Schedule
My regular classes continue Thursday mornings at 10:15 on Zoom.
Please contact me at 433 4170 or mvmeindl at gmail dot com to discuss how I can support you in your online learning.
… and I have an exciting new project in the works for fall 2023. It’s a series of talks, presented in person and on Zoom.
The Work
Straight Talk on Method and Craft
These days, there are a host of methods (and Methods) available for looking after our bodies. They can save our lives, mess with our minds, and sometimes a bit of both. In this series, I offer a historical perspective on today’s popular self-care and fitness methods.
Who will enjoy this series? Actors, dancers, and artists of all kinds, teachers, wellness practitioners, and anyone with an interest in taking charge of their health.
The first three sessions, on the theme of Breathing in History take place October 16, November 20 and December 18, 2023 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen St. E., Toronto. You are welcome to attend in person or on Zoom. A recording will be available for the whole day after the event for those with tickets.
October 16 2 to 4 p.m.
Breath work as “life insurance”: Leo Kofler’s Art of Breathing and the legacy of tuberculosis
In his 1887 book The Art of Breathing tuberculosis survivor Leo Kofler describes his breathing and voice exercises as “life insurance.” In this session, I will look at how the threat of TB shaped the development of breathing methods both for performers, and the general public.
November 20, 2 to 4 p.m.
Breathing at the Bauhaus
In 1919, artist Johannes Itten developed a primary course for the Bauhaus art and design school in Germany. The curriculum included studies of nature, colour theory and even breathing exercises. Itten was inspired by the work of German born Otto Hanish (or, as he called himself Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha’nish), the founder of his own religious movement. What does it mean to know that the Bauhaus was so closely tied to what many people would consider a cult?
December 18 2 to 4 p.m.
Breathing as a (maybe) feminist act: dress reform and the contentious corset
In many parts of the world, women in the late 1800s cast off their corsets and adopted looser-fitting clothing. Healthy breathing was a big part of what the new wardrobe offered. Yet the first wave of feminism, which included dress reform, was also tied to eugenics, white supremacist sentiments, and rigid class divisions. Do traces of these early ideas linger in conversations about breathing, today?
I hope to see you there!