APATA Podcast APATA [The Australian Performing Arts Teachers Association]

Rachel Brennan, Director, IMEB; Speech and Drama Educator; Adjudicator and Examinator

A.IMEB, L.IMED, F.IMEB

Rachel is a highly qualified and passionate educator in the field of Speech and Drama. Beginning as a student at age 5, her dedication to performance and communication grew with her extensive experience in eisteddfods, stage shows and showcases.

Achieving her qualification in 2003, Rachel has been teaching speech and drama for 19 years. She currently is the director of a highly successful private studio, and is also the principal Speech and Drama Educator at Meriden School for Girls in Strathfield, Sydney.

Rachel is currently a Director of the International Music Education Body (IMEB), as well as a syllabus consultant and senior examiner for speech and drama. She has been examining for 9 years, and has extensive adjudicating experience.

Rachel is enthusiastic and deeply committed to developing communication and performance skills and gifts in students. Her mission is to ‘encourage and develop confident and creative communicators, in any environment.’

To contact Rachel and learn more about the opportunities with IMEB please visit www.imeb.com.au

Enjoy!

Suzuki Teacher Emma Louise Pursey has over 25 years experience in the Suzuki Method of Actor Training and has adapted it into her Integrated Actor Training approach to encourage more natural alignments of the body, focusing on safe technique and longevity of practice.

She trained for ten years with Frank Theatre under John Nobbs and Jacqui Carroll as well as masterclasses with Okubo Noriaki (Suzuki Company of Toga), Ichiro Nakayama (SCOT) and Ellen Lauren (SITI).

​Emma is a core faculty member at 16th Street Actors Studio and also teaches at The National Theatre.

​She has been an industry guest at Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia, Film & Television Studio International, and NICA.



Access this Podcast episode's transcript pdf HERE.

Read this article about Emma Louise Pursey's career.



Mentions:


Oz Frank, Salome - 1997 , Jacqui Carroll, John Nobbs


Suzuki Tadashi - Suzuki Company of Toga


Brides of Frank: Caroline Dunphy, Lisa O'Neill, Leah Shelton & Neridah Waters.


16th Street Actors Studio: Kim Krejus, Ian Rickson, Iain Sinclair


Jackie Ryan - We'll Show the World Expo '88


The National Theatre: Dr Jo Loth


One Star Lounge and Gallery


Heide Museum of Modern Art: Joy Hester, Barbara Blackman

APATA PODCAST FLASHBACK

Celebrating conversations with educators and industry we take a look back at our very first episode with former Queensland Ballet Principal Artist Natalie Hammond who went on to choreography, adjudicating and now teaching ballet to all ages with Brisbane's 2ballerinas.



Born in Coonabarabran, Natalie began her dance training on the Gold Coast where she was a Star Dust Junior studying tap, jazz and musical theatre. In 1994 Natalie graduated from the Australian Ballet School with Honours and whilst studying at the school, Natalie was a silver medallist at the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition in Japan and a bronze medallist at the Adeline Genee Awards in London.


In 1995, Natalie joined the Queensland Ballet and won critical acclaim for a variety of principal roles. These included Tough Girl in Antony Tudors “Echoing of Trumpets”, Lilac Fairy in “The Sleeping Beauty”, Myrtha, Queen of the Willis in “Giselle”, Sugar Plum Fairy in “The
Nutcracker” and Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. She was also a member of the company during their highly successful coast-to-coast tour of the United States.



From the World Dance Company and Expressions Contemporary Dance Company to guest teaching and adjudicating Natalie now enjoys teaching all ages from tiny tots to seniors with 2ballerinas.


Access this episode's PDF Transcript

For more visit Natalie's Episode Page

2ballerinas

www.apata.com.au

What an absolute joy to chat with Daniel Assetta! The well-known Australian theatre triple threat, choreographer and coach recently packed up his kit
bag making moves to the Big Apple where he has just made his American stage debut in the New York City Centre Encores! production of The Light in the Piazza.

Prior to this, he played ’Samuel Seabury’ in the original Australian company of Hamilton and performed the role of 'Tony' in West Side Story to rave reviews across Australia, New Zealand and Germany including at the iconic Sydney Opera House & Berlin Opera House. Daniel's other Australian theatre credits include 'Al Deluca' in A Chorus Line; ‘Elder Young’ in the original Australian company of The Book of Mormon; ‘The Rum Tum Tugger’ in the Australian/New Zealand tour of CATS; the 10th Anniversary Australasian tour of Wicked; ‘The Ziegfeld Tenor’ in Funny Girl; ‘Luke’ in the world premiere of The Gathering; Follies in Concert; and Curtains.

A graduate of ED5INTERNATIONAL, who first found his feet with GY Dance, both under the tutelage of William A Forsythe (Co-Director of ED5), Daniel Assetta sheds light on transitioning to America and opening the door on the next chapter in his career.

