Freelance acting practitioner Gemma Crooks talks about encouraging more perspectives and shares her advice to students and graduates
I come from a line of storytellers. As a child, my grandfather would take us on a journey with these rich narratives that he created. Those stories would ignite my imagination. It was possibly then that storytelling became a love of mine. I went on to enjoy artistry in many forms: acting, dance, theatre, film and photography.
Performance was always going to be the career path I would take, but I didn’t consider the value of coaching until I trained as an actor. My career shift was prompted by the lack of representation across coaches and acting principals. I started my training in 1999 – a lot has changed since then and it’s great to be a part of that change.
Make art. The one thing I encourage all of us to do is make art without the pressure of it being a great success. Just make, create and discover what you have to offer.
I would encourage more perspectives to be considered. Let theatre and art reflect the world we live in.
I admire the seekers: those who seek creativity, who go beyond the confinements of practice, individuals who challenge us to reconsider what we think we know. I admire people who offer us access to their narratives and perspectives. I would encourage students to seek out people who challenge their own understanding of what it is to create.
Allow self-expression to exist in your learning and practice, have healthy expectations and be present in the moment rather than constantly worrying about future outcomes.
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