Queen Bees and Hierarchies by Patrice Bowler

Why they boxed like this:

patricebowler — 2024-11-07 12:23:28 UTC

This video was very informative, however, because our movement language was a nonliteral interpretation of boxing, we rarely assumed the historical boxing stance. It is also worth taking note of the aesthetic difference between Victorian boxers and the boxers of today. Strength is often measured by the bulge of a muscle, the ability to bench press an inanimate object. However, there seems to be a decline in many societies need for physical strength from its citizens. Yet, if the desire is to fulfil the aesthetic expectations of today, this yearning to be sculpted or "buff", could deny a body its full kinaesthetic potential.

I researched the fundamental warmups that professional boxers and boxers in training use to ready their bodies for the ring. Some of the exercises are somewhat intuitive (ex: shadow boxing.) However, the circuits themselves are well rounded, covering the essential muscle groups, while focussing on stability and grounding. There was definitely some parallels between what was being suggested for boxing and well as large scale puppetry. Is it possible that without world building and creative imagery, we have run out of ideas?

Vintage Photos of Women Boxing:

patricebowler — 2024-11-07 12:31:56 UTC

Beautiful representation of female boxers celebrating strength, resilience and rebellion.

Capoeira dance fighting:

patricebowler — 2024-11-14 09:11:21 UTC

Capoeira was an excellent resource for SSOB as it fuses together dance, martial arts and acrobatics. It is a form with profound grace while maintaining an offensive performance. The call and response element with the musicians situates itself in a very community and collaborative context. It is also a form with its roots entrenched in systemic racism, and felt like a powerful and important source for our production featuring oppression and violence against women.

Couple's choice:

patricebowler — 2024-11-14 11:01:48 UTC

Contemporary dance is an integral part of my movement heritage, and there aspects of the form I thought would be useful in SSOB. Our show was presented in the round, and so I wanted to challenge binary angles, counter weights and balance, something quite common in contemporary dance.

Strictly tango:

patricebowler — 2024-11-14 15:50:23 UTC

From the moment I received the brief from Atkinson, I couldn't get the idea of Tango out of my head. We see boxing matches between men and women, and between women and women.

While the aim was to devise movement showcasing these women's power, I was compelled to consider the source of women's power. While the reproductive system can be viewed as one of these sources, within a patriarchal structured society, this becomes a place from where women are dominated and exploited. It is also important to acknowledge that this does not fairly take into consideration those living with a reproductive system they may not identify with.

Tango felt like a way in, a way to channel this erotic and sensual expression of defiance. The dance tells a story of tension, the push and pull of life and desire, which are active themes in SSOB.

Kittens Learning to Walk:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:41:49 UTC

I found this video on Youtube, which I thought might be useful for the early stages in the Juvenile Dragon's development. We were able to glean a fair amount from this video, accessing a better understanding of weight distribution and muscularity.

Komodo Dragon

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:43:09 UTC

This video found on youtube was especially helpful for understanding the coordination of the Adult Dragon. It was a useful resource in helping the puppeteers remember that movements can take time, that she doesn't move quickly.

Vampire Bat Running

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:45:18 UTC

This video found on youtube enabled the puppeteers to enact the run into the lunge during the Pearl Dance. The Pearl Dance was one of the only parts of The Hatchling's performance which was choreographed, and the lunge was one of the only times the Adult Dragon moved quickly.

Alligator Hatching

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:48:07 UTC

This video found on YouTube was incredibly helpful in understanding how the Juvenile would hatch from her egg. This lasted 20-30 minutes as she moved through the following sequence:

Double Rupture: Egg horn ruptures @ front, ripper opens, nose breaks out, hip rip widens
Emerge: Efforts from head, awkward, head is lifted
First Breath: Flood, power to following actions
Freedom: Big effort from hips, tail emerges
Surge: Head surges out, arm may go with it, head resting on chin
Slither: Tail - Spine - Belly
Drag: Arms engaged, upper body uses big efforts
Haul/Crawl: Lower body engages, hips engaged + pushing forward
Learning to stand: Transition into infant

The Tail Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:49:18 UTC

When lifting the tail overhead, avoid letting your arms drift passed your ears, as this creates discomfort in the scapula/shoulder blades and puts tension into the neck.
Stay soft in your feet for better ease of movement.
Hold up higher on the tail, essentially where the muscle would be, letting the lower half take the weight.
This position requires clear calls from the other puppeteers who are sometimes quite far away, so they can stay connected with the thought process and actions of the dragon.
Is always in partnership with the hips.

