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The Edge of the Stage: Life Lessons from Performance Training

The Edge of the Stage: Life Lessons from Performance Training

Written by: Berit Elizabeth & Matthew Ellenwod
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 Whether you are a performer or a professional, we're here to offer techniques, tools and tips from performer training to connect to yourself and others with purpose and presence all while navigating your own life as a human.2025 Art Careers Economics Entertainment & Performing Arts Personal Success
Episodes
  • Cocktails and Mocktails of Emotion: Motivating Multitudes

    Cocktails and Mocktails of Emotion: Motivating Multitudes
    Nov 12 2025
    Hosts: Matthew Ellenwood (EmoVerity, Ellenwood Studios) Ellenwood Studios – https://www.instagram.com/ellenwood_studios/ Berit Elizabeth (Emotive Agility Training) Emotive Agility – https://www.instagram.com/emotiveagility/ Summary: In this episode, Matthew and Berit dive into the "mixology" of emotions—how real-life feelings rarely show up neat, but as nuanced blends ("cocktails" and "mocktails"). Using performer-training tools, art analogies, and live facial-expression drills, they show you how to intentionally serve (and taste) emotional mixes to create clearer communication, better regulation, and deeper connection—at home, on stage, and at work. Key Topics: • Mixologist vs. Taster: the sender/receiver roles we play in every interaction. • Why emotions show up in blends, not singles—and how that complicates interpretation. • The "rule of three": curating no more than 2–3 emotions to keep your message clear. • Color theory for feelings: subtractive mixing (CMY) and pigment ratios as an emotion map. • Two-emotion gradients in practice (e.g., surprise+fear; appreciation+frustration). • The Hexagon Task (Ekman & Friesen): morphing between emotions at set ratios (90/10 → 10/90). • Live demos: moving from tenderness → anger at different ratios and what each "tastes" like. • Exercise 1: The Taster—naming what you see when someone "serves" an expression. • Exercise 2: The Mixologist—blending tenderness ↔ anger using only eyes/brows/mouth. • Lightning Round: mixing disgust + joy (why your body laughs while your stomach turns). • The Emotional Tree (Leslie Greenberg): affect → category → granular feelings (Parrott). • Authenticity, privilege, and power dynamics: why "I'm just being honest" isn't a free pass. • Leadership applications: choosing which emotions to serve in meetings and difficult conversations. Practical Takeaways: • Before a tough conversation, name the 2–3 emotions you intend to convey (and at what "volume"). • When reading others, describe observable cues first (eyes, brows, mouth, breath), then guess the mix. • Practice ratio drills (90/10, 70/30, 50/50…) to expand expressive range and precision. • Use "masking" strategically (not dishonestly) to regulate and match context without dumping. • Increase granularity: move from "I'm scared" to "I'm apprehensive" or "I'm in distress." • In leadership, curate blends that acknowledge both positives and challenges to maintain trust. Try-It-Now Exercises (from the episode): • The Taster: Watch a neutral face shift; list the physical cues you notice, then name the likely mix. • Tenderness/Anger Flight: Hold a genuine eye-smile, then add small anger cues at 10%, 30%, 70%, 90%. • Lightning Round: Disgust + Joy mixes. Recreate "gross but hilarious"—note your inner vs. outer mismatch. Resources & Links: 🔔 Subscribe for more great content – https://www.youtube.com/@TheEdgeoftheStage 🎓 EmoVerity (Making Faces - Facial Expressions course) 💡CMY color mixing - a closer look https://youtube.com/shorts/OPL6pTX0Jss?si=lliMTPz5yP1tOBXQ 🎨 Pink + Turk Gold Color Blending Shades https://youtu.be/9gQ_WltYmys?si=ihSIGnksmOHGMmYA 🔎 Ekman & Friesen's "Hexagon Task" (emotion morphs) – ohttps://www.researchgate.net/figure/Facial-expression-continua-used-in-the-Emotion-Hexagon-task-Running-from-left-to-right_fig1_24418236 🌳 Leslie Greenberg – Emotion-Focused Therapy (Affect → Emotion Category → Granular Feelings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHioCxAMEI 🌿 Parrott's Emotion Classification (for building vocabulary/granularity) https://behavioralsignals.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Parrott_Model_emotion_classification.png 📰The Problem With Your Authentic Self by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic Ph.D. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mr-personality/202509/the-problem-with-your-authentic-self/amp 📘 Emotion Thesaurus https://shopwritershelpingwriters.net/products/emotion-thesaurus-ebook 🎴 Show Don't Tell Cards https://writebadideas.com/products/show-dont-tell-cards-the-writers-guide-to-emotions
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Masked I Advanced: The Price & Power of Facial Expressions

