7 January 2019
On the afternoon of 1 January 2019, the Feldenkrais Method Master Class opened in the Red Building of the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA). Sponsored by STA and organized by the STA International Performing Arts Research Centre, this master class is an important event of international performing arts education. The 51 trainees and 53 theoretical researchers enrolled in this master class are mainly teachers and postgraduate students from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Central Academy of Drama, Beijing Film Academy, China National Defense University, Communication University of China, Jilin College of the Arts, Shandong University of Arts and other art universities, as well as graduates from top international drama schools in Russia and France. Luo Haiqiong, a famous actress of the Beijing Huayi Brothers Media Group and an outstanding graduate of STA Acting Department, and Chen Chen, a famous TV host of the Dragon TV, Wang Yinan, a famous actor of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, and Sun Qing, a famous actress of the Shanghai Film Studio Actors’ Troupe, are also among the trainees of the Feldenkrais Method Master Class, and will follow the two expert trainers into the world of Feldenkrais Method together.
Professor He Yan, Dean of the STA Acting Department and Director of the STA International Performing Arts Research Centre, presided over the opening ceremony as the initiator of this master class. He introduced the main work of the STA International Performing Arts Research Centre as the frontier of reform in actor training and education in China and as the cradle for the training of acting teachers in China, as well as the basic situation of this master class and the significant impact of the introduction of the Feldenkrais Method on actor training and education in China. He also extended the warmest welcome to the trainees and theoretical researchers from across China.
The two world’s top expert trainers of the Feldenkrais Method, Professor Andrew Belser and Ms Carol Kress (who has over 30 years of experience in teaching and researching the Feldenkrais Method), attended the opening ceremony. They paid the respect and expressed the gratitude to the Shanghai Theatre Academy and Professor He Yan, and wished the master class a good success.
During the open lecture on the Feldenkrais Method, the two experts introduced the main contents of the Feldenkrais Methods, as well as the role that the Feldenkrais Method plays on actors in the field of performance. The experts reviewed the whole life of Moshe Feldenkrais, shared their personal experiences, and invited the participants to follow them for a “small taste” of the Feldenkrais Method to gain a preliminary understanding of this method. The two experts systematically introduced the several key topics for the upcoming nine days of training. At the end, the participants had detailed discussion about the Feldenkrais Method with the two experts.
The open lecture on the Feldenkrais Method was concluded successfully in a warm atmosphere. The participating trainees and theoretical researchers showed great interest and desire in the Feldenkrais Method, and expected to achieve the overall self-awareness and self-correction and perfection through the training to be conducted during this master class. Finally, the representatives of the organizers and the two experts took a group photo with all the participants.