Anchoring:
While the tail shouldn't always be stable, it is useful to use it as an anchor when the head and arms are doing a specific action.
Applying some resistance helps to stabilise the dragon's spine.

The Legs Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:50:07 UTC

We squat a lot when on the legs. Engage the glutes and lift with the strength in your legs and shoulders, not with your lower back.
Avoid twisting your spine when lifting.
When moving forward, work with the momentum of that motion to support the action of lifting.
You may have to take upwards of three steps to clear one appendage.
This position responds to the impulses from the hips.
Push the weight into the heel of the foot of the dragon. When her hips swing back, use the propulsion to swing the foot forward.
Push through the knee when stepping forward.
There is a handle on the top of the Adult's foot. This can help to articulate her toes.

The Hips Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:50:56 UTC

Stay light on the feet with a soft bend in the knees.

Keep your stance wide.
Keep your core engaged, so that if you have to twist, your muscles are protecting your spine.

The poles can be crossed or on either side of the puppeteer's hip.
The hips of the dragon are responsible for initiating the movement of her legs.
Think about keeping your your tailbone drifting downwards towards the floor.
Avoid arching in the lower spine, as this is generally the first area you will tend to compensate with.

The Arms and Shoulders Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:52:29 UTC

This is where lunging, warrior posses and the lateral shuffles/grapevines are really useful.
With your body on an angle, stay soft in the knees. This will enhance your ability to move greater distances with fluidity.
Focus on staying quiet in the feet.
When lifting, engage your core and extend through your torso, so that you are not taking all of the weight into your arms.
Her wings are allowed to create and be problems. She doesn't know how to use them until the end of the third day of performance.
The secret strings on the wing of the Adult can be used to create movement and tension in the wing. It can also help with bracing against wind.
Take opportunities to fully extend the arms and plant her knuckles on the floor.
Turn the wing at the elbow inwards to brace against the wind.
Hold her wing and forearm together. You can release the wing to readjust or let go of the wing entirely for more swing action.
The shoulders are the engine room of the dragons. Movement is initiated by the thoracic pole bearers with the breath of the dragon.
Maintain readiness and softness in the arms. They do not move with the breath.
When on the shoulder poles, your breath needs to be audible. Stay in sync with your pole partner.
You can simulate weight through her hands.
Be aware of the shoulder and elbow relationship (push and pull.)

The Temples and Nose (Head) Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:53:23 UTC

Stay soft in the knees, engage your core, drop the tailbone to the floor, and stay elongated through the spine.
Avoid arching in the lower back.
Neck and head puppeteers can be quite close in proximity.
For the head to come lower, unhook the pole from your belt, bring the pole to one side of your body and move into her jaw.
You may need a 2nd puppeteer to support the temple puppeteer with their poles when the Juvenile is in the midst of performing lower actions.
The temple position represents her eyes and her ears, seeing and hearing, and her nose is smell.
On the Adult, the two puppeteers on the temple positions can cross behind and in front of one another to find interesting angles for how she sees the world around her.
Her antenna's are receptors responding to vibrations and magnetism around her.
Be clear on what the heads focus is when puppeteers are swapping between nose and temple positions.
Puppeteers in the temple positions can help her look from side to side while staying in a squat as opposed to lowering the poles.
Nose puppeteer can hold the pole in the crook of their their elbow to help brace against the wind and taking moments of rest.
Sometimes the pole is not the most useful place to hold, especially when there is a lot of weight in the nose. Instead, you can hold onto the crossbar for added stability and support.

