This workshop is an in depth look at the magical world of Puppetry. Experienced participants will gain new insights, and beginners will find ways to quickly impliment Puppetry in their own specific field of interest.
Puppetry offers a diverse tradition of performance, visual, folk, musical and literary arts. Storytellers, teachers, therapists and artists of all trades and cultures are re-discovering the educational and inspirational values of Puppetry, leading on excursions into lands of beauty, magic and creativity.
This unique program is a combination of demonstration and hands –on puppetry. Participants will explore the qualities, possibilities and effects of various materials, techniques, puppets and performance styles, and learn how to integrate them into their own field of interest. To keep both body and mind aware, times to listen and absorb are lightened up with exersises for the whole group and with individual partners.
Drawing on his strong background as a classical musician and martial artist (Karate, Tai-Chi), Bernd Ogrodnik sees in the puppet the potential of a ´Stradivarius´, and he approaches the manipulation like a samurai handles his sword. Where does the energy to perform a puppet come from, and how does it transfer to the audience? An exploration of movement, balance and breathing will help us find some answers.
A puppeteer attempts to present an object (called puppet) so it appears as being alive. He imbues it with a life force, by extending his energy into the object. Like the sword of a samurai or the violin of the musician, the puppet becomes an energetic extension of the manipulator.
To accomplish this feat many contemplations come into consideration:
It is breath that defines life, if we do not breathe, we will die. So before we can instill breath into and object, we have to learn to properly breathe our selves. If we are to find an energy centre in the puppet, we first have to find the energy center in ourselves. The same goes for proper balance, rhythm, movement etc.
Obviously the act of puppeteering encompasses more than technique and skill. An ancient Zen saying depicts: If the mind is correct, the technique will be correct.
Bernd Ogrodnik is the Master Puppeteer and Artistic Director of "Figuren Theater Bernd Ogrodnik", based out of Iceland. With a formal background in classical music, fine woodworking and movement arts, Bernd has been a prominent figure in the world of Puppetry since 1986. He is Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Icelandic Center for Puppetry Arts , and serves as Master Puppeteer for the National Theater of Iceland. He has toured all over Europe, Canada, the USA and Asia as a performer and lecturer at Internationall Puppet Theatre Festivals, Universities and Conferences. He has been performing a creating Marionettes, Puppets and Mask for various Theaters around the world, for Collectors, Museums, Commercials, TV and Film.
