Tag Archives: positivity

Testimonial Tuesday Beginners’ Creativity for Adults

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Beginners’ Creativity for Adults with Act The Maggot

“I want to get out of my comfort zone”

This is often the beginning of an email query from someone looking to book a course with Act The Maggot. In short Act The Maggot offers Beginners’ Creativity for Adults. Whether it is our signature beginners acting class our fun beginners creative writing class or our relaxing beginners pencil drawing class – there is one common denominator.

Beginners mind can lead to lasting change

People who rock up to Act The Maggot seek change. A change of scenery, a change or habit, a change of direction, a change of social life or indeed personal change. They are looking for beginners’ creativity for adults.

Testimonials

Act The Maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall. – Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie

Shane first tried out the Beginners’ Acting and went on to complete our four levels of acting and appeared on stage with Act The Maggot several times. He also tried the creative writing class and he even wrote a short play for us. He also coaxed his then, girlfriend to try out the acting as well, and Catrina completed two levels with us. When those creative juices get going, there is no stopping us, folks.

All we need, is to give ourselves permission to play, find the right environment and surround ourselves with a supportive tribe. Shane is now engaged to be married and he and his fiancee Catrina have now moved out of Dublin. We miss them. We hope Shane and Catrina have found their new tribe in Ireland’s hidden heartlands and we wish them every happiness. I’ll finish our Testimonial Tuesday post with a quote from one of my all time favourite movies. Keep an eye out for our daily posts. Mindful Monday, Testimonial Tuesday, What’s on Wednesday, Throwback Thursday and Funny Friday.

You always had the power my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself. – Glinda, The Wizard of Oz.

Don’t be afraid to express your creative side and get in touch about Beginners’ Creativity for adults!

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Why do we need a Public Speaking class?

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Why do we need a public speaking class?

Most people fear public speaking in all of it’s forms. It might be public speaking as the best man at a wedding. It might be public speaking having to give a presentation in work. It might be public speaking having to address a local group. It might be public speaking having to run a workshop or a seminar. In any of the guises – it can be scary. People around us pick up on our feelings. So often, if they know we are nervous or scared, they don’t ask us to speak.

I have a clear memory of wanting to read out something for the end of year celebration at the school mass when I must have been no more than six or seven years old.

Bad experiences can make or break us

I also remember quite painfully that during our practise session, I got so nervous, I hid in the school toilet. I refused to join the class to speak. My teacher, at the time, instead of taking a little time with me, trying to encourage me or give me breathing exercises, or practical tools, she just told me I could not do it. She gave the reading to someone else. That was that. It compounded my sense of shame and failure.
Public Speaking Classes in Dublin City for Adults

We learn most from our failures

This experience was emblazoned into my memory growing up. I was not able. I could not speak or perform in public. This is the kind of thing that happens all the time to us as we are forming and growing. Someone who lacks confidence themselves, makes a sweeping decision that affects our development. That day I learned that if I was not prepared, I would not be chosen to do things I dreamt of doing. So, like a good girl guide, I decided from then on I would Be Prepared.

So what can we do about this fear of public speaking?

We can tackle our fears and take a class. Join a bunch of other people who want exactly the same thing. To be able to get up to that podium, stand up in the room, whatever and speak in front of a group of people – with a clear voice, with no wobbles, no catching of breath, no flapping nerves, no fidgeting.

Read about our public speaking classes|

Public Speaking takes practise, practise, practise. Its does get easier. Take a look at our Effective Public Speaking classes here and join us on September 24 for six weeks. You won’t regret it. Email us today at actthemaggot@gmail.com

Friday Night Improv

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frimprovWe are delighted to announce the long-awaited return our Friday Night Improv sessions.

What is Friday Night Improv?

This is our improv playground where participants are invited to come and play lots of games and improv their hearts out. Basically to return and Act The Maggot! A fantastic way to dust off those cobwebs, get your imagination going and release the tensions of the week. A fun, irreverent and relaxed environment. It’s also a perfect excuse to catch up with your act the maggot pals from previous courses and have a social drink after. We also welcome improv fans who have tried out improv elsewhere and like the idea of coming a long to these drop in sessions.