Golden Rules and Pole Management Physical Checklist:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:54:33 UTC

Because we look up so much when on the poles, avoid crunching in the back of the neck. Look with your eyes and nose rather than your chin. If you feel a strain under the chin, or if the back of your head is resting on your neck/upper back, your head is tilted too far backwards.
Stay underneath the poles.
Always communicate when shifting pole lengths.
If a puppeteer comes to aid an adjustment, the other puppeteers are responsible for keeping her alive.
Do not change positions all at once during rehearsals. Be aware of what positions are changing and when. Don't go in in the middle of a story, let the story play out.
Generally she can't move quickly, except for in the tail.
Communicate with on another to find out who is taking the weight.
There are tabs on the bottom of the poles you can step on when raising and lowering the pole heights.
Her breath is slow, so her thoughts are slow as well.
The ensemble of puppeteers wants to be opening up opportunities for each other, not closing them off.
You can always come back to "She breathes."
Her reactions happen slowly, let her feelings process. Give a quality to her motivations.
Focus on consistency and moving through the challenges.
Give weight to the back end. She is a big and heavy animal.
When she wakes up on day one, failures are key.
Adjusting poles can be part of the story telling.
There is no need to grip the poles super tightly when they are resting in the hip belt.
For changing pole heights, you can take the pole out of your belt, hold it in the air and lower it there. Use gravity to let the poles drop.
The closer you are to the source of the weight, the more control you have.
Coming down on the poles is always easier than going up. You may need assistance from an additional puppeteer.
Breath: Sync up lowering the poles with her breathing, making it a fluid motion.

The Juvenile:
Things can be awkward and clunky as she learns her body. No defined musculature.
She is a baby so every sensation is new.
Impulse is key.
Wide legs and narrow arms when she is very young.

The Adult:
Puppeteers on the inside of the adult need to stay close together.
Keep track and be aware of how her joints move. How can they bend? She is allowed to look uncomfortable.

Adult Lunge!

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:55:55 UTC

This lunge was a part of the Pearl Dance sequence, the only choreographed section of The Hatchling. Our dragons rarely moved with speed, but on this occasion, we had to rehearse how coordinate the fourteen puppeteers. Each section of the dragon had a different moment of lift off and impact on the floor. We would receive our cue from stage management. The action was initiated between the head and tail puppeteers through the connectivity of the spine. because these puppeteers were too far geographically to verbally communicate, the push an pull of the spine became the method of correspondence. The head would push back, and the tail would pull, creating a sturdy base for the arms and legs to move into a wide stance. Once we got the signal, she would move into a crouch position, and then the tail puppeteers (myself included) would launch, driving the dragon forward. It was tricky navigating the landing, wherein every position on the dragon had a different touch down point, while simultaneously looking natural. The subject of research that was most useful in developing the lunge is the vampire bat. You will see an example of the action I am referencing in the Animal Movements section.

Juvenile stalking!

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 21:56:13 UTC

The Juvenile dragon staling was born out of seeing how low to the ground we could get her. Squats were a fundamental part of the morning endurance warmups, as the puppeteers spent a good deal of time in various squat heights. I would observe the puppeteers technique, and offer adjustments when I was thought their might be risk of fatigue or injury.

Conditioning:

patricebowler — 2025-01-29 22:05:51 UTC

Conditioning Week 1:

DYNAMIC WARM UP (2-3 MINS)

CARDIO (4 MINS)

SHUTTLE RUNS
ROUND THE WORLD JUMPS
LATERAL SHUFFLE OR CARIOCA (SIDE TO SIDE) JUMPING JACKS

REST (1 MIN)

LEGS AND GLUTES (4 MINS)

SQUATS
LUNGES
LATERAL LEG LIFTS
SKATERS / LATERAL HOP-OVERS

REST (1 MIN)

ARMS AND SHOULDERS (4 MINS)

ARM RAISES (SIDE, FRONT)
PRESS-UPS
SHOULDER PRESSES
DRAGON WALK

REST (1 MIN)

