Developing Presence (online workshop)

In this introductory workshop, Hofan will share her exercises and experiments from her Butoh and Heart-Imagery Meditation work. These exercises in imagination and consciousness will help actors and performers enrich their stage presence.

We often assume charisma and stage presence to be inborn qualities, but there are very simple exercises in imagination and consciousness that can help us align our bodies and minds. Fundamental to these practices is an understanding of the connection between internal imagery to our subtle bodies and the energetic field around us, and how influential the energy of the heart is.

From this, we come to learn that there are systematic ways to train the richness of one’s internal world, as well as ways to make this inner world palpable to an audience. In this way, an actor can create presence by the virtue of the imagination.

Takeaways from the course:
- learn about the connection of imagery to body, emotions and presence
- experience how bringing one’s consciousness to the heart can increase one’s stage presence
- experience practical exercises to train an actor’s inner senses, beginning with the experience of the inner light spectrum
- access the vulnerability of the present moment, and experience the resulting vocal and physical change

Language of instruction: English
Technical platform for the course: Zoom
Price : £30 (2.5hours)
Application: https://www.embodiedpoetics.org/satellite/developing-presence-through-the-doorway-of-the-heart-with-hofan-chau-hong-kong

Hofan Chau is a teacher-practitioner in Heart Imagery, tai chi and reiki. She studied and performed under Yukio Waguri, the direct disciple of butoh founder Tatsumi Hijikata; a performance discipline that uses imagery. She is also familiar with the use of subtle energy (chi, chakras) from her work in tai chi and reiki. These days though, she is particularly fascinated by the spiritual dimension of imagery in the form of Heart Imagery meditation, and its ability to access different dimensions of consciousness; thus bringing healing and alignment to the practitioner and those around her.