Where does it happen?

These sessions will take place in Chapterhouse on Fridays from 7.30pm to 10pm. Limited places. So put those dates in your diary.

Who can take part?

These Friday Night Improv workshops are NOT for beginners. You should have taken our flaghship Beginners’ Acting class or at least taken one course in Improvisation either with us or with other Imrpov groups.

The Friday Night Improv dates are

Friday Sept 6, 2019 – 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Friday, Sept 20, 2019 – there will be no FrImprov as it’s Culture Night at Chapterhouse!! (Free classes – book here through Eventbite).

Friday, Oct 4, 2019- 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Fri, Oct 18, 2019- 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Fri Nov 1, 2019- 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Fri Nov 15, 2019- 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Fri Nov 29, 2019- 7.30-10pm €25/€20 for maggot graduates

Intern Opportunity *** There is a possibility for one intern to get these 6 classes for FREE if they promote it and show up 30 minutes early each time to prepare the room and set up & clear away teas/coffees. Get in touch if you’d like to interview for this position.

Look at our website, www.actthemaggot.com
Contact us at actthemaggot@gmail.com for more information or to book your place.

To find out more – follow us on social media platform of your choice – @actthemaggot

These are drop in sessions but do mail us. Cash payable at the door.

Meditation really can matter

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pomjune23-19

Meditation

Practicing meditation is one of the most powerful things I have ever done. I remember thinking I would never be able to meditate. My first encounter with meditation when I was around 19 and I went to a yoga class. At the end of the class we all lay down in Shavasana (or corpse pose as it’s known in English), the teacher put on some music and told us to meditate. I lay there with my mind racing, thinking about what I was going to have for dinner, whether I’d need to go to the shops or not, what I’d watch on telly etc. etc. How could I meditate? Nobody had ever taught me how to do it. I have since learned how to meditate by practicing and by reading more about the benefits of meditation and ways to do it that suit me. I once thought that you had to be able to stop all the thoughts in your head to be able to meditate. This is a myth and it is not possible. We have something like 60,000 thoughts a day so it is not possible to stop them. Even long time meditators are not able to stop their thoughts. With practice you learn how to not get caught up in your thoughts, you acknowledge them and then let them go. This is where mindfulness can benefit your meditation practice.

How do I start?

The simplest way to start meditating is to start, it’s as simple as that. Basically set aside even just five minutes a day to sit quietly and connect to the breath in your body. Practice focused breathing like 7/11 breathing. Breathe in for the count of 7 and out for the count of 11. By counting your breathing you will be able to focus on the breath rather than your thoughts. With practice this will become easier.

Can technology help?

You can listen to guided meditations if you find that easier. There are lots of apps available for free. My favourite app is Insight Timer, where you can explore numerous different meditations. If you ‘d like to read more about Insight Timer click here. Try a few different ones until you find the ones that suit you best. I particularly like guided visualisations as I find this a good way to stop getting caught up in my thoughts.

Choose what works for you

If you know the type of person you are and which of your senses you are most connected to it will make it easier for you to find a meditation practice to suit you. The best way to find out is to think about how you describe places. For instance when I have been on holiday and I come back I usually talk about the food I had, the place I stayed, how the people were. I am very visual with a strong emphasis on taste. The five senses are taste, smell, vision, sound, and touch. Trying different meditation practices based on these five senses will help you find out which one works best for you.

Start with just five minutes a day

Meditation is a great way to switch off our brains at the end of a busy day. It is a great way to focus our minds at the beginning of the day. Great way to relax and wind down in the middle of the day if we have been running around. Even just five minutes a day can make a difference. Start with five minutes and aim for thirty minutes a day. You will be surprised at how beneficial you find it.