CORE AND LOWER BACK (4 MINS)
PLANK
BIRD DOG
SUPERMAN OR SWIMMERS
WARRIOR CRUNCH

DYNAMIC COOL-DOWN (2-3 MINS)

Conditioning Week 2:

DYNAMIC WARM UP (2-3 MINS)

CARDIO (4 MINS)

SHUTTLE RUNS
INVISIBLE JUMP ROPE
LATERAL SHUFFLE OR CARIOCA (SIDE TO SIDE)
BURPEES

REST (1 MIN)

LEGS AND GLUTES (4 MINS)

SQUATS
HEEL TOE RAISES
LUNGES
CLAM

REST (1 MIN)

ARMS AND SHOULDERS (4 MINS)

PRESS-UPS
TRICEP DIPS
SHADOW BOXING
ARM CIRCLES

REST (1 MIN)

CORE AND LOWER BACK (4 MINS)

PLANK (LONG HOLD)
GLUTE BRIDGE (LONG HOLD OR LIFT AND LOWER )

DYNAMIC COOL-DOWN (2-3 MINS)

Getting Low:

DYNAMIC WARM UP

Wide stance hip circles

Wide stance lunge slides
Wide stance toe raise pulses
Gentle knee circles
Leg swings
Alternating prancing/butt kicks
Sprinter knees up
Dead lift
Lunge and straighten

COOL DOWN

Quad stretch
Calf stretch
Runners stretch/make a mountain
Seated external hip rotator stretch
Seated one sided hamstring stretch
Lying down alternating hip opening stretch
Nerve flossing
Thread the needle
Lying down lower back roll out

Ideas for Additional Conditioning:

Hold squat against wall
Wide squat with heel raises
Warrior lunge hold
Box step in lunge
Bear Walk
Points of contact exercise
Sit to stand
Dead bug
Toe taps with leg extensions
Pilates 100's

Victorian Etiquette Rules

patricebowler — 2025-07-28 21:55:55 UTC

While I was tasked with choreographing the three dances and devising group movement sequences within Irene and Fleur, I also took it upon myself to better understand the time periods these plays were set in. This was advantageous as I was able to assist the actors in embodying the etiquette for their multiple characters spanning between the 1880's-1920's.

Anna Karenina (2012):

patricebowler — 2025-07-28 21:58:44 UTC

This was the main source material for the Irene + Bosinney "match in a darkened room" love dance. It captured the essence of what both the director and I envisioned for this number with its palpable tension and dizzying movements. The sobering realisation that the characters experience during this scene is very reminiscent of what occurs in the dance between Irene and Bosinney.

1920's Partner dancing!

patricebowler — 2025-07-28 22:00:55 UTC

While we continued to use the Waltz steps in Fleur, this video was helpful in distinguishing the difference of proximity in partner dancing between the 1880's and the 1920's. It was also an opportunity to compare the distance travelled on the floor between these two time periods. Waltz's swept across a ballroom floor, while dances such as the Charleston involved taking small, bouncy steps, travelling very little.

Flapper Posture:

patricebowler — 2025-07-28 22:01:10 UTC

The cast of actors had to learn two two-hour long plays set many years apart from one another. I aided these physical transitions in the body through researching politics, fashion, women's rights, societal rules and the social inequities during the entirety of the Forsyte Saga timeline. Historical posters such as the ones above served to be quite useful in embodying the improprieties and expectations within the systems that these characters would have lived in.

Lifts!

patricebowler — 2025-07-28 22:06:25 UTC

I proposed early in the rehearsal process that I wanted to incorporate some lifts into the boxing matches. The actors were all very keen, and all had an opportunity to be the catcher and leaper. We used the 'Titanic' lift in the video above, as well as 'Sudden Death' quite frequently during the play.

Forsyte Dance Notes:

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 20:02:53 UTC

A compilation of notes from my working journal outlining the process of devising the Frustrated Dance, the 'Match in a Darkened Room' Dance and Nettlefold Dance.

