Our Guest today is AWFC member Lucy Skilbeck

https://beingwithhorses.co.uk/

Lucy is the Collaborative Projects Lead at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (formerly she was Director of Actor Training for 10 years), she is also a theatre director, coach and equine-facilitated psychotherapist. With over 30 years experience as a director and acting teacher and coach, working in the UK, US, Australia and Europe, and after 10 years running the acting programme at RADA, she has developed a creative practice of reflective enquiry, active curiosity, and playful rigour. She integrates wellbeing into her creative practice, supporting actors to fully explore their potential safely. Additionally, she offers equine-facilitated actor training, Act Like a Horse, and has an equine therapy and personal coaching practice, Being With Horses.

Lucy explained some of her recent research in the field - literally - in the field - with actors and some of her observations. We started with why she felt compelled to train in Equine facilitated therapy and its connection to actor training.

Our Guest today is AWFC member, Tom Stroud

https://emotionalfluencyproject.com/home

Tom is an award-winning choreographer with over 40 years of experience in the field. He has performed and toured with companies across Canada and his works have been commissioned and presented by companies, festivals, and presenters coast to coast. For 14 years he was Artistic Director of Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD) where he spearheaded national and international collaborations that resulted in residencies and performances in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

In 2005 Tom joined the faculty of the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg. He currently holds the position of Senior Scholar at the Department of Theatre and Film. His research examines emotion science, embodiment, and the actor’s creative process in contemporary performance practice.

In 2012 Tom began training in the Emotional Effector Patterns under the guidance of master teacher Laura Bond. He is currently an Emotional Body Lead Instructor and a certified Alba teacher.

Tom shared his journey from restless youth to discovering where he belongs, and how teaching the science and practice of Emotional Fluency Training for Actors keeps him in a joyful place he calls home.

Our Guest today is AWFC member Joseph Ari'el Towne

https://www.theperformersmindset.com/home

Joseph is an actor, writer, performance coach, and educator with over 30 years of on-camera experience. Known for his dynamic enthusiasm and ability to get to the heart of performance, he has coached actors, on-camera talent, athletes and C suite executives.

As the CEO and Co-Founder of The Performer’s Mindset, he’s taught at USC & UCLA (Los Angeles) Vancouver Film School, Lehman College (NYC), and has been in residency at both George Brown College (Toronto) and Savannah College of Art and Design (in both Savannah and Atlanta.) Most recently, he introduced mindset training at L'Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris.)

Joe continues to blend art, sport, and science to help performers thrive. As the creator and host of The Better Podcast, Joe explores the nuances of creative practice and leads conversations that help us individually - and collectively - develop healthier relationships with our mind, our craft, and the world.

Among the takeaways from our conversation is you are what you eat. The relation that food has to your identity - who you are dictates what you eat… or is it, what you eat dictates who you are? He also shared his insights on how to prepare for entry into a ‘flow state’, his thoughts on fitting in, belonging and his ultimate vision.