If you would like to learn to meditate with a group of people, why not join myself and Amy for The Power Of Me morning workshop in June. All the best, Anne Marie Curran. Read more here.

Bring your Beginner’s mind to a Drawing class

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Beginners Drawing Class Dublin

Is it time to try a Beginners Drawing class? Yesterday I was reading an interesting article that talks about reducing stress through art creation. It’s kinda funny that it starts off by saying – “whether you’re the next Van Gogh or a stick figure sketcher”  – do ya think the writer might have been talking about our lovely Act The Maggot logo designed by yours truly?! Thus, research suggests that just 45 minutes of art creation can reduce ‘cortisol’ levels – which are an indicator of stress in our systems. We, at Act The Maggot thrive on bringing people back to this place, whether it is Beginners Drawing or Beginners Acting or Beginners Creative Writing.

Benefits of Doing a Drawing Class

Remember when you were a child how much drawing you did? In school, at home, with friends. That silent engagement with the page and pencils, markers, coloured pencils or paint. As a result, we need to open that doorway to our imaginations and the endless possibilities of the unconscious realm. Our teacher Mahua can lead you right back to that peaceful, fun place.

“When I’m drawing, time stops. It’s just the lines on paper and my hand holding the tool.”

Mahua Le Meur is a visual artist, who has been living in Dublin, Ireland for the past 8 years. Indian by birth, she has always been interested in traveling and multiculturalism. She has lived in South Korea, Japan and France for more than 15 years. During her career, she has worked with oils and acrylics, inks and graphite as well as training in Japanese woodcut printing. mahuaDrawing however, has always been her primary passion. Her recent work has been in drawing with Japanese sumi ink on paper. Therefore, she uses her own hands as metaphors for the abstract field of connections. One can see some of these works at her upcoming exhibition in May, 2019 at the Icon Factory Atelier in Temple Bar.

Bring your Beginner’s Mind to a Drawing Class

Mahua teaches our Beginners Drawing at Act The Maggot – the next one starts on Tuesday night, March 5th, 2019. For some more information, see our Beginners Drawing class page on our website or get in touch for more details. actthemaggot@gmail.com

klee

The Power of Me – Happy Valentine’s to me

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powerofmeAdios January! Sayonara winter! Spring is here. But wait, have those resolutions gone by the wayside and you’ve been under a duvet for the past month eating treats and watching Netflix? Who hasn’t? Who cares? So what, we say to that. Resolution Shmesolution. We can take it easy. Bit by bit. Bird by bird. Babysteps. But yeah, oh dear, another holiday, Valentine’s Day, is fast approaching. Well, we have just the ticket for you. Act The Maggot is thrilled to be offering a different spin on the annual hallmark romantic holiday. We’ve developed The Power of Me – a workshop for yours truly. Click on that “workshop” link for all the info. Yes, how about some self love, self care for Valentine’s weekend? Who is more important than you? Do you feel stressed, tired, exhausted, anxious at times? Do you have difficulty navigating all the different relationships in your life: work, friends, romance? Let’s get you grounded and relaxed. Have you ever tried meditation or mindfulness? Have your ever tried mindful journaling? Join us for this restorative two-hour session and learn some great tools for resilience and self care. Easy exercises that you can continue to do on your own. Why not take some time for yourself or come with a friend and go for a lovely lunch after at the fabulous Fumbally Cafe. There are still some places left. Get in touch – The Power of Me – Saturday, Feb 16, 2019 – actthemagggot@gmail.com

relaxation (ˌri lækˈseɪ ʃən)
n.
1. abatement or relief from work, effort, etc.
2. an activity or recreation that provides such relief; diversion; entertainment.
3. a loosening or slackening.
4. diminution or remission of strictness or severity.

mindfulness (ˈmaɪndfʊlnɪs)
n
1. the state or quality of being mindful
2. (Psychology) the practice of giving complete and non-judgmental attention to one’s present experience, used as a stress-reduction technique

meditation (ˌmɛdɪˈteɪʃən)
n
1. the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection
2. contemplation of spiritual matters, esp as a religious practice