Etiquette and World Building:

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 20:09:25 UTC

A compilations of notes from my working journal outlining etiquette exercises, observations and hit list items that informed the world building and physical developments of these characters as they move from the 1880's-1920's.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 20:12:36 UTC

Boxing Matches.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 20:55:23 UTC

Sweet Science of Bruising was experienced in the round. In the centre of the playing space, we had a boxing ring, with a punching bag that would drop from the ceiling from time to time. There were multiple boxing matches, and the transitions in and out of these needed to be were very fluid, along with the scene changes. Focussing on playing the angles of the space was essential, so the boxing sequences needed to take this into account. We found a legion of creative spacing opportunities, so that the matches weren't replicating each other. The results being an engrossing and dynamic production.

Intimacy Direction.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 21:07:04 UTC

The intimate staging included two kisses between the characters of Matty and Gabriel, a kiss between Polly and Paul, a post sex scene between Polly and Paul, a kiss between Gabriel and Anna as well as references to sexual violence between the couple. While the script didn't explicitly advertise queer coupling, during the rehearsal process, the actors playing Violet and Polly suggested that these women might be developing a queer relationship. Applying a queer lens felt apt to the production, heightening this overarching theme of the systemic oppression of women that denies the access to basic human rights. It also earned us the ability to channel some of this power emanating from feminine erotism living deep within us that Lorde discuses.

Lady Boxing Champions of the World.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 21:18:59 UTC

Meet our Lady Boxing Champions of the World! Anna, Matty, Polly and Violet. In the background photograph, the birdcages over the lights are designed to convey the oppression of women in the Victorian era.

Photo Credit: Andrew AB Photography.

Vanessa Ewan Inspired Foundation Hybrid Warm-Up.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 21:36:26 UTC

Sue Mythen asked me to design a warmup for the Foundations course which would be technical while also engaging the imagination. I would spend the first 20-minutes of our Monday and Friday sessions with the group adding onto the sequence, reorienting the actors so that the sequence could always be searching for new curiosities and fine-tuning technique. I pulled from the various forms that contribute to my own movement language, including tap dance; contemporary dance, yoga, swing dance, physical theatre, ballet, jazz dance, burlesque and salsa dance.

Contact Improvisation, Object and Physical Theatre Work.

patricebowler — 2025-08-04 21:37:04 UTC

I bonded with Andy Crook, the head of physical theatre at The Lir, when I learned that Phillip Zarilli was one of his closest friends. He was very moved when I enlightened him to the fact that I was referencing Zarilli in my SIP. Mid-way through term, Crook asked if I could cover a class for him. I was thrilled at the offer, and saw it is a PAR opportunity for my SIP. Andy was incredibly generous, giving me the freedom to work on whatever I needed to. I designed a 45-minute session (as half the class was to be dedicated to group projects) that combined ensemble building exercises with object theatre. I had the use of long wooden sticks, reminded me of an exercise we'd enacted with broomsticks on The Hatchling. We started the session by moving about the space and following through on physical impulses. There was lots of connection through laughter, which one student mused about really enjoying, because sometimes movement classes feel like they have to be so serious. Once this exercise came to a natural ending, I introduced the sticks. With some Mervyn Miller terminology and inspiration, they moved about the room breathing life into the sticks, connecting them an connecting with each other. At a certain point, I began to remove the sticks. I was very curious to see what would happen to the group when the sticks disappeared. For the most part, the actors immediately sought out new sticks that were still floating about the space. However, several made the choice to stay with their fellow scene partner, respecting the space that the stick had once occupied. Finally, only one stick remained, and the actors found levels around it, treating it with ritualistic care. We ended we a beautiful tableau, breath filling the space. It wasn't what I was necessarily hoping for, nor expecting. However, if my argument is prioritising actor agency and group connecting through breath and body listening. Pursuing this hive mind mentality of synchronicity and sharing the work load amongst the community, then these actors offered a beautiful representation of the Queen Bee Methodology.

