Plastiques
A physical training for performers.
Plastiques is a rigorous and expressive physical training method developed by visionary theatre director Jerzy Grotowski. At the heart of the work is a precise set of isolated movements—known as “details”—that train the actor’s body to become more responsive, intentional, and instinctive.
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These details form the foundation of a physical vocabulary—one that allows the performer to respond to impulse, engage with others, and build meaning from the body outward. Through repetition and flow, the body begins to lead, freeing the voice and dissolving habitual, intellectual control.
Plastiques is not choreography—it is the training of presence.
The work is personal, precise, and deeply alive.
what are "details"?
Head
9 directional movements
Shoulders
6 variations in lift, roll, and drop
Chest
5 expressive expansions & contractions
Pelvis
6 core articulations in twist, tilt, shift
Arms
spirals, extensions, and directional flows
Hands
articulations to express nuanced gestures
Knees
Bend, rotate,
shift weight
Feet
Pressure, articulation, heel-to-toe grounding
Why train this way?
In traditional acting, the body follows the text.
In Plastiques,
the body leads.
Respond physically before intellectually
Free the voice from tension and habit
Honor kinesthetic wisdom
Develop a deeper connection to scene partners
Uncover impulses that live beneath language
Because the body knows what the intellect does not
Who is it for?
This work supports actors, dancers, devisers, and anyone whose body is central to their craft. Whether you're preparing for stage, screen, or ensemble-based creation, Plastiques helps you listen with your skin, speak from the breath, and respond from the gut.
Actors
Build physical instinct, voice-body connection
Dancers
Deepen movement impulse and articulate intention​
Creators/Devisers
Break habits, rediscover creative risk through the body
The Experience
In our workshops, you’ll:
✔ Learn and practice each detail
✔ Move through structured sequences and improvisation
✔ Explore voice and breath work rooted in physical impulse
✔ Build toward partner work and ensemble responsiveness
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No mirrors. No judgment. Just you, your body, and the possibility of something truer than thought.