The first time I met David Glass was at HCAC, two years ago. Throughout that first evening, I noticed how closely he watched the stories we told through our bodies and the words we spoke, even the most trivial.  He had led us through an exercise that involved liminal sleep and drawing the images we saw. I showed what mine was, an image of a deep lake under a starlit sky, surrounded by mountains and the deep woods. He told me brightly that, if he were to direct a one-woman show with me, he would bring on the first day; a large stone and a bowl of water.

David Glass.

That day was the beginning of the most important lesson I have had as an artist; to truly understand the true fibre of myself and the stories I wanted to tell with it. Ever since I have also joined the David Glass Ensemble as an associate to expand their work in South East Asia.

We believe that it is extremely important to expand our learning and education internationally. It is a right and necessity for people, particularly the young, to learn the craft of performing and theatre making to open and transform their bodies, minds, hearts and worlds. Always beginning in the body, our learning strand roots itself in the belief that people fundamentally want to have relationships with each other, the world around them and themselves.

David Glass instructing ‘The Child’ workshop at HCAC.

For that reason, we have established a partnership between the David Glass Ensemble and HCAC to continue to bring in Ensemble members to Singapore as visiting teachers. With this mission, we have brought in world renowned teachers and artists. Benji Reid, a Manchester-based physical theatre performer, dancer and photographer descended to Singapore for a weekend where he taught us the potency of physical storytelling. This coming September, Melissa Eveleigh, a director and performer who has worked internationally as a theatremaker and activist will be joining us as well.

Look out for more classes that will be marked under the umbrella of “David Glass Ensemble Learning” — we will continue to bring our international faculty of respected industry professionals to HCAC.

David himself is a prolific teacher and theatre director has performed, directed and taught in over seventy countries. Trained at the Lecoq school in Paris he has also studied with Augusto Boal, Growtowski, Peter Brook, Alvin Ailey and Mike Alfreds.

David Glass with HCAC students.

David relaunched the Ensemble in 2016 as a platform to help establish young people in the arts and theatre internationally. Having worked in over 70 countries worldwide, David and the Ensemble are bringing current and revived work to a new generation. The Ensemble collaborates with the best of performers, designers, writers and composers, mixing established talent with the upcoming. David mentors 16 young artists around the world. He believes passionately in the power of art and creativity and it’s ability to positively transform the world.

Past students of David include Emma Thompson, Stephen Daldry (Billy Eliot) Simon McBurney (Theatre de Complicite), Amit Lehav (Gecko Theatre), Jim Chim (Theatre Ensemble Hong Kong), Tina Ellen Lee (Opera Circus), Tom Morris (Warhorse) and Adam Sunderland (Sticks Theatre).

We are dedicated to supporting HCAC in unlocking the potential of everyone that enters our doors. As proud partners, we believe those who embrace their artistry – actors, writers, thinkers, dreamers, visionaries, entrepreneurs – are happier, more fulfilled and more successful individuals who make the world a better place.

This article was written by Elisabeth Ho.

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