patricebowler — 2025-08-05 01:48:07 UTC

Photo Credit: Andrew AB Photography.

patricebowler — 2025-08-08 01:10:11 UTC

Table of Contents.

patricebowler — 2025-08-09 18:40:34 UTC

The Hatchling
- Rehearsal videos
- Golden rules and pole management
- Sharing experience: The temples and nose (head)
- Sharing experience: The arms and shoulders
- Sharing experience: The hips
- Sharing experience: The legs
- Sharing experience: The tail
- Animal movement references
- Warm-ups!
- Production video
The Sweet Science of Bruising
- Movement references
- Pugilism research
- Working journal notes
The Forsyte Saga
- Irene research
- Dance references
- Fleur research
- Working journal notes
The Lir
- Movement sessions
Monarch
- Workshop
Professional Development Plan
Host Feedback Forms
Consent Forms
Interviews
- Eyglo Belafonte
- Lisa Goebel
- Mervyn Miller

patricebowler — 2025-08-09 19:10:42 UTC

Bear.

patricebowler — 2025-08-09 19:10:55 UTC

The Monarch Actors learning/teaching a movement sequence inspired by bear-like actions.

patricebowler — 2025-08-09 21:15:34 UTC

Full Sequence.

patricebowler — 2025-08-09 21:41:21 UTC

The full choreographed sequence. Within this sequence, every actor's individually devised movement has a moment in the sun, showcasing how the embodiment of someone else's vision manifests on an individual level as well as a collective.

Moving Forward...

patricebowler — 2025-08-10 00:03:06 UTC

Professional Development Plan.

This was hard for me to devise, as so much of what I want to accomplish as a movement practitioner is already in motion. It also raised a red flag for me, as it has left me with the sensation that I am supposed to be prioritising a hierarchal approach to the progression of my career. However, I want to be very clear that I have big dreams and goals for my professional future.Ultimately, what is most important to me is that I continue to stay curious about my craft, embracing play whenever I am able. I want to work with ‘hive-minded’ individuals who use their voices to campaign for equitable treatment and pay as well as the deconstruction of systemic oppression in the theatre industry.

Movement Direction for Theatre:

Year One:

Movement director on RSC transfer of the Forsyte Saga, October-December 2025.
Movement director on On Native Land, spring 2026.
Building and fostering relationships with theatre companies in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and Canada so I can continue to pursue a international career.

Three Years:

To have a very fruitful career movement directing for independent theatres across Ireland and the UK.
To return to Caravan Farm Theatre to movement direct a show there.

Five Years:

- Continuing to learn as much as I can about the craft through workshops, classes and mentorship opportunities.

- To be considering a PHD in Movement.

Teaching Movement:

Year One:

To cover short courses at The Lir.
To teach on the CDT course at RCSSD.

Three Years:

To approach University of Edinburgh and Glasgow to see about building a curriculum for a movement department.
To be available to Sue Mythen, should she ever need a cover at The Lir.

Five Years:

To be head of movement at a conservatoire or university, preferably in Scotland or Ireland.

Puppetry:

Year One:

To be shadowing Toby Sedgewick and Mervyn Miller whenever they will have me.
Take puppet building courses.
Do a course at Curious School of Puppetry.
Reconnect with Vision Mechanics in Edinburgh to see if I can work alongside them again.

Three Years:

Because I will have my robo spine at this point, I would like to be touring large scale puppet projects around the world.
Undertaking the craft of puppet building more seriously.

Five Years:

Teaching puppetry practices in local communities, at schools and at conservatoires and universities.
Continuing to learn as much as I can about the craft through workshops, classes, touring and mentorship opportunities.

Intimacy Directing and Coordination:

One Year:

Undertake a course to obtain my full certification in intimacy work.

Three Years:

To have an active career in intimacy work across the UK, Ireland and Canada.

Five Years:

Continuing to always hone and develop my practice so that I am staying up to date with the latest methods and information.

