My First Step
Newsletter: MY FIRST STEP
By Beth Anne Byrd, 1991, Kansas City, MO
"It is my greatest pleasure to live this life of ever-evolving student/teacher/performer with an integrated basis I learned from Mr. Avital."
My association with Samuel Avital has been short, but joyful and productive. I can honestly say I am now doing what I've always wanted to do, and it is a direct result of my training at Le Centre Du Silence.
I first heard of Samuel through another student of his, Laura Templet. She so highly regarded him and his training that I chose to go to Boulder that year and experience him directly. I attended the summer of 1988 workshop, and it was very memorable and wonderful.
As most of you less recent students may know, the commitment to study with Mr. Avital is a long-term investment. Though my investment was made a mere four years ago, the creative dividends have been boundless.
My class was an eclectic group of individuals from all over the globe. Not only were they intelligent, insightful and productive people, but they were also supportive of one's feeling and thinking.
Mr.Avital is truly a master coordinator of creative energies and a stimulative force of learning through joy and fun.
I went through many changes with each daily lesson. The hardest being 'The Stick,' one of the ten basic principles of the BodySpeak™! The Avital Method.
Since that workshop, I have re learned and expanded on each daily lesson and will continue to develop my artistic career for the rest of my life. That is an easy statement for me to make now that I am a teacher performer and a clown.
Since 1988, the Kansas Arts commission as the artist-in-residence has accepted me. I have taught in many classroom settings, from pre-schools to workshops for adults, and all grade levels in between. The curriculum I use is an integrated one based on what I learned at Le Centre du Silence.
The principles taught by Mr. Avital are enduring and unintimidating. They appeal directly to the universal creative child and are therefore applicable to all ages.
To elaborate on how Avital's training has impacted my performances would take a long time. It is sufficient to say that the effects have been profoundly rewarding and enriching in my life.
It is my greatest pleasure to live this life of ever-evolving student/ teacher/ performer with an integrated basis I learned from Mr. Avital. I believe I could not have started my journey at a better place than Le Centre du Silence.
