning how to recognize and express feelings, resulting in a public performance composed of individual monologues. The methodology is based on three pillars: the Gestalt approach, Stanislavski's system, and community building tools. This approach invites the whole personality (bodily, emotional, and cognitive) into the process that leads to deeper awareness and understanding of feelings.

June 2023

A first group of 10 international people gathered in Porto, conducting their final performance in the end August 2023

Sept 2023 - Jul 2024

Four more groups gathered throughout this period, having different performances- monologues but also two unified storyline performances coming from within the group.

https://www.meetup.com/im-porto/events/298759194

https://www.meetup.com/im-porto/events/299193703

https://www.meetup.com/im-porto/events/301159214

ttps://www.meetup.com/im-porto/events/302066868

Sept 2024

The ambition of this project is to continue the next season with the new Monologues group, a group working on pre-written script, and a group working on co-creation of a storyline. These three sub-groups will be united under the core principles of the project

Core
Principles

The actor, first of all, explores themselves and tries to find the experience they need in themselves.
Strength comes from ability to face and sit with a wide range of emotions.
It is possible to live your feeling through only in the presence of the other.

Project cycle

01.

Gather a group of 10 international participants - locals and migrants living in Porto. Participants are coming with very diverse backgrounds, and they may and may not have a previous experience with theater.

02.

We meet once a week throughout 2 or 3 months. There are specific activities at each session leading to a performance. We work with accessing feelings, identity and core values of each person, body awareness exercises and group building activities. We do steps towards ability to recognize and express a wide range of emotions. Theoretical parts regarding Gestalt, non-formal education models and acting are also involved. And, there is also a fun part.

03.

We prepare for and run a final performance that is normally done in the local professional theater space "Lugar" in Porto.

04.

After the final performance, there is an additional gathering to celebrate results, evaluate the process and discuss ideas for the future of the group.

05.

In order to start a new group or continue with an existing one, the following work is done:

a. Planning.

b. Promotion and visibility actions to gather a new group - online campaign in FB and Instagram.

c. Compilation of ongoing project results - booklets, handouts, photo materials, social media posts, website updates.

Overall, this is an important work that needs to be properly done and thus being financed.

The next Theater group

Location: Porto
Start: September 2024

Participate

Meet the facilitator

Yulia Utenkova

I am a group facilitator & Gestalt practitioner, with experience in amateur theater group and 10 years working with non-formal education projects around Europe.

Contact Me

Methodology of this project in details

Gestalt approach

Focus on "Here and Now", bring yourself fully in the present moment.

What matters is who you are and how you feel in the present moment. We can ignore our feelings, run away from them, suppress or hide - instead, Gestalt approach suggests to acknowledge them and live them through. Emotional regulation is a key to support us being stronger, happier and healthier human beings.

Stanislavski's system

The "art of experiencing" instead of "art of representation".

Konstantin Stanislavski's work, described in a book "An Actor Prepares", 1936, is famous and inspired generations of actors and trainers. It moved actors to work towards high level of emotional Intelligence. According to Stanislavski,
the actor is not trying to become a different person, their role is "me" in the proposed circumstances. An actor's feelings are their own feelings, the source of which is their inner world.

Non-formal education and coaching models

It's important to grow a sense of trust and safety in the group.

By integrating so-called non-formal education elements - icebreakers, energizers, group building activities, discussion circles - we bring a group through a process that leads it to become a self-regulated community. Coaching techniques help to be more aware of each person's inner processes as well as processes happening within the group.