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What is Action Theater?

In my experience of doing it, it can be hard to describe. It also is different things to different people. Here is some attempt at distilling what I feel and find the practice to be (for).

Action Theater is a training.
-An artistic training: for improvisation, collaboration, composition. For noticing our habits when creating and stretching our awareness of the possibilities of our instrument. Feeling into the rich multitudes we can possess when in the creative act.
-A human training: for relating to others, to ourselves. Noticing our habitual ways of thinking, judging and guiding our minds towards a more sustainable way of being. Practicing acceptance, play, focus, non-attachment. Finding a balance between deep rigor and deep ease. Feeling into the rich multitudes we can possess when in this living body.

I told you it's hard to describe! Let's try and get a little more specific.
 
Action Theater calls on and looks at 3 "materials" that we all have access to
1. Movement
2. Sound
3. Language 

Classes will typically comprise of a series of exercises/scores/games that have us work individually or with a parter(s), focusing on one or more of these materials in a specific way to try and strengthen skills of improvisation. And to have fun. Really, that's what matters. 

The ultimate "goal" of Action Theater is to be able to walk out onto a floor, by ourselves, or with others, and create. Spontaneously. 
Action Theater continues to teach me we don't need to do much at all in order to create art.

The practice is sometimes called "The Improvisation of Presence," because we improvise from what is already present in us. We already have everything we could possibly need. In our awareness, right now.
 
Feel into your body. Dozens of sensations. hundreds! Itches, tingles, emotions, memories, thoughts.
This is the starting place. Every time. Action Theater trains how to use these sensations as inspirations rather than encumberments. Imagine that!
 
^All of this^ is one corner of Miles' reflection on Action Theater.
I encourage you to discover your own corners.

Come by. 

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