Aaaahhhh. MMMmmmm…Ma Ma Ma Ma….Hhhhhhh. These are the sounds that filled my evenings this past week. Each night after a full day of sitting at a desk, it was so satisfying to relax into breathing and sighing with other actors, artists, and teachers. Since I took the voice intensive almost 2 years ago in 2006, I return annually to David Smukler’s tune-ups. We work with shakespeare text and his technique, originating from Kristin Linklater, is incredibly powerful and precise. It really an experience that opens the voice in a way that is transforming.
I’m so grateful for having learned of the National Voice Intensive and of David Smukler. My voice is more resonant and present than it was 5 days ago and I’ve gained a deeper wisdom about my body and how it contains emotions and thoughts. An extraordinary journey for any actor, teacher…human.
Janice Performing Arts, Teaching & Facilitating
Today is my first day of meditation for 40 days. Each morning, before 7am, ideally before 6.30am, I’ll meditate for a minimum of 10 minutes. I’d like to get up to at least 20 minutes but 10 is a good challenge to start. The other new goal I am committing to is my long time desire to learn Spanish. I bought an audiobook from the istore today so I can begin my mornings listening and learning during my morning commute. In addition to the audiobook, I get to attend Spanish classes offered at work. And I still maintain my 3 month goal of writing my solo play. The due date for that project is April 7th.
At home, I am setting the goal to be fully unpacked and organized in my apartment: shelves up, wallls accessorized and coloured, and office area organized and functional, before Easter. I have one month! Yikes!
Janice Down the Rabbit Hole, Uncategorized
Wow, I’m amazed at how fast the time has gone. On the fast track update: I moved to the westside in Vancouver December 1st. to a one bedroom. My first one bedroom! That was tremendously exciting. There was no slowing down though outside of home life, so many of my books and some clothes are still in boxes.
I spent Christmas eve with family in North Vancouver and did an overnight flight to North Bay, Ontario where I was warmly welcomed by Joe and his family. North Bay is a small community about 3 hours north of Toronto by car. There was lots of snow and a street named after me - Janice street!
We spent New Years in a Brazilian Steakhouse where I ate more meat in one sitting than I have eaten all year! And the pineapple roasted on the skewer! Divine! Joe and I had a great evening of dancing, eating, drinking and laughing with Aura and her fiance Adam. We did a fair bit of shopping in Eaton Centre and checked out Kensington Market.
Since then, Joe started a 4 month contract with a graphics company who placed him to run operations in Manhattan, of all places! And I dragged my feet back to Vancouver to continue building my work from where I am. I have tremendous support from Peak Gold for my artistic pursuits. It’s quite refreshing to be affiliated with such a caring and progressive company.
The World Premiere of “Aswang: Journey Into Myth” went very well in Victoria on Thursday, February 7th. Our film played at the same time as ‘The Walker’, and independent film starring Woody Harrelson and it was a rainy night so I thought it was a great turn out with the house 80-85% full. The Q & A went well afterwards and people showed a genuine interest in the subject and were pretty spooked. We’re hoping that it makes it into the Vancouver Fim Festival and the Toronto Film Festival next year.
I’ve started writing a play with the guidance and direction of Lina de Guevara of Puente Theatre. The goal is to have it written by early April and have a run in May, but I’m not making any promises.
In April I’ll be presenting at a conference in Philadelphia and in July I’ll be presenting the same research project to an International Social Sciences conference in Tuscany, Italy! This is the Arts in Medical Education pilot that I designed with a team of researchers at UVic in 2006.
I’ll be working on getting this blog and my website coordinated within the next few weeks. I’ve got a bunch of dates I’ll post for performances and events to come.
Janice Down the Rabbit Hole, Performing Arts