Journaling may refer to:

Writing therapy, a form of psychotherapy
Writing in a diary

And just so you know – while we have serious intentions – our groups are relaxed and playful

Phrases

act the maggot

informal Behave in a foolishly playful way.
‘we’d all walk in a line behind him, acting the maggot, you know, imitating him’

Origin

Late Middle English: perhaps an alteration of dialect maddock, from Old Norse mathkr, of Germanic origin.
Pronunciation
maggot/ˈmaɡət/

Evening classes all go on MiddleFab Street

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eveningWhat a buzz we have created with our evening classes in town! We’ve been having a major maggoty Autumn on Middle Abbey street! There’s been heaps of new maggots and old ones breaking out of their comfort zones, exploring their creativity and generally having a super time in our evening classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our Tuesday night Public Speaking class has come on leaps and bounds and next week they will put their new skills to the test with full on speechifying. level2Our Thursday night Level 2 maggots took to the stage last week and did a fantastic job preparing and delivering an entertaining mix of serious and comedic monologues in front of a live audience. Our creative writers are scribbling away next door to the artists who are learning the rudiments of drawing and rumour has it some sort of collaboration between the two classes is emerging. screen-shot-2017-11-08-at-12-37-07See what happens when all these creative souls mingle? Last night a whole new crop of beginner maggots got together and hopefully those first night nerves have been put to bed forever and it’ll be plain sailing from here on in. We also began our Level 3 Scene Study class and finally cast everyone and had our first read through this week. Now this is one showcase that should not be missed – especially because we’ll be having our Act The Maggot annual Christmas drinks on the same night!

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”

[MovieMaker Magazine #53 – Winter, January 22, 2004 ]”
― Jim Jarmusch

Culture Night Madness

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img_4446.jpgYes. It’s finally almost here. Culture Night is coming this Friday, September 21, 2018. We cannot wait. Act The Maggot is absolutely thrilled to be part of this amazing adventure @CultureNight We are offering free taster classes in beginners Drawing, Beginners Creative Writing, Beginners Improv and Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners. We are so excited to meet you all on Middle Abbey Street in Dublin! Culture Night has become a huge, national event and it reminds us of all the amazing experiences we can avail of right here in our cities and towns thanks to the tireless work of people who dedicate their lives to working in area of arts and culture. Go on, for Dubliners anyway, explore your city then yourself! Our Drawing classes are totally booked our but there are still some free spots left in Improv, Creative Writing or Mindfulness. Book here

Note: For those who come on the night, you will also have the opportunity to register on the night for our next batch of courses in Creative Writing, Drawing or Acting – all fun for the beginner!

Poetry, sizzling summer festivals and screenwriting!

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billy-collinsI have revised my love for the American poet Billy Collins. Now I adore him. I’ve been working on a personal project this summer which has been consuming a lot of my attention. I am writing writing writing all the time but now I am dedicating my free time to learning the craft of screenwriting. I never forget my true love – poetry – the origin of all great writing and theatre. I’m feeling very fortunate to have stumbled upon the great teaching talent that is Mary Kate O Flanagan. Now there is a person who understands story on the screen. Discussing her work would require another post – or several – which I will get to. Here’s her own website if you are curious. Anyways, earlier in June, I was down at the Festival of Ideas and Writing in Borris, Co. Carlow and I was over the moon the finally hear and see and eventually meet the great poet Billy Collins. As I have most recently been studying story structure his poem Aristotle is so fitting. Have a read.