    Masked I Advanced: The Price & Power of Facial Expressions
    Aug 24 2025
    Hosts: Matthew Ellenwood (EmoVerity, Ellenwood Studios) @Ellenwood Studios Berit Elizabeth (Emotive Agility Training) @emotiveagility Summary: In this episode, Matthew and Berit explore the price and power of facial expressions in both performance and everyday life. They discuss how nonverbal communication—especially facial expressions—can be used intentionally to connect with others, regulate emotions, and navigate complex social situations. Key Topics: • The three components of emotion: subjective experience, physiological response, and expressive response. • Emotional granularity: understanding and naming nuanced emotions. • The importance of emotional intelligence and regulation in both performance and professional contexts. • The concept of "masking" as a communication tool—not as inauthenticity, but as a strategic choice for effective interaction. • The three expression archetypes: Externalizer, Internalizer, and Equalizer/Generalizer. • How to "read the room" and align your expression with context and intent. • Recent neuroscience research on how our brains register others' emotions, even subconsciously. • Practical exercises for warming up and training facial expressions, including "Making Faces" and exploring facial morphologies (broad/wide, tall/long, bunched/constricted). • The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and its use in performance and motion capture. • The Rasaboxes technique and the concept of "emotional athleticism." • The importance of autonomy and co-regulation in emotional communication. Practical Takeaways: • Practice facial warmups and morphologies to increase expressive range. • Use emotional "masking" intentionally to support your goals and the needs of the room. • Develop self-awareness of your own expressive style (externalizer, internalizer, equalizer). • Remember: emotional intelligence is a skill that can be trained, not just understood. Resources & Links: 🔔 Subscribe on You Tube for video version & more great content @theedgeofthestage 💻 "Making Faces" self-study course by Matthew Ellenwood 📗 Dacher Keltner's Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. 📕 Brene Brown's "Atlas of the Heart" 🔬 Neural signatures of emotional intent and inference align during social consensus 🎭 The Rasaboxes technique by Richard Schechner 🔎 FACS (Facial Action Coding System) 💗 Dr. Erika Rosenberg Next Episode Preview: Join us next time for a discussion on the "mixology" of emotions—how emotional "cocktails" and "mocktails" show up on stage and in everyday life.
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    52 mins
  • Navigating Boundaries with Performer Techniques: The Zero State - Part Two

    Navigating Boundaries with Performer Techniques: The Zero State - Part Two
    Jun 23 2025
    In the first episode of the Edge of the Stage Podcast, hosts Matthew Ellenwood and Berit Elizabeth dive into the concept of the Zero State, a centering technique originating from performance training that helps individuals connect with themselves and others with purpose and presence. The first episode focused on two of four physical elements of Zero: Eyes + Breath, and this current episode focuses on the next two elements: Face + Body. In this second episode, the hosts explore how the Zero State can be applied to hold boundaries in challenging situations, both in personal and professional contexts. The discussion includes real-life examples from acting, business, and fitness, as well as expert insights from psychology and self-defense methodologies. The episode also provides practical steps for achieving the Zero State and highlights the importance of understanding our emotional responses. Tune in to learn how performance training can be a valuable tool for improving everyday interactions. Follow Us on Instagram @emotiveagility @ellenwoodstudios LINKS & Show Notes 📄Zero State Handout 🧘‍♀️ Set Boundaries, Find Peace - Needra Glover Tawwab 🛡️ Verbal Self Defense - Lauren Roselle, President of ESTEEM 🚫🗣️ The Verbally Abusive Relationship 💬 Radical Candor - Kim Scott 🌡️ Dr. Dan Seigel's Window of Tolerance 👶🪞 The "Still Face" Experiment by Dr. Ed Tronick 🪨Grey Rocking Resource 1Resource 2 Attractor States 🧲 The Role of the Body in Instrumental and Vocal Music Pedagogy: A Dynamical Systems Theory Perspective on the Music Teacher's Bodily Engagement in Teaching and Learning 🌀 Dynamic Systems Theory of Motor Development: The Complete Guide for Sports Rehab Professionals Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to the Edge of the Stage Podcast 00:44 Understanding the Zero State 00:59 Applying Zero in Difficult Situations 01:17 Boundaries in Performance and Life 05:45 Non-Verbal Boundary Setting 08:33 Zero State in Performance Context 17:36 Emotional Regulation and Zero 27:41 The Still Face Experiment 31:35 Understanding Zero Face in Adults vs. Babies 32:55 The Power of Grey Rocking 34:54 Verbal Self-Defense Techniques 36:19 Personal Experiences with Grey Rocking 38:56 Radical Candor and Zero State 40:52 Practicing the Zero State 48:37 Zero State Skill Drill 51:23 Applying Zero State in Real-Life Scenarios 58:55 The Transformative Power of Zero State 01:01:12 Conclusion and Call to Action
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    1 hr and 2 mins
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