An Applied Improvisation workshop with Ted DesMaisons Presented by Matiere Brute Do you find yourself shrinking from valuable opportunities for connection or driving others away with unintentional intimidation? Based on the work of legendary British acting coach Patsy Rodenburg, this experiential workshop led by Ted DesMaisons will show you how to inhabit “Second Circle,” a physical and attitudinal way of being that generates resilient confidence, creative power, and authentic connection. Through safe and playful movement, breathing, and speaking exercises, you will learn how to return easily and consistently to this place of grounded strength. You will also see how we often inhabit the less productive spaces of “First Circle” (hesitant hiding) and “Third Circle” (overconfident overbearing) and how they each can prove useful or productive at limited times. Lastly, you will explore how Second Circle resembles—and yet differs from—more familiar status work in applied improvisation. Visit animalearning.com/applied-improvisation to learn more about Ted and his work. Guaranteed to shift how you move in the world! Combining humor with gravitas and intention with inspiration, Ted DesMaisons helps create safe spaces for exploring what really matters. Founder and Principal of Anima Learning, Ted teaches about and employs insights from the complementary worlds of growth mindset, applied improvisation, contemplative practice, and positive reinforcement. Since completing his graduate work at Stanford (MBA) and Harvard (Masters of Theology), Ted has studied improvisation with Patricia Ryan Madson, Bay Area Theater Sports (BATS) and Loose Moose Theater in Calgary, Alberta. He is also a trained Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor. We (Joëlle & Jonathan) first met Ted DesMaisons at the AIN world conference in Austin, Texas in 2013 and immediately realized his ground-breaking approach to applied improvisation. Ted DesMaisons has this magical way of bringing us into presence and mindfulness with great tools and exercises. Matière Brute designs and facilitates learning experience that nurture a new culture of interactions using tools, principles and exercises from improvisation.
