Space to space

Linda (Mdena) Thibedi

The story I’d like to share with you is unlike the other stories; for this story looks at a group who came with great intentions, curiosity and drive, but little did they know the path would bring its own intentions and curiosities which would tear the year 2020 into two.

The road that I had walked could no longer be taken for it was ladened with tar: dark, black, thick sticky tar. Deadly tar. Upon this discovery we had to stop in our tracks and head a different way. Another path presented itself to us, but this path had 16 different ways. Only one traveller could take one path, and so we did. One by one we walked turning back to wave and smile, our songs could be heard from a distance as we walked on, but the sound began to fade as I went further down my own path.

I tried to make sense of what and how, and then I remembered that all the travellers were on the journey, not one willing to give up or turn back. So, I too had to do the same. I picked up my map, relooked and thought it through. The discipline of Drama Therapy could still be taught because the travellers were still present.

We had to reimagine how to teach, learn and experience embodied work online. Phil Jones’ 9 core principles continued to be our foundation. Drama Therapy techniques, principles, methods and models were taught online. For the first time we were collaborating from a distance, piece by piece.

Type of Contribution

Presentation