The Los Angeles Method at the Noorderwind Retreat

In February 2015 I directed and produced "Oedipus Rex | World Premiere" in Amsterdam. As we were approaching opening night, I decided I wanted a combat scene between Oedipus and Creon. I needed to portray the battle between the new and the old, the free spirit battling the "rules". Our actors had never had any stage combat training. The person who came to our rescue was Youval Kuipers. Only one week away from opening, he trained our actors and choreographed a powerful scene between the two characters.

Youval is one of the founders of Noorderwind. They specialise in combat choreography and performance for film, television and live shows. Their work is inspired by more of eight centuries of European martial tradition. Youval and his team have worked on productions like "Michiel De Ruyter" | Feature Film | 2015, "The White Queen" | BBC | 2013, "Kidnapping Mr. Heineken" with Anthony Hopkins | Feature Film | 2014, and more.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Yesterday I was invited to teach an Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind retreat at Loevestein Castle.

It was a wonderful experience for me. 

It is always rewarding and special to watch The Los Angeles Method participants. The work we do unblocks emotions and reprograms confining convictions, so all of our workshops are emotionally charged. Yesterday though, that experience was heightened by the surroundings and the "family" feeling the Noorderwind members generously offered me.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

It was inspiring and hopeful to watch all of them, highly trained stuntmen and stuntwomen, be interested in educating themselves in everything regarding their craft and art. They are not required to be masters of the Art of Acting, yet all of them dove in the theory and the exercises and made the best out of it; showing their courage but also their love of what they do.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

The Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop was scheduled to last for three hours, but I ended up staying for the entire day. After the workshop, the Noorderwind team presents a live show to the visitors of the Loevestein Castle. I watched their performance. The dedication of the members was such, that they wanted to work more on their scenes even after the completion of the show. 

I would like to thank the entire Noorderwind team, it was a great privilege to work with all of you.

Many Thanks to Youval, for reaching out when we needed him at the International Theatre in English and Oedipus Rex, but also for giving me the chance to work with his team and feel part of their "family".

My special thanks to Selina, for organising all this and making all the arrangements for me to reach Loevestein Castle.

Thank you!

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Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Introduction to The Los Angeles Method Acting Workshop at the Noorderwind Retreat at the Loevestein Castle.

Click on the photos for the slideshow.

Thank you.

#girlrises | Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenage girls. Why?

Maternal mortality has been considered the biggest killer of teenage girls around the world. That has now changed. The number one cause of death among teenage girls is suicide.

Nisha Lilia Diu reports in The Telegraph that according to the National Health Organisation report more girls aged between 15 to 19 die from self harm than from road accidents, diseases or complications of pregnancy.

Leading Causes for Death among Teenage Girls:

1.  Self Harm

2. Maternal Conditions

3. HIV/ AIDS

4. Road Injuries

source: NHO

Professor Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist who was recently featured in Time magazine’s 100 most Influential People for his work in global mental health, believes the most probable reason is gender discrimination.

Nishia Lilia Diu continues with the report of a girl, who she names “Rhea”, who attempted suicide twice because of sexual abuse form her boyfriend at school. As “Rhea” tells the reporter,

“Porn was everywhere in my school. My boyfriend was obsessed with it. I told him I was not ready to have sex. One evening he assaulted me in the park. The assaults became routine.”

Professor Patel believes that sexual pressure is a significant factor in girls’ unhappiness. “Rhea” has a different opinion, she says that the strongest pressure comes from online media.

“Kim Kardashian, for example, and all of her waist-training stuff at the moment. Loads of girls at my school are talking about it and they’re unhappy because it makes them feel insecure in themselves and like they have to try to look like that.”

Dr. Amy Chandler, a research fellow at Edinburgh University explains that groups that have less power tend to be more vulnerable.

Young women in parts of the Middle East and South East Asia are some of the most disempowered and marginalised people in the world.

Even in the West, adolescence is a time when girls feel their choices become restricted: that they must look and behave in certain ways to be accepted.

Why did we allow this to happen? Why doesn’t every girl believe that she is special, unique and one of a kind? How can it be that in 2015 we are still talking about gender discrimination?

Educate a girl. I am not just talking about the education they get in school. I am talking about the education of life. I am talking about empowerment and faith.

You can read the full article here: The Telegraph.