Contact Hilary Ramsden for information about workshop opportunities, to book a future workshop for your group or for other inquiries about our education programs.

   workshops you can book during the Walking Project residency: 
   (downloadable descriptions)

   for schools    learning outcomes
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   check out the residency workshop blog for resources & information

Core Workshops - an Overview
We teach several workshops which are adaptable for different groups. Two essential ingredients of theatre -- imagination and openness -- are central to all workshops. Workshops also emphasize the physical and visual, and explore the connection between movement and language.

Theatre Beyond Words
This physical theatre and devising workshop offers an alternative to traditional theatre training in the United States, and can be adapted for both performers and non-performers.

Physical theatre is a unique approach to performing which explores movement and gesture before the text, and explores play and improvisation as starting points for creating theatre. It encourages listening, observing and working with partners and groups. These workshops develop and extend participants' performance sensibilities in a number of key areas: stage presence, body awareness, focus, play, characterization, ensemble work and improvisation.

Theatre Beyond Words can be taught in stages, depending on the time available, from a three-hour introduction to an intensive weekend or multi-week workshop. We have extensive experience working with people with disabilities and will either integrate them into workshops with other performers or create workshops specifically for them.

Performing Ourselves - a workshop on self generated performance
Several of Walk & Squawk’s productions have evolved from the personal experiences and stories of the performers themselves. Our minds hold stories to tell and so do our bodies. This workshop provides a starting point for developing autobiographical material through improvisation with movement, text, music, everyday gesture and props. We find out how movement and words enhance each other and how our personal stories are connected to everyone else’s. This workshop is taught by Artistic Directors Erika Block and Hilary Ramsden, sometimes with the company.

Something out of Nothing
We tend to believe that we must Do Something in order to Be a Clown, to be sad, to be charming, to be funny. Much of the time we only need to "be", to let a moment happen, to let our surroundings and impulses tell us where to go, to let the audience see our clown in a state of vulnerability and simplicity. Then we may find something out of nothing.

Working through play and improvisation, movement and stillness, participants find their own clown and how to "just be" on stage. And how in the process of doing nothing they will find a moment where something magical and innately their own is created. This workshop looks at extremes and opposites, animals and elements, bags and string, all in the attempt to explore just how much nothing we can do.

Memory, Body and Gesture
A workshop targeting seniors, which explores the connections between movement, memories, stories and the gestures and habits we retain throughout our lives. As human beings we retain gestures and mannerisms from our childhood into adulthood. Often these gestures will spark off an anecdote, image or feeling in us. Or perhaps a word or feeling will take us to an action from the past. Working with memories and stories we explore the connection of movement to remembrance of the past and its continuity with the present and give adults a chance to rediscover their childhood in a sense of play.

Living in the Body
We carry our bodies with us our whole lives yet sometimes we would prefer to be able to leave them behind. This workshop is designed for people who want to treat themselves to a fresh perspective on their bodies. With movement exercises and physical theatre games, we work towards gaining an awareness and confidence in the body, countering stereotyped ideas about body image, ability, age and gender. We work to free the body from tension and release energy and creativity in a supportive and playful atmosphere. Living in the Body can also be targeted to women's groups, seniors or others with special needs.