Other:

Post spinal surgery, I would like to take a 3-month Flamenco intensive in Grenada.
To forever be developing the Queen Bee Methodology.
To have my own immersive theatre farm someday, similar to that of Caravan Farm Theatre. My dream is for this to be in Scotland and to have loads of chickens and a garden. It could be used for residencies and workshopping of new productions, as well as functioning as an outdoor theatre when the weather behaves.

Monarch Planning.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 08:04:13 UTC

Monarch provided an opportunity to exercise the PAR method in obtaining some fundamental data for my SIP. Monarch tells the fictional story of King William and Queen Kate's son George falling in love with an indigenous political activist, Roks, from Turtle Island. We journey with Roks as she navigates becoming a part of a family who represent the pinnacle of Colonialism. It felt like an ideal project to embed this Queen Bee Methodology that was percolating, as the very essence of this production will tackle issues of reconciliation, feminism, hierarchy, and systemic racism and entrenched multi-generational trauma. The only brief from the writer, Payette, was that he wanted animalistic themes to be explored. Having just finished my time at The Lir, where I observed Mythen lead the 1st year actors through animal studies, pathways into animal embodiment and anatomy were fresh in my mind. However, I didn't want to lose the element of ensemble analysis. I led a character inspired animal embodiment exercise, in fact, it was the exercise I used in my audition for RCSSD. This helped identify for the actor animalistic traits that they could implement in their character work. They also when on group flocking journeys, as I fed environmental components to instigate changing of levels, tempos, rhythms, and full body engagement. I was aware that it was day three of a week long workshop for these actors, and the energy in the room reflected this. So I adjusted my plan when needed, as to not alienate, frustrate or exacerbate the several injuries which had been shared with me. One actor's back was giving him a lot of grief, an old injury acting up, so I asked which position was most comfortable for him. Seated was his answer, and so I asked if he would be feel comfortable participating in the exercises and devising movement from a seated position. He said yes, and I encouraged him to listen to his body, to not push through the pain. Another actor ended up sitting out for the last third of the session due to the inflammation of an old injury. I asked stage management to track down some ice. While I tried to find a route for her to participate in the work again, she was quite hesitant. So I didn't push, as she said she was happy to just observe. This is something I have been contending with, this approach where the work is made accessible to all bodies, where we do not treat disabilities, chronic pain, injuries and illness as a reason to not be included. Yet, if somataphobia already resides within someone and they express discomfort in undertaking the physical work, a what point is encouragement through accessibility adjustments more of a hinderance than a help? The last hour of the workshop saw the actors teaching one another individual devised character movements to make one choreographic sequence. This was me handing the ownership of the work over to them, acting more as support than leader. At the end of the choreographic sequence they turned the work back inwards, sharing their individuality. This was an aha moment in that, the sense of ensemble was very much still present, even though they were no longer moving in sequence together. They were able to hold onto the ensemble dynamics and palpable energy they'd created together which merged into their individual movements. Queen Bee Methodology in practice, collaboration and communication that promoting working together for the success of the community. Agency and individuality that is potent and recognised amongst the colony.

Thank You Hive Mind!

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 09:52:51 UTC

Timeline of Activities.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 18:00:57 UTC

Babel Infuse Artist Residency Workshop: July 1st-5th, 2024
The Hatchling: July 29th-August 25th, 2024
The Forsyte Saga: August 26th-October 19th, 2024
The Sweet Science of Bruising: November 11th-December 10th
The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin: January 13th-March 28th, 2025
I had a dream I shot you in the head but the calibre wasn't very big: February 2nd-14th, 2025
Interview with Mervyn Miller: May, 2025
Interview with Eyglo Belafonte: June, 2025
Monarch Workshop: June, 2025
Interview with Lisa Goebel: July, 2025

Host Feedback Forms.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 18:13:37 UTC

Monarch and SSOB Consent Forms.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 18:21:17 UTC

SSOB Actor Consent Forms.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 18:27:08 UTC

The Hatchling- Our Year.

patricebowler — 2025-08-14 21:50:52 UTC