Who Am I?
by Hunter Gates
Program Director, Stage Combat & Physical Theatre
This will be my tenth year at Centauri Summer Arts Camp…HOLY WOW!!! My role at Centauri has always been to teach Stage Combat programs. I am a stunt artist by trade, and a Lecoqian Physical Theatre instructor. Stage Combat plays a huge part in both
these areas of performance. I believe that Stage Combat (the art of creating safe and stunning action-conflict for performance) provides a true and essential grounding for an actor. It allows a performer to understand how emotion is built and driven on stage, and it brings performance energy to the forefront. It encompasses breath, movement and passion. I remember working with a group of ten year olds a few years ago for example, doing sketch comedy. We had in our troupe a magician, a football player, a student from China, and a couple of experienced child actors, to name a few. Rehearsal was insane with excitement and the day before performance, they all decided it was the best time to show off their individual skill. The following day, we incorporated many of their skills into the show and what a success it was!! Many years later when they were teenagers I was able to regroup them and put on a multi-cultural, multi-sword show to a sold out crowd.
The project that fills my time as I complete my first decade at Centauri Arts Camp is opening a space in Edmonton for original artists to come together, perform, rehearse and workshop. This may sound an odd venture, but odd ventures have characterised much of my career as an artist. One year, for example, I specialised in full body puppetry. That year, if there was a purple character to play, then I played it! I’m still not sure why, but every time I went to an audition, I was cast in purple fur. I played Cush on Treehouse, touring with Douglas John Cameron; I played Mouse on Bananas in Pajamas and Monster from My Pet Monster!l
Stage Combat may sound like a very specific passion, but as you’ll see from above, I’m fairly eclectic as an artist. The same is true of personal interests. I am a reader, an accountant and a member of both the Science Centre and the National Geographic Society. I am hooked on Dancing with the Stars and have discovered that they have a work-out program that I am sooo excited to try!
And what about my programs at Centauri? Again, variety is the name of the game and in 2013 we are looking at programs like none other seen before! I am excited to meet new campers and see what new energy they will bring to the combat programs. We have amazing returning campers who are all in for an exceptional experience this coming summer, and new ones I can’t wait to meet and enthuse about theatre and stage combat! We are going to turn Centauri Stage Combat on its head, so look out for lots of fun as we kick up the energy from our counsellors and programs, and wow everyone with the final shows! Look out and Hang on! Here come the Stage Combat group 2013!!
BIOGRAPHY: Hunter Gates is entering her tenth summer teaching Stage Combat and Physical Theatre at Centauri. Hunter’s programs have proved vastly popular over the years and have included huge environmental presentations on the fields behind camp (often battle re-enactments!) as well as sword shows on scaffolding in our theatre, and roaming presentations that take an audience all over camp. In Session Two this summer, Hunter will be exploring the techniques of warring tribes throughout history, in thrilling battles sequences outside. For Session Three, she’s collaborating with Musical Theatre in the creation of an original musical with plenty of wild action, and in Session Four younger campers get their chance, with ‘Slapstick Theatre and Clown‘. Some space still remains in her programs; for full descriptions, go to https://www.centauriartscamp.com/summer-camps/stage-combat-camp.htm
Centauri Summer Arts Camp
www.centauriartscamp.com