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Zen Zen Zo is a Brisbane-based physical theatre ensemble at the forefront of contemporary performance and training in Australia. Founded in 1992, the company has continually produced edgy, innovative theatre experiences, ranging from radical interpretation of classics to original new works, which have been showcased throughout Australia and Asia.
Under the guidance of Artistic Directors and founders, Lynne Bradley and Simon Woods, Zen Zen Zo pursues two artistic goals:
The creation and performance of dynamic and engaging physical
theatre experiences which excite, challenge and transform our
audiences.
Zen Zen Zo’s work is accessible and adventurous, drawing new audiences
to theatre. Our aesthetic was forged partly in the ancient Asian
dance-theatre traditions, in which spirituality is at the fore, and
partly in contemporary pop culture, where sound, light, movement and
spectacle communicate meaning and ‘experience’ is god. This fusion of
old and new gives Zen Zen Zo its unique appeal, and an audience base
that spans several generations. Proudly Australian, the company has
been at the forefront of the physical theatre movement in this country
for the past 15 years. We have drawn inspiration from the SITI Company,
the Suzuki Company of Toga, La Fura Dels Baus, Dairakudakan,
Complicite, Theatre de Soleil, The Sydney Performance Front, and Barrie
Kosky. We are currently one of the few experimental companies working
in Queensland committed to exploring new ways of making and presenting
theatre that taps into wider markets.
The facilitation of workshops and physical theatre training that
empowers and inspires sustainable artistic journeys and the development
of new work and emerging artists.
Zen Zen Zo’s education and training programs, renowned for their
innovation and excellence, are extensive and cater to young people,
emerging artists, professional performers and directors, as well as
primary and secondary school teachers. We have developed a strong
methodology that draws on many traditions in world theatre, primarily
from the Artistic Directors' years spent living in Japan, as well as
from the Australian peak-performance sporting world. The Suzuki Method
of Actor Training, Butoh Dance-Theatre and The Viewpoints remain the
core training systems taught by the company. Lynne Bradley and Simon
Woods have inherited these methods through extensive first-hand
experience with the creators of these forms, and have been at the
forefront of disseminating these innovative actor-training techniques
around Australia. Since 1998 Zen Zen Zo has been one of the largest
providers of in-schools training in Queensland, working with around
5000 school students annually. In 2003 we launched the Zen Zen Zo
6-month Internship which has been lauded as one of the finest emerging
artist programs in the country.
In order to achieve this vision Zen Zen Zo has developed a strong
company culture which promotes the pursuit of excellence in all areas,
the desire to be the leaders in our field, and a commitment to ongoing
personal and professional development. As both artists and teachers we
aim to be extra-ordinary, to inspire, and to unlock human potential.
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