Aristotle by Billy Collins

This is the beginning.
Almost anything can happen.
This is where you find
the creation of light, a fish wriggling onto land,
the first word of Paradise Lost on an empty page.
Think of an egg, the letter A,
a woman ironing on a bare stage
as the heavy curtain rises.
This is the very beginning.
The first-person narrator introduces himself,
tells us about his lineage.
The mezzo-soprano stands in the wings.
Here the climbers are studying a map
or pulling on their long woolen socks.
This is early on, years before the Ark, dawn.
The profile of an animal is being smeared
on the wall of a cave,
and you have not yet learned to crawl.
This is the opening, the gambit,
a pawn moving forward an inch.
This is your first night with her,
your first night without her.
This is the first part
where the wheels begin to turn,
where the elevator begins its ascent,
before the doors lurch apart.
This is the middle.
Things have had time to get complicated,
messy, really. Nothing is simple anymore.
Cities have sprouted up along the rivers
teeming with people at cross-purposes—
a million schemes, a million wild looks.
Disappointment unshoulders his knapsack
here and pitches his ragged tent.
This is the sticky part where the plot congeals,
where the action suddenly reverses
or swerves off in an outrageous direction.
Here the narrator devotes a long paragraph
to why Miriam does not want Edward’s child.
Someone hides a letter under a pillow.
Here the aria rises to a pitch,
a song of betrayal, salted with revenge.
And the climbing party is stuck on a ledge
halfway up the mountain.
This is the bridge, the painful modulation.
This is the thick of things.
So much is crowded into the middle—
the guitars of Spain, piles of ripe avocados,
Russian uniforms, noisy parties,
lakeside kisses, arguments heard through a wall—
too much to name, too much to think about.
And this is the end,
the car running out of road,
the river losing its name in an ocean,
the long nose of the photographed horse
touching the white electronic line.
This is the colophon, the last elephant in the parade,
the empty wheelchair,
and pigeons floating down in the evening.
Here the stage is littered with bodies,
the narrator leads the characters to their cells,
and the climbers are in their graves.
It is me hitting the period
and you closing the book.
It is Sylvia Plath in the kitchen
and St. Clement with an anchor around his neck.
This is the final bit
thinning away to nothing.
This is the end, according to Aristotle,
what we have all been waiting for,
what everything comes down to,
the destination we cannot help imagining,
a streak of light in the sky,
a hat on a peg, and outside the cabin, falling leaves.
Our next beginners creative writing class begins on September 25, 2018. Read more about it.

Book into next Beginners Acting. Hurry!

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tootootEmail us at actthemaggot@gmail.com or call/text 087 3744926 if you want to join our next class starting May 10th. Read more here. You can take an acting class at any stage of your life. Whether you are eighteen or fifty-eight! The benefits are enormous. Get out of your comfort zone and have fun this summer with our flagship Beginners’ Acting class in city centre! Every week for six weeks, join a bunch of like-minded people and have heaps of laughs tapping into your creativity in ways you have totally forgotten. Most people say it’s such a tonic allowing yourself to play and have craic in a safe, respectful environment. There are only two more courses running before we take our summer break. The next course starts next Thursday, May 10th and runs until June 14th! After that there will be one final course starting on June 28th and finishing up on August 2.

Here are just some of the comments from previous maggots.

“Act the maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall.”
– Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie

“I signed up to Act the Maggot to try something a bit different, I wanted to venture into the wilderness beyond my comfort zone but I soon found that I was totally comfortable outside of my comfort-zone. Act the Maggot just expands your comfort zone so that’s all there is. Classes like this are only ever as good as the person running them – luckily Amy is super fun, a master at her craft and really down-to-earth. She has a way of getting you to do things you wouldn’t usually do and she does it in such a way that it’s not scary at all. Everyone in the class was really friendly and willing to throw themselves into the thick of it. If you’re looking for a lot of laughs and a weekly holiday from reality this course will be perfect for you!”
– Alice Walsh, Librarian, Getty Images

“I would highly recommend the course to anyone who is looking to get an enjoyably informative and casual introduction to acting! Act the Maggot gives you a little taste of acting and public speaking while working as a medium through which you can meet some really interesting and really nice people that you would never meet otherwise! It definitely left me dying to try the next class and see what else Act the Maggot has to offer!”
– Sharon Moorhouse, TV3

Email us at actthemaggot@gmail.com or call/text 087 3744926