Drama & Movement Therapy

 

Stories, Myths, Fairy Tales and Legends

Stories, myths, fairy tales and legends from many countries and cultures provide a wealth of imaginary stimulus and are an infinitely rich source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Exploring world mythology and literature through drama in this context leads to both the acknowledgement and the celebration of cultural differences - although these stories which all represent our cultural inheritance are also in many ways strikingly similar. The stories, myths, fairy tales and legends we work with are handed down from generation to generation on a global scale. They are all a product of the human psyche.

In using myth within the context of drama we are working with very powerful energies and this must be respected and taken seriously. It is one thing to hear or read a myth but enacting quite another. Enacting means engaging with the myth with the whole of our being - feeling, thinking and using our bodies. We are also relating to other people who are participating in role and sharing this powerful experience with us.

Drama and Movement Therapy

In Drama and Movement Therapy great opportunity arises for self-expression. No one needs face any close inquiry into what is being done and why. The action is realized through metaphor, and as such open to more than one interpretation, leaving the participant to do what he or she desires. People may be able to reveal deep troubles with more comfort and ease when playing a part than by more direct and confrontational routes. The Drama and Movement participant may be able to see and work at a personal problem through the metaphor, which often conveys what is being felt and expressed with greater clarity than is possible in ordinary speech. The drama that we do are therefore a way into hidden debts. It is this that makes it a valuable tool in the psychiatric field.

Drama and Movement Therapy can be of benefit anywhere in all different settings and within all different contexts however. It is also practised in drama schools as a part of the curriculum, as well as in commercial workplaces to improve work-relationships and encourage team efforts.