Photo credit : Philemon Crête

[ ACCESSIBLE (+) ] IN STUDIO: STÉPHANE CRÊTE (QC) — Comfort in Discomfort

Nov. 1 to 5, 2021 — 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Mon.-Fri.)
$75 with the support of Emploi-Québec (or $250, non-eligible rate)

Open to artists of all disciplines
Language of instruction: French and LSQ
Questions can also be asked in: English
Capacity: 11 people — priority for full week attendance

As part of its professional workshop programming, Studio 303 offers accessible (+) workshops to provide Deaf and disabled artists with professional development opportunities that address broader accessibility needs. More details here > 

REGISTRATION — priority to artists with disabilities and Deaf artists* 
By registering for a workshop, you agree to cancel your participation if you have symptoms or suspect you may have COVID-19. Please read the Participant Engagement before registering. Thank you!

*The notion of disability is understood here in a broad sense to include a nuanced and open range of personal conditions and realities. 


CONTENT // Desire, violence, nudity, exhaustion; to play with the limits of the performing body sometimes requires of us to face shadowy areas and things unspoken, as if it were normal, “in the name of art”, to venture into its slippery spaces to the detriment of our comfort and safety. This abandoning of our own limits too often generates confusion, emotional blockages or trauma. How then can we find comfort in the performance of scenes, choreography or preformative actions that are not comfortable to play? By applying communication tools to name our needs and fears, we will learn how to create safe spaces to further explore the outer limits of our performing bodies. Then, by adding a ritual dimension to our actions, we will see how to recover the sacred power of our creative acts.

ACCESSIBILITY // Each morning we will activate our bodies, energy and creativity through a period of free movement, supported by loud music. We will then have a talking circle to hear the needs of the group, after which the facilitator will give some theory on the concepts to be explored during the day. Depending on the themes explored, there will be duo or trio work, involving touch and verbal exchanges. Small and large group discussions and exchanges are an important part of the workshop. All instructions are given orally, sometimes followed by a demonstration. Apart from the morning dance, the structure of the workshop will change each day, increasing in emotional intensity as the week progresses. Participation in each exercise is voluntary and optional, with respect for each person’s limitations. There are no specific physical requirements.

BIO // A transdisciplinary artist, ritualist and author, Stéphane Crête stands out thanks to his atypical background (theatre, film, installation, performance art). In parallel to his career as an actor, he has developed a pedagogy that combines creative processes and self-knowledge through a series of workshops given with Essentia School, the Monastère des Augustines de Québec, the RAIQ and Studio 303. His workshops address issues of grief, presence and intimacy through trance and conscious touch, as well as trainings created specifically for performing artists.