We were extremely fortunate to have Alys Hill (of theatre devising company Zen Zen Zo) host a physical Suzuki Theatre Workshop via Zoom for our HL Theatre class. Through three intensive and focused sessions, we learned four of the cornerstone exercises (Stomp and Shakuhachi, Slow Ten, Statues, and Basic A and B) and pushed ourselves to the physical and imaginative limits of theatre itself, connecting with our centers as we explored the conventions of Suzuki’s stage.

The Stomp and Shakuhachi was about discipline and respect of the stage. We learned to project ourselves with careful composure as we kept our focus throughout. The most challenging aspect of this exercise was the fact that we tired easily quite early on, but it was worth it to see the physical struggle reflected in our eyes, as that added to the believability of our performance.

Slow Ten always makes me think of constellations. Two straight lines, walking towards one another, turning to face one another as if the whole universe was contained within your arms. The concentration knew no end; we had to keep our gazes still and our arms taut as we moved through the space.

Statues proved challenging, too – our own limits were stretched as we had to focus solely on the imaginative aspect as we were led through a series of very physical – and oftentimes uncomfortable – exercises. I found it quite difficult to maintain my stance throughout. But (as stated) prevailing made for a more interesting performance.

Our last exercise was Basic A and B, a series of focused and sharp movements called out by Alys and repeated by us. The space between Movement 3 and 4 was the hardest, as rising from a crouch position required a lot of core strength that was sometimes lacking. Focus was a constant that had to be maintained throughout each exercise, and keeping that consistent was of the utmost importance.

Going forward, I would like to learn more about Suzuki’s techniques and methods and how they could be applied to my Grade Twelve Solo (I haven’t chosen a practicioner for Grade 12 yet.). I absolutely adored the physicality and imagination aspects, as well as the respect with which the stage is treated. I’m very proud of how far I came in just three days, and I’m excited to see how I can continue to push myself to get the best from my performance and stage presence.