I am floating in the ocean - not a cloud in the sky, the sun blazing. I turn to another playwright splashing into the water near me. “I’m trying to figure out how this is part of my professional development,” I say with a laugh.
Touch down, Winnipeg. –30∞C and knee-deep snow. Back home from the other side of the world. Where I had been, was, exactly as it sounds – a world away from here. I traveled over 30 hours (not counting 5 stopovers!) to the Women Playwrights International conference in Jakarta and Bali having fully prepared myself for the culture shock: the 13 hour time difference, the language, the food and the climate of Indonesia. I knew all these things would be very different from my life on the Canadian prairie. Being a self-diagnosed homebody, as the date of my departure drew near, I began to wonder how I’d gotten myself into this mess. As I wrote the speech I would deliver as a panelist for the conference, I really began to question myself. Who did I think I was, thinking I could get up in front of a global audience of theatre artists? What do I know?
What do I know? Apparently quite a lot.
On my arrival at the Indonesian National Gallery I had prepared myself for such stark contrast, such absolute foreignness. What really surprised me, as I met face to face with women theatre artists from around the world, was our absolute sameness as artists and as people. Being storytellers by nature, all of us attending the conference wanted so deeply to hear each other’s stories - wanted to welcome each other and share. What do I know? I know that like every artist I met, my art is my community. After shaking off the jet lag, I came to see was that I was home, and my peers surrounded me. The complex act of mirroring life through our art drew us all like moths to the flame. Here we were, from every corner of the globe, and we were all mucking around with words and the stage, saying, “this is me. This is me. Are you out there?”
It was reassuring to know we all want the same things: the freedom to create, the financial means to do so, and the support of our communities. Yet it was disturbing to meet face to face with those who did have these basic needs met. During one panel discussion, two playwrights humbly commented that they had both been to jail for their art. One artist - who planned to present a speech critical of her government’s treatment of artists in her home country - decided against speaking at all when a government official appeared. Another delegate spoke of a theatre festival in her country and the victory of having it shut down by the government on the third day rather than the first. As the days of the conference passed, my humility grew. I have this huge gift – the freedom to write whatever I want. The urgency I fell now to use this liberty, to hold it in both hands and never take it for granted again has been embroidered on my soul.
On our final evening, under the night sky, we all gathered one last time. “Will we be okay? Will her play be censored? Will she write at all with poverty all around her?”
Then all of us took to the stage to perform a Kecak dance. The dance was a mix of chanting, dancing and martial arts that we had learned in workshop the day before. At a certain point, dancers get up in pairs in the centre of the circle, and dance-fight each other - the “loser” tumbling to the ground, cursed out by the other dancers. Pair after pair of delegates got up to “fight” and a pattern emerged: no one would fall to the ground in defeat, no one would surrender. Each of the “fights” ended amicably, sometimes a draw, sometimes with hugs even. It was as if to say “we may struggle, but we will not be knocked down.”
I’m home now, and the snow is gone. I have a voice, and I have nothing stopping me. I will not be knocked down.
Melanie Brouzes is a budding playwright and Drama Resource Coordinator, Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
Comments
Life is not a bed of roses, it is a sophisticated combination of happiness and sorrow. These two things are very much needed for life as well. Because with out sufferings and hardships one can not get the whole amusement from its happiness and success. I started my professional career through singing a job with a hosting company which used to offer share as well as dedicated hosting services. That was some hard time yet with the passage of time it grew and began offering bundle packages including domain name registration and web designing assistance. At the moment we are booming and enjoying working here.
aluminium windows | composite doors | home conservatories uk | pvcu patio doors | patio doors uk | front porches uk | double glazing windows | replacement window | conservatory windows | energy rated doors and windows | environmentally friendly doors and windows
Ground shaking content i get form your blog. Very nice post about international professional development. Thanks for your beneficial information about 642-642, 1Y0-A05 and 640-863 certifications. These are the best certifications in the world.
Web pages are accessed and transported with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which may optionally employ encryption to provide security and privacy for the user of the web page content. Internet Marketing Services
Ground shaking content i get form your blog. Very nice post about development. Thanks for your beneficial information about testking 642-067, testking 642-072 and testking 642-357 certifications. These are the best certifications in the world.
Thanks for the post. Idea abaft your column is interesting.i would like to apprehend added from you.
stubby holders
This commodity gives the ablaze in which we can beam the reality.
Wedding Favors
Hi,
It is a great for me.Thanks for your sharing about professional international sharing.
This commodity gives the ablaze in which we can beam the reality.
car insurance claim
Thanks for putting these here. I begin what I bare and alike more.
montreal exotic massage
Hey great stuff, thank you for sharing this useful information and i will let know my friends as well.
