Creating a safe dance environment that honors
mental and physical health through Ruth
Zaporah's "Action Theater" and improvisation
practices

O L I V IA S H I RLEY

Stigmatization of Mental Health
• Dancers experience a taught mindset of pushing limits
• Overworking, "push through pain," "suck it up"

• Prioritization of physicality
• Ignore mental health

• This leads to physical and mental concerns such as anxiety, depression,
low self-esteem, body image issues and injury

Causes of Mental Health Issues
• "Get over it" attitude
• “The 'get over it' attitude teachers and choreographers have, only
intensifies the multitude of issues that come with the discipline and
rigor of dance" (Ducci 1).
• Suppression of emotion

Benefits of Improvisation
• Mental Benefits
• Increased personal empowerment and self-esteem
• Opportunity to express and embody emotion
• Increased sense of agency
• Increased self-awareness and mindfulness

• Physical Benefits
• Explore authentic, safe movement
• Tend to problem/painful areas
• Set boundaries and limits

Ruth Zaporah's
Action Theater
• Ruth Zaporah is an "improviser truly
living in the moment" (Kourlas)
• Action Theater is an improvisation
physical theater training and
performance method

• It is a tool to disempower thoughts of
fears, judgments and analysis

Action Theater
• Exercises deconstruct normal behavior, inviting
awareness of the present

• Uses improvisation as a way to be present and
mindful through observation of movement without
judgment

Action Theater & Mindfulness
• Mindfulness is the ability to be present, aware of where we are and what we’re
doing, and not reactive or judgmental towards our actions and feelings

• Action Theater’s ideals and exercises work to create a safe dance environment
that focuses on healthy physical and mental dance practice

Conclusion
• Improvisation and "Action Theater's" incorporation of mindfulness, selfawareness, agency and connection between mind-body lead to healthy
physical and mental wellness.

• Zaporah's methodologies show us how to solve the problem of mental
health issues such as depression, low self-esteem, and pressure to
overwork.