In this APATA Podcast episode our host Yolande Smith and Daniel discuss:


The impact of Daniel's formative training years.
The business-side of a creative career.
Managing and maintaining a professional public profile.
Self-care.
Mentorship.
The work involved in taking your career, and life, overseas.

Basically Daniel gives you the lowdown on the professional foundations that have prepared him for conquering each new step with confidence and a smile!

A great listen for students and teachers and those looking to a career in the creative and performing arts.

Daniel will make his MUNY debut as 'A-Rab' in West Side Story this month. Best of luck Daniel and thank you for joining us!

Access PDF Transcript

The Australian Performing Arts Teachers Association


⁠www.apata.com.au⁠
⁠linktr.ee/apatamedia⁠
⁠Daniel's APATA Studio News Article⁠

Daniel Assetta


www.danielassetta.com
Instagram: @dassetta
Youtube: @dassetta1

Mentions


ED5INTERNATIONAL
William A Forsythe
Elena De Cinque
Siblingship: A musical ‘how-to’ guide for surviving life, parents, and sharing the limelight.
GY Dance

At South West Music Regional Conservatorium, our vision is to inspire and enrich lives through music. Our purpose is to provide leadership, resources
and expertise to ensure that every person has the opportunity to make, learn and appreciate music.



From young and enthusiastic music teachers billeting with local families every fortnight in the 1980s. To what is now an integral and vibrant permanent part of Deniliquin and its surrounds.



As Head of Music, Paul Young has joined a dedicated team that nurtures and supports students in music education. SW Music provides plenty of community performance opportunities and real world experience for their passionate pupils.



"What's the point of learning an instrument and practicing and then not performing? They've done all this practice and have reached this standard where they can get up on stage and perform. If we weren't organising in-house concerts and performances at assemblies, at schools, and directly liaising with community members to get our kids out there they wouldn't be performing. And to me performing is an integral part of music. "



Paul has extensive experience as a pianist, musical director and educator. He has previously held positions including Staff Accompanist/Performance Coach at Knox Grammar and Redlands, Acting Head of Keyboard and Staff Accompanist at The Scots College, Head of Music Performance at McDonald College of Performing Arts and Head of Performing Arts at Calvary Christian College.


So great to chat with Paul Young and learn more about South West Music and the essential services of our regional conservatoriums!

Read the article: https://www.apata.com.au/news-article/apata-member-spotlight-sw-music-with-paul-young/

Access the Pdf transcript: https://www.apata.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/APATA-PODCAST-TRANSCRIPT-Paul-Young-SWMusic.pdf

www.apata.com

www.swmusic.org.au

APATA Managing Director Yolande Smith and pioneer specialist in the psychology of the performing artist Elma Linz Kanefield sit down to discuss performance potential, the theme of Kanefield's new book Hamlet's Mirror: Reaching Your Performance Potential Onstage and Off.


With 40 years experience counselling performing arts students and artists Kanefield understands what makes performers tick. She has dedicated her life's practice to building better understanding around hard-wiring of the performer and just what it takes to definite your own version of success. 

"I want the performers with whom I work to gain a conscious awareness of the effect that both their psychological histories and their chosen life as artists have on who they are and how they perform in life, particularly on stage," Kanefield states in Hamlet's Mirror.

"I trust them to find that voice within that moves them to fulfil their special performance potential and create a lifetime of sustainable, successful and authentic performances on and off stage." 

About Elma
Elma Linz Kanefield, LCSW, CPC, succumbed to debilitating stage fright as a young performer which left her voice… silent. However, rather than remain devastated and at the effect of her fear, she transformed her fright into her life’s calling and became a specialist in the psychology of the performing
artist.

So passionate was Elma about addressing the special personal and professional needs, challenges and possibilities of performing artists that she relocated in 1980 from the Midwest to New York City to open the only Psychotherapeutic private practice exclusive to performers. For the last four decades Elma has been healing and empowering artists at all ages and stages of their lives and careers.

Hamlet's Mirror, Reaching Your Performance Potential Onstage and Off

Hamlet's Mirror looks at the stories and experiences of hundreds of performing artists to explain what prevents some from reaching their performance potential and what empowers others to realise it. Kanefield introduces four Performer Personality Profiles: Problem-Ridden, Pugnacious, Promising and
Potential-Realised. These personalities reveal and clarify how performing artists move through professional and personal challenges to become the best
they can be as people and as performers. You are invited to hold Hamlet's mirror to see how the wisdom and insight that these performers gained can help
you too reach your performance potential.




Read More: ⁠https://www.apata.com.au/studio-news/⁠


www.elmalinzkanefield.com


Contact Elma via: www.elmalinzkanefield.com/contact


Buy Hamlet’s Mirror BOOKTOPIA OR AMAZON.AU


Access Elma Linz Kanefield's podcast transcript pdf ⁠HERE⁠