Performing Biography-The standup way’ is a method created and taught by Lia Haraki in a series of three independent workshops. During the workshops, participants will have the chance to discover and practice performing in a safe environment. The workshops focus on how autobiography and life experiences can become meaningful sources of material for the stage.

Inspired partly by stand-up comedy principles in combination with Lia’s ‘life map method’, the workshop focuses on how self-referential, self-sarcastic, and experiential information becomes relevant to others, by bridging the subjective to the objective and the personal to the collective.

All together ‘The Performing Biography’ series of workshops is a deep exploration of how one’ s history and experiences can be vehicles that connect the performer to the audience by sharing feelings of empathy, fragility, and humour.

The workshop structure
There are three parts to the workshop. Each part lasts for three days during a weekend (Friday – Saturday – Sunday) and focuses on a specific topic. Participants can join one, two, or the whole series of the workshops as they can be experienced independently and can also function as a continuum. Nevertheless, if one joins the introductory workshop, it will be easier to follow the rest of the workshops.

Who can join
Individuals that are occupied with performance on an amateur or professional level and are open to explore the body and voice as expressive and creative tools in the form of short informal performances within the group. There are 10 available spaces for the workshops each time and they will be granted on a first come first served basis.

Why take the workshops:
– If you are an amateur in performing you will gain confidence on stage, familiarize with the physical body and voice work and practice embodying situations and emotions.
-If you are a public speaker you will gain experience and confidence in speaking to an audience through useful tools on physical mannerisms, articulation techniques and integrating humor.
-If you are a teacher whether you are working with children or adults, you will enrich your teaching practice with creative exercises in relation to physicality, voice work, collaboration, confidence and cooperation .
-if you are a professional performing artist you will go deeper in exploring live improvisation in performance time, get feedback and tips for dealing with unexpected moments on stage and possibly be inspired enough to begin a creative process for the making of a new solo or group piece.
-if you are in a profession involving communication you will gain immediacy and flow in speech and communication, learn new ways to cultivate trust, cooperation and empowerment both for an individual as well as for a group.

Part one: The life Map
11 – 13 March
Friday 18.30-21.30 – Saturday 14.00-20.00 & Sunday 9.00-14.00
This is an introductory workshop where individuals start sharing stories with the use of ‘The life map’ as a source of inspiration for their performance material. They will also familiarize themselves with speaking to the microphone and presenting in front of an audience (the other participants). This first workshop is also an introduction to working with movement, vocal sound, and the embodiment of situations and experiences. It is highly recommended as it will be easier to follow the rest of the workshops.

Part two: Body – Text – Character
8-10 April at Dance House Lemesos
Friday 18.30-21.30, Saturday & Sunday 11.00-17.00
The second workshop goes deeper into the mediums used to tell a story like physicality, text, and rhythm and how they are used to form characters and situations. With the help of personal references, images, and states, participants will learn to transform and channel their energy to communicate a specific narrative

Part three: Performer and spectator relations
13-15 Μay at Dance House Lemesos
Friday 18.30-21.30, Saturday & Sunday 11.00-17.00
The last part is about exploring different ways of communicating with the audience in the performer/spectator relationship. Possibilities created when exploring proximity, environment, attitude, and projection will be opened and practiced. In this last workshop, the participants will perform a solo to a private audience selected by the group.

Cost:
Τhe price includes all materials and technical equipment which will be used during the workshops
Attending one workshop – 150 euros
Attending two workshops – 250 euros
Attending all three workshops – 300 euros
In the case of cancellation (by you) 10 days before the workshops, 50% of the payment will be returned to you. Any day after that, the money will be nonrefundable. In case of cancellation by us, then all payments will be returned to you.