Hello…..........
The Internet is a wonderful invention. If you take your subject of your question and add to what you want to know about it, the search engine will do the rest.
Thanks for your sharing about professional international sharing.
Gives Thanks for the inspirational position.
DIY wedding invitations
Although I felt I made the right decision, I was scared to death. I didn’t want to lose touch with the local theater community and I wanted to stay involved, especially in theater for young audiences. I was fortunate to be able to carve out a free-lance career which would allow me to work in the arts and spend that very necessary time with my son. I now work as a casting director here in town and pick up other small projects, some arts related, some not. So far it has been just the balance I need. It was a really tough decision to make. There are some days when I am petrified that I won’t be able to pick up another project or that I will miss being around lots of people all day long. But for the most part I consider it to be one of the best decisions I ever made - bringing me back to my initial point.<a >pass4sure 1Y0-A06</a> I have seen many people over the years unhappy in their current work situation <a >pass4sure 642-972</a> for a variety of reasons, <a >pass4sure 650-180</a> and yet they are scared to make a change. <a >pass4sure 4A0-103</a>
While I am not advocating that everyone drop their current job or switch careers,pass4sure E20-522 I think we all need to figure out a way to find a balance in our lives. The change you make can be as small as going home on time at least one day a week, to as big as making a career change. Carving out time for yourself should not be considered a luxury, but a necessity. Not only does it make you a better person, but it also makes you a better employee. pass4sure EX0-100 Since I left my job I am so much happier (and it is not because I have less work to do - in a way I actually feel like I have more!). pass4sure HP0-J25
I decided to make a change in my life that would not only be the best thing for my family, but also one that would be the best for me.
pass4sure 1Y0-A11
Объясните пожалуйста, что значит пассажирские перевозки и в каком месте это можно заказать! Премного благодарен.
This is my ancient arrangement to this blog.
Montreal escorts
very adequate believability you acquire mentioned for a website to create.
montreal escort agency
I absolutely have a good timethe advice on this blog. I came beyond it while looking on Yahoo
Montreal escorts
Although I felt I made the right decision, I was scared to death. I didn’t want to lose touch with theJN0-570 local theater community and I wanted to stay involved,HP2-E31
especially in theater for young audiences. I was fortunate to be able to carve out a free-lance career which would allow me to work in the arts and spend that very necessary time with my son. I now work as url=http://www.testkingworld.com/HP2-T16.asp]HP2-T16[/url] a casting director here in town and pick up other small projects, some arts related, some not. So far it has been just the balance I need. It was a really tough decision to make. There are some days when I am petrified that I won’t be able to pick up another project or that I will miss being around lots of people all day long. But 350-050
for the most part I consider it to be one of the best decisions I ever made - bringing me back to my initial point.<a >pass4sure 1Y0-A06</a> I have seen many people over the years unhappy in their current work situation 199-01ll350-040ll650-251llHP0-S26ll1z0-043ll70-448ll000-977
000-153ll000-105llSK0-002ll646-223
Although I felt I made the right decision, I was scared to1z0-047 death. I didn’t want to lose touch with the 1z0-052
local LX0-101 theater community and I wanted to stay involved, especially in theater for young audiences. I was fortunate to be able to carve out a free-lance career which would allow me toJN0-522 work in the arts and spend that very necessary time with my son. I now work as a casting director here in town and pick up other small projects, some arts related, some not. So far it has been just the balance I need. It was a really tough decision to make. There are some days when I am petrified that I won’t be able to pick up another project or that I will miss being around lots of people all day long. But JN0-303 for the most part I consider it to be one of the best decisions I ever made - MB2-633
bringing me back to my initial point
—————-
HP0-J40ll642-983ll642-982
312-50ll000-203ll000-200ll70-293llMB2-631ll70-270
JN0-532
womens Dresses black evening dresses red evening dresses blue evening dresses Ball Gowns
womens Dresses
black evening dresses
Bridesmaid Dresses uk
Wedding Dresses UK
Bridesmaid Dresses
prom dresses uk
wedding dresses uk
wedding dress
cheap wedding dresses
designer wedding dresses
vera wang wedding dresses
vintage wedding dresses
wedding dresses 2011
wedding dress sale
Beach Wedding Dresses
Lace Wedding Dresses
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ... ADD YOUR COMMENT BELOW.
Next entry: Hear Today Gone Tomorrow
Previous entry: The Challenges of PD in Canadian Theatre
Certainly we have tons of pressures from life that push us back, but having courage and determination, we can accomplish lot of things. Glad you think that way.