I began my puppet career with Silk Marionette Theater,
I later formed different troupes over the years and we performed
regularly for fhe public. My early intentions and training
were to become a Eurythmist but my destined path of
puppetry was so strong that I used the Eurythmy to
inform my puppet gesture and movement. Ensouled and
conscious movement, and this as a healing direction, is the
core of my Year Long Puppetry Training Program.
The Silk Marionettes have a grace and fluidity that is unique in
the marionette world. They also are the wonderful puppet who
stands upright and moves engagingly with the world without our
own human hands directly touching them. Almost like magic, but
with the puppeteer's skill in stringing them correctly, and
manipulating the strings in such a way as to create meaningful
movement. We enliven/ensoul them indirectly through the strings
with our etheric powers full of character qualities and imaginations
that make truth visible.
Rudolf Steiner spoke highly of the marionettes, stating that they
were the puppets most worthy of bringing the Fairy Tales to life.
As the Fairy Tales bring Archetypal Truth to the world,
the Objective and Pure qualities of the Silk Marionettes can
more fully be filled with spirit and soul movements.
'Silk is Woven Sunlight' shared my early puppet mentor,
Roswitha Spence, at Emerson College in England in the
1970's. A vibrant Steiner College at that time, a one of a
kind life changing place, so began my introduction to
Silk Marionettes, the miniature Eurythmist.
We want to ponder these puppets manipulated from above
with strings attached to the puppets below. As we do not
directly touch the puppets, this gives us the image of puppeteers
being the Gods above pulling the strings of life. What it does is
make the puppets more objective, there is less tendency to being
sentimental, and we are more capable of bringing gestures
from within our imagination. They are unique in this way.
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With the Rod Puppet, (as contrast), we manipulate them directly
with our hands from within the puppet, similarly to a
hand puppet. With these puppets our own heart meridian
pulses where their puppet heart would reside.
They are rightfully the Heart Puppet, and very approachable
to the children, in fact they like to hug them.
Children rarely want to hug a marionette,
but oh how they take in the truth
and meaning of their gestures the most deeply
more than from any other kind of puppet.
So what brings the balance? We use all kinds
of puppet types with the children! Each type has their
special gifts!
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We are offering both an introduction to Silk Marionette Theater
Click Here for Details
and our NEW course on Silk Marionettes and the Fairy Tales
Click Here for Details
And an introduction to The Rod Puppet (heart puppet) this July
Click Here for Rod Puppet Details
Pixie Rod Puppet
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