b'256-7)the world itself produces these feelings,fact that we wanted to explore the dynamics ofDetailed observational research was revolutionary we dont necessarily know why. By allowingwater in all their forms, from the most gentle toin my work as a physical performer, as a perform-ourselves to explore without restriction of nar- the most violent (Lecoq 2000: 44), we played wither more generally, and even in rediscovering life rative, we were able to present combinations ofhow the sheet could help us capture this essence.at its most authentic (Lecoq 2000: 27). Stripping observed movement in an episodic structure thatWe tried Chloes water solo, shaking the sheet fu- back the creative process to a deep appreciation allows for emotion to be guided, not dictated. Ourriously to capture the rhythm of uncompromisingand consideration of the world and its move-observation work made us feel able to present awaves. The movement of the sheet and Chloesments, the beauty in the everyday, allows us to piece that we craved to explore, unafraid to showinteraction with it, with exhausted breath andcome to a place of inspiration from which it isnt the animalistic movements of the duet alongsideunpredictable, fast pace, seemed to help evokedifficult to begin exploring (Marshall 2001, 97), the humanoid of the conveyor belt, as a showcasesimilar emotion to that of unrelenting sea, andrather than manufacturing something from a rig-of observations that enter into the vast avenuescapture its essence. We developed this idea furtherid narrative or confining our ideas to the studio. and emotions that the natural world offers, ratherthrough observations of the the different el- It allows us to let the audience take what they than beginning with a rigid theme that may haveements of nature: water, fire, air, earth, and simi- will from it, and for emotion to come from some-hindered creativity.larly found how well they manifested in the sheet.where other than a narrative by connecting our For example, the wind, experienced through allwork to life in its simplest forms, ideas cultivated A new consideration originated with Stellas fas- the objects which it sets in motion: a leaf a ragin the research tasks to become at the forefront of cination with the way a sheet can movenot in(Lecoq 2000: 44). We found that the sheet couldthe creation of both micro-performances. Appre-capturing its essence with our bodies, but possi- help capture the rhythms of the world, and hasciation, awe, emotion and inspiration can truly bly performing alongside it. The pedagogy of theits own rhythms. It can be observed and inspira- come from anything, and through observation Lecoq school includes not only the observationtion can be drawn from it, just like the bowlingwork, our minds and creativity have potential to of the animal and elemental, but the object [and]pin. The observation work done through thisexpand far beyond being moved by a bowling pin. material (Dabashi 2016, 79), and after the nat- module opened up the possibility to find such aweHow can we nurture and preserve this skill going ural elements, work on identifications moves toin a simple object, and use it to evoke emotionforward into creating theatre, and even how we different materials (Lecoq 2000: 45). Fascinationand essences that feel that they would be beyondview life? Being mindful and reminding ourselves with its potential for versatility in its dynamicssuch simplicity, giving us the centre of our pieceof the rhythms all around us will cultivate this presented us with a challenge of how to captureand an outlook that made it more richly playfulfurther, and returning to it opens so many pos-both the intimacy and vastness of the naturaland exploratory.sibilities that it is something we can easily enjoy world with this everyday object. Reflecting on thedoingfor in truth nature is our first language. Our bodies remember! (Lecoq 2000: 47).Bachelard, G. (1943) LAir et les songes. Paris: Jos Corti, pp. 256-7.Dabashi, P. (2016) Literature, Lecoq, and the nouveau roman in Evans, M. and Kemp, R. (2016). The Routledge Companion to Jacques Lecoq. Routledge. Evans, M. (2019) Performance, Movement and the Body. Macmil-lan Education UK.Foley Sherman, J. (2016) Space and Mimesis in Evans, M. and Kemp, R. (2016). The Routledge Companion to Jacques Lecoq. Routledge. Lecoq, J. (2000) The Moving Body: Teaching creative theatre. Lon-don: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.Marshall, L. (2001) The Body Speaks. United Kingdom: Methuen.Prior, DM. (2001) What is Total Theatre?. [online] Totaltheatre.org.uk. Available at: http://totaltheatre.org.uk/archive/fea-tures/what-total-theatre [Accessed 2 January 2022].Sachs, C (2016). Bachelard, Jousse and Lecoq inThe Routledge Companion to Jacques Lecoq, Evans, M. and Kemp, R. Students experiment with a sheets movement. Photo: Emily Kreider (Eds). London: Routledge. 24 25'