| Body Alphabet |
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A screening of a film documenting Zygmunt Molik’s exercises performed by Jorge Parente, with Ewa Oleszko-Molik’s commentary. Sat 11 April 2014, 7:30pm Na Grobli Studio Admission free Film in French translated into Polish and English The Body Alphabet, also known as Molik’s Alphabet, forms the core for the Voice and Body training method developed over 48 years of research by Zygmunt Molik and designed to open up the body and voice. It consists of a set of precise physical actions that can be used to build a body language. “You must learn these actions by heart and then improvise a ‘life’ with them. […] There are about thirty-five actions, including a number of intermediate actions necessary to move from one exercise to another. […] Some are more complicated, and everything is conceived as a resource serving the voice. […] All these exercises have been created to serve the voice.” Zygmunt Molik “Zygmunt Molik first told me of his desire to make me the successor of his method in 2006 in Lisbon. But it was only in 2010, after his death, that I asked myself questions about my willingness to take up the baton and what it would mean to me. Today I can say with pride that this work has become my own and I call on practitioners to willingly and greedily explore what Zygmunt called the Body Alphabet. What is Body Alphabet? It is a series of physical actions which, just like an alphabet and its letters, invites us to write our own history – at once emotional, creative and relational. In fact, it is an invitation to take action, to go on a journey, to meet oneself, others and the Unknown.” Jorge Parente The 24 “letters of the Alphabet” were first recorded in 2006 by Giuliano Campo (with technical assistance from Heather Green) to be included on a DVD with the book Zygmunt Molik’s Voice and Body Work: The Legacy of Jerzy Grotowski (2010). They were presented by Jorge Parente, Zygmunt Molik’s successor, except for three exercises performed and recorded separately by Giuliano Campo. The book includes 27 exercises. A second Polish edition of the book is in preparation. It will include a DVD with 30 fundamental Body Alphabet exercises performed by Jorge Parente. The exercises were recorded with two cameras by Maciej M±dry and £ukasz Czarnecki on 10 and 17 March 2013 in the Laboratory Space of the Grotowski Institute. Jorge Parente provided assistance editing the material. Jorge Parente is an actor, director and teacher. He graduated in acting from l’École de Théâtre “Le joueur regardé”. He became involved in theatre in 1989. From 2004 to 2007 he worked as a manager and director at Grupo de Teatro da ART, Lisbon. He started teaching in 1990. In 1992 Parente met Zygmunt Molik, an actor with Grotowski’s Laboratory Theatre and creator of the Voice and Body training method, which he followed and developed from 1960 to 2008. After 18 years working with Molik, first as a trainee and then as an assistant, Parente became the only official exponent of Voice and Body. Parente conducts Voice and Body workshops throughout the world, often assisted by Zygmunt Molik’s long-time trainees Zoe Ogeret and Tiago Porteiro. More: www.jorgeparente.com Ewa Oleszko-Molik comes from a family steeped in music. She practised the piano for 10 years and then, for 12 years, worked at the Wroc³aw Philharmonic, including in its programme department. She was also the manager of the Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra and of Wojciech Rajski’s Chamber Orchestra before becoming head of the Event Department of the Lower Silesian Music Society in Wroc³aw. Ewa Oleszko-Molik met Zygmunt Molik in 1972. Their acquaintance developed into a close friendship between two families. For many years she assisted him in his training work and helped chart its direction, and in 2001 she devoted herself entirely to this task. She collaborates with the Grotowski Institute, where she is the leader of the Zygmunt Molik Voice-In Studio. She writes a blog called Zygmunt Molik, dedicated to Zygmunt Molik’s life and work. As part of BodyConstitution